Blog: Comida Studies

Sharing our research: Brooklyn College Magazine

by M. Fuster

Originally posted on LARiAProject:
We are thrilled about this article published in this month’s Brooklyn College Magazine, “Resiliency Issue.” The piece profiles our project director, Dr. Melissa Fuster, talking about the motivation behind this work, plus two members of our research team: Tara Frank and Elise Harrison. We are thankful for this spotlight, and to…

Introducing LARiA (and a new website look!)

by M. Fuster

Last March, when I drafted my dispatch for Gastronomica’s special edition on Food in Times of COVID-19, I wrote from a place of uncertainty. My article, Community Health Research, Restaurants, and Adjusting amid Uncertainty, documented my nostalgia for restaurants and the abrupt pause in my restaurant-focused study. I concluded the article with a look to … Continue reading Introducing LARiA (and a new website look!)

Supporting Restaurants: Eating Out and Pushing for Legislation

by M. Fuster

In late June 2020, New York City restaurant started slowly reopening with outside seating. Many streets have gradually transformed extended into busy sidewalks and by the side of traffic and bike lanes. Personally, it has taken me a while to re-embrace eating out. I have never been a fan of outside seating, especially in the … Continue reading Supporting Restaurants: Eating Out and Pushing for Legislation

Health promotion, policy change, and the public good: Thoughts from soda taxes (new publication)

by M. Fuster

Presenting a new publication, examining the soda taxes in Mexico and Chile, and comparing such obesity prevention efforts to COVID-19 public health prevention messages and receipt.

The Privilege of Delivery

by M. Fuster

I resisted in the beginning. Then, a few years ago, I found myself trying to maneuver the small wheels of a fragile grocery cart in the middle of winter and dirty snow, after making the epic, round-the-store line at Trader Joe’s. That was it. Soon after, I tried my first grocery delivery service and I … Continue reading The Privilege of Delivery

Engaging Ethnic Restaurants for Community Health: A New Publication

by M. Fuster

This post is to share my latest article, Engaging Ethnic Restaurants to Improve Community Nutrition Environments: A Qualitative Study with Hispanic Caribbean Restaurants in New York City, published at the Ecology of Food and Nutrition journal. This community-based research was possible thanks to the funding provided through my institution, the City University of New York, … Continue reading Engaging Ethnic Restaurants for Community Health: A New Publication

Looking Back on the Decade That Was

by M. Fuster

Today is the first day of 2020. As years before, this time of year comes with a look back on the year that was. But this year, some retrospectives have gone beyond the usual 365 days to ten years. One of my favorites is from the food policy focused Civil Eats. The media outlet started … Continue reading Looking Back on the Decade That Was

Restaurant research update: An initial look at menus

by M. Fuster

Last month, my team completed the assessment of close to 90 Hispanic Caribbean restaurants, as an initial step for my new restaurant study. We worked together last spring to adapt the Nutrition Environments Measurement Survey for Restaurants (NEMS-R) to the Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican cuisines, including additional factors in relation to the promotion of … Continue reading Restaurant research update: An initial look at menus