UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — From classwork to club meetings and everything in between, many students struggle to find time for preparing healthy, delicious meals in their apartments or residence halls.

A group of student volunteers in the University Health Services (UHS) HealthWorks program is making healthy eating habits a simpler, more enjoyable experience by producing a series of healthy cooking videos.

HealthWorks, a peer education and outreach program operating within UHS, aims to promote health among Penn State students by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, health education programs, and advocating for a healthy Penn State community.

“The peer educators in HealthWorks do an amazing job of educating their peers on health-related topics in creative and engaging ways,” said Stacy Jones, staff mentor of the HealthWorks student volunteers. “Their work greatly expands our reach and efforts here in Health Promotion and Wellness.”

For several years, HealthWorks students have worked with UHS staff to find and develop quick, healthy recipes and create five-minute video tutorials to guide students through the process. The recipes are geared toward a college lifestyle and are easy to make with limited kitchen supplies.  _­­

“The main goal in making these videos is to help Penn State students to become happier and healthier,” said senior psychology student and HealthWorks team member Alex Schilken. “We hope students will realize how easy it is to cook healthy foods in their dorms and apartments.”

Students interested in becoming a part of the HealthWorks team can submit an application here.

The healthy recipe videos created by HealthWorks students can be found online on the Healthy Penn State blog.

University Health Services is a unit of Penn State Student Affairs.