By Izzy Stein, Staff Writer
ardian of Uncrustables and other Goods: an interview with Makenzi Mollitor
If you’ve ever strolled down the perpetual halls of Pratt Recreation Center, chances are you’ve crossed paths with some of the true pioneers behind student athlete success without even noticing. Among this group of trailblazers: the fueling station fridge. Or, more specifically, the woman behind the fueling station fridge: sports dietitian Makenzi Mollitor.
When she’s not stationed commandingly in front of an abundance of Uncrustables and chocolate milk, you’ll catch her restocking the fridge, conversing with athletes, and meeting with coaches (usually whilst donning one of many tasteful trench coats from her collection).
Outside of work, she enjoys an active lifestyle filled with walks, Pilates and plenty of time outside—though she does relish in the adventure of finding coffee shops on Long Island and cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
Although her life now is synonymous with her work within athletics, nutrition wasn’t
always the plan.
Born and bred in Franklin Square, Long Island, Mollitor partook in a variety of sports
including competitive swimming, basketball, lacrosse and dancing. As she embarked on her first years at Quinnipiac University, pursuing an occupation as an athletic trainer felt like the most natural progression forward.
It was only after following an advisor’s suggestion to take a nutrition class that she discovered her true path in life: food.
In hindsight, there were definitely signs. Not everyone can say they took cooking classes at age 7, was a social media manager for a private chef, or had a family member who could whip up something other than Friday night Lasagna. She reflected on her early relationship with food.
“My uncle was a cook, so growing up I was always exposed to really good food and I have always considered myself a foodie,” she said.
Since completing a post-graduate and internship at LIU, Mollitor has reshaped what nutrition looks like for athletes.
“When you make recommendations for athletes and they come back and say it’s working, or they get emotional and there is an opportunity to work through what they are dealing with…that is the most fulfilling part of my job,” she said.
Mollitor’s days on campus are spent conducting one-on-one nutrition counselling for athletes, assisting coaches with away trip meals, and organizing team-based educational workshops, presentations, and cooking classes.
Her mantra is simple: there needs to be balance and everything can be enjoyed in moderation.
“80-90% of the time you should eat to nourish and fuel yourself physically and 10-20% of the time it’s got to be for enjoyment…whether that’s satisfying an emotional need or a comfort,” Mollitor said. “Food is much more than calories. It brings people together…I don’t see it as black and white, you should be free to let yourself enjoy the things that you like.”
It is no secret that eating on campus can have its fair share of…challenges. Mollitor believes that navigating the Winnick dining hall doesn’t need to be so daunting.
Her top tip? Creativity.
“You’ve got to get creative with the options that we have,” she explained. “It’s not a five star restaurant, but there are things you can do. You could do a lap, check out all the stations, see what you’re working with and then use those ingredients to create a meal.”
With a brand new kitchen area in Winnick, now is the time to develop your skills. You could pull certain elements together for a stir fry, reheat some chicken, crack an egg—the opportunities are endless.
If this is still not enough to combat a food crisis, there are plenty of resources available to improve your nutrient needs.
All students have access to the school’s in house nutritionist in the Centre of Healthy living located at the back of Post Hall.
For student athletes specifically, Mollitor is available by email for individual consultations. Though some lucky ones might be able to catch her in the mornings for advice on the fly or some friendly banter.
As she looks toward the future, Mollitor hopes to continue developing the fueling station and running more team cooking workshops. She encourages feedback and wants to hear from athletes about anything they are looking forward to or want to see on campus.
We might even be seeing Mollitor on the shelves in the near future, as she plans to create a cookbook containing all of her go to recipes.
In the meantime, students can rest assured knowing there is plenty more Makenzi Mollitor on her Instagram @nourishwithmakenzi where you can find all things nutrition, style, and recipe ideas (including her famous salmon and yellow curried rice).
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