I’m currently an intern at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital- Needham in Massachusetts. One of my favorite activities so far in my clinical rotations has been doing a Smoothie Bowl Sample Cart with the oncology dietitian. Together, we wanted to show patients how smoothies could become a balanced meal with the right ingredients and right toppings. We decided to make two smoothies: a Green Smoothie with avocado, spinach, and bananas, and a Fruit Smoothie with mango, bananas and raspberries. We used the smoothies as a base and added nutritious toppings to them. It was important to include familiar items like granola, almonds, pecans, while also having trendier items like chia seeds, ground flax seed, and toasted coconut. It was great to be able to offer patients in the transfusion center something fresh, cool, and delicious that was also packed with good nutrition! The patients (and their families) loved it, and many of them stepped out of their comfort zone to try our Green Smoothie. I loved seeing how a taste-test can open doors and help people be adventurous. I learned how including some “out of the box” items in a sampling situation can help expose more people to new, nutritious foods they didn’t know they liked! In fact, it was so much fun, we had another Smoothie Bowl table in the cafeteria for National Nutrition Month, where this picture was taken.
