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Becoming a dietitian is hard work and Covid hasn’t made it any easier. Covid gifted nutrition students endless hours on Zoom, shorter breaks, a shortage of already scarce opportunities and frustration.
The holidays are supposed to bring some joy into our lives though and thankfully, the holidays are here.
After working hard all year, it’s nice to relax, spend time with the people you love (from a distance), and exchange presents. Everyone loves presents.
Here are 5 great gift ideas for the dietetic student in your life (even if it’s yourself).
#1: The Burrito Blanket
When I’m stressed out, my favorite thing to do is roll myself in a blanket. Doing this is comforting, so I become a human burrito.
I’m sure you have those “human burrito” moments too. That’s why I think this burrito blanket is a great idea for a gift.
It could be when:
- It’s cold outside
- You’re having a life crisis
- You’re (finally) enjoying some down time
It’s hard to go wrong with a blanket. And a nice, soft one that looks like a delicious tortilla…Can it get any better? It can. You can now say “I’m going to be a burrito today”.. and mean it.
Now I dare say this gift couldn’t get any better.
#2: Aeropress Go
I don’t live on coffee…
but I don’t live without it. I like those nice speciality coffees that you have to grind first for optimal taste (YES, I’m one of those people).
Covid has forced us all to be inside most of this year, so I’ve had my coffee close by. That has been the one ok thing about Covid.
But, once restrictions lighten up, I won’t be making coffee at home everyday. I started using a travel coffee maker years ago when I traveled a lot for my job. Mostly because I couldn’t find nice coffee, but I also feel wasteful when I buy coffee outside.
I try to reduce my consumption, so I pack up my portable coffee kit when I go to work. I recently got the Aeropress Go and it’s fantastic.
This gem is simple to use and it comes with a travel cup and cover to keep your coffee (moderately) warm. The travel cup and cover don’t seal though. If you have a travel mug, you can put your Aeropress over your cup and brew coffee directly into it.
The Aeropress comes with paper filters, but you can order a stainless steel filter and reduce your paper consumption.
The only drawback of this gift is that it makes one cup of coffee at a time.
Speaking of coffee, gift idea #3…
#3: Dietitian Mug
We all see the memes about people asking nutrition students for meal plans and diet advice. So, this mug is a comical way to show people that you don’t work for free just because you’re a student.
The drawback of this gift would be if the receiver doesn’t like tacos (tacos are so delicious).
#4: Social Media Pack
Food and media belong together. At least for nutrition students. Food photography and videography is on the rise.
And you want to know the secret to taking professional-looking pictures and video?
- Lighting
- a clean set up
- a steady hand
- Sound quality (for video)
“Now, Ame…I can’t afford professional equipment.”
Good news for you–you don’t need to spend thousands on equipment. Use your phone and a few products from Amazon.
Food Photography Starter Pack
Tripod for Phone
I have a different tripod, but it’s rubbish. So, I’m recommending this one because it looks sturdier.
Tripods are the steady hand you need to take great photos or video footage. No one wants to look at blurry pictures or a shaky video.
Investing in a tripod will elevate any nutrition student’s photography or video production.
Neewer Tabletop Lights
Neewer makes professional-like equipment at a reasonable cost. My friend who used to be a videographer recommended this brand to me.
I got the LED tabletop lights and I use them all the time for my freelancing work and conference calls. They are adjustable and plug into any wall adapter or USB port.
Good lighting changes the quality of your photo or video drastically. Natural light is best, but sometimes we need a bit more lighting to achieve a look. And if your house doesn’t have great lighting, a pair of tabletop lights can fix that.
Video Starter Pack
Use all of the items above and add a microphone.
Audio that sounds like you recorded it in a windy tunnel will NOT make a great video.
Boya Microphone
This is another microphone my videographer friend recommended to be. It clips onto your clothes and plugs into your phone or camera. Using a microphone instead of your phone or computer mic will drastically improve your audio.
Your phone and computer’s microphone catches audio from all directions. That’s why the audio sounds hollow. But if you use a lapel mic that’s set to catch sound from one direction (the speaker) you will get that full-sounding audio. Without sounding like you’re eating the microphone.
This mic will also help cut down on the background noise, which saves you editing time.
NOTE: If you use an IPhone that doesn’t have a headphone jack, you need an adapter! (Thanks for ANOTHER adapter I have to buy Apple).
Here is the adapter if you’re like me and need 8 million adapters because you own Apple products.
#5: (Almost) Dietitian Notebook
I included this notebook on this list because it’s cute. And we use a lot of notebooks as students. How can you go wrong?
Happy holidays!