Amanda Degard, Crown Point, IN

Business Fellows is a program I was initially exposed to through my student job on campus. I sat on the sidelines and watched as my peers gained real-world experience in this immersive learning program. When the chance came to join Business Fellows, I jumped at the opportunity. The Indiana Foodways Alliance seemed so interesting to me because of the transition I have had throughout life as far as my diet goes.

My relationship with food can be tracked from great to good to bad and ugly. While growing up, the rule of the house was milk with dinner. Milk soon became my favorite drink. As far as the main course, now that is a completely different story.

When I am asked my nationality I have the pleasure of saying, “I’m French Canadian, but raised Italian.” I get some of the strangest looks when I say that, but I then I get to explain that my Father was adopted into an Italian family, and I was raised on authentic Italian food.

As a child I was expected to eat my vegetables and clean my plate. I am one of the pickiest eaters I have ever known. Everything I ate had to be plain, and as far as vegetables go, I will only eat corn and green beans. Ironically, I am a vegetarian.

I gave up meat more than a year ago, and I can safely say I don’t think I will ever eat it again. I hope that through my time working with the Indiana Foodways Alliance I can learn how my dinner gets on my plate and who was involved in getting it there.

As far as cooking goes, I love it. I like to try new recipes, and I like to experiment in the kitchen. I love watching the Food Network, it really amazes me how one person can have so much knowledge of food.

Food can be made so many different ways, it always amazes me what people can come up with recipe wise.