Nutrition is a nationwide trend. Fast food chain commercials now feature salads instead of double cheeseburgers. Grocery store shelves are filled with light versions of America’s favorite foods.

Elementary school students are filling their lunchboxes with fresh fruit, whole grain bread and low fat milk instead of buying from the school cafeteria.

College campuses are no exception. In private colleges, especially, campus dining programs are updating menus to include vegetarian options, minimally processed ingredients and heart healthy oils. “Today, healthy is more the rule than the exception,” Campus Nutritionist Kate Ruley said.

Ruley spent her senior year in high school in a veryactive Colorado community. After graduating from Queens College in Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1991, Ruley moved to Winston-Salem with her husband, where she taught at SciWorks. With her family in mind, she decided to pursue a career in nutrition, and she enrolled in the graduate program at the UNC-Greensboro.

After receiving her master’s degree in nutrition in 1998, Ruley worked as a private consultant and joined the university faculty in 2002. “One of the most common problems I see at Wake Forest is students having trouble adjusting to campus living and eating,” Ruley said.

It can be overwhelming for students when they are given the freedom to eat whatever they want when they want it in college. Ruley hopes to make this transition easier. “We want to give students a positive and healthy experience at Wake Forest,” Ruley said. “This is a very health conscious community where everyone is motivated to perform well.”

According to Ruley, good nutrition is critical to good performance. She works with the athletic department, and especially freshman athletes, to design eating plans to ensure that students are in top shape. She also holds talks with health classes, such as weight-lifting, to educate students on how to make healthy choices.

“In the last six years since I have been at Wake Forest, I have seen very progressive changes to the dining program,” Ruley said.

This year, students really have noticed the nutritious updates to the campus dining program. For example, the new Healthy Deacon program at the Fresh Food Company and Shorty’s guides students to low fat, vegetarian and heart-healthy menu options.

Ruley has been very involved in making Wake Forest health-conscious. “The trend for private campuses our size is to become more nutritionally aware and sound in composition,” Ruley said. “I would say that compared to other universities, Wake Forest is further ahead. We have a more ideal dining program comparable to Columbia.”

In addition to working with the Fresh Food Company and other dining locations on campus, Ruley consults individually with students who have special dietary needs. She helps design eating plans for students with food allergies and diabetes, as well as students who are vegetarian or vegan. “There are a lot of vegetarians on campus, and I help guide them to create meals with adequate protein, vitamins, iron and zinc to ensure that they are getting everything their bodies need,” Ruley said.

On Sept. 10, Ruley and the campus dining program presented the first cooking demonstration in the Fresh Food Company. These monthly demonstrations are designed to help students learn how to combine healthy cooking techniques with fresh ingredients to make simple recipes that fit into a college student’s schedule and budget. “Establishing healthy habits in college will benefit students in the future,” Ruley said. “I want to impart the importance of healthy cooking methods, minimally processed ingredients and smart grocery shopping techniques so students are prepared for life after college.”

At home, Ruley is just as committed to teaching her two children how to be healthy and make good decisions about nutrition. “We like to make smoothies for breakfast, and we try to eat as a family often,” Ruley said. “It is important to model good eating habits, and family time helps children make better decisions.”

Ruley’s personal habits set an example for her 14-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. For example, Ruley likes to do her grocery shopping at local farmers markets for hormone-free dairy products, organic meats and fresh produce. She isn’t opposed to some junk food, however. “It’s part of being a kid,” Ruley said. “I try not to be a food Nazi while teaching my children about balance and moderation.”

When the family goes out to eat, they like the Diamondback Grill, which offers a lot of local organic meats and produce. Whole Foods is another family favorite, because everyone can choose what they want, and everything is pretty healthy. “The key to eating out is to look for items like steamed or roasted vegetables, grilled meats and create-your-own salads,” Ruley said.

For dessert, Ruley loves gelato, which is lower in fat than regular ice cream. “I love the colors of gelato and all of the different flavors,” Ruley said.

Ruley is also very active. An avid runner, she wakes up early every morning and runs with a group of women in her neighborhood, and she has participated in several marathons. She also enjoys tennis, reading, traveling and spending time with her family.

Working as the campus nutritionist keeps Ruley busy during the day. In addition to designing the menu for the vegetarian station at the Fresh Food Company and working with athletes, Ruley is available for guest lectures, team talks and individual consultations.

As a licensed registered dietician, she specializes in weight management, food allergies, vegetarian and vegan eating, sports nutrition and eating disorders.

Students, faculty and staff can take advantage of free and confidential consultations with Ruley to discuss concerns about nutrition and learn how to adopt healthy habits. “I have a very diverse job,” Ruley said. “That’s one of the things I love the most about it. No two days are ever the same.”