Jan. 2023 | Vol. 106, Issue 6

The wealthier the healthier

By Ethan Ravi, Frank Herman Assistant News Editor, Staff Writer

In the modern world, there are many ways to access food. From high-end restaurants to Walmarts, the range of options can seem virtually limitless to some. But there are many limiting factors that influence each individual’s

mass produced and these products can be created in a non-perishable form. We have this situation where it is very easy to buy very cheap calories with very low levels of nutrients. Whereas the same is not true for some of the more nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables.” Taylor says “If you have a lot of money, you can kind

“The only real grocery store within walking distance of campus is a Whole Foods, so if you want normal, cheap groceries you need to take bus or a car. Restaurants near the college are still pretty expensive. Most of the restaurants are catering to college students, so it’s a lot of fried meat and cheese”

food choices, such as wealth, location and time. Around the globe, people have many different dietary habits, but what are Evanstonians eating, and why?

Although Evanston isn’t as geographically large or populated as Chicago, there are still distinctive ‘food districts.’ Downtown Evanston has lots of restaurant options to accommodate the larger concentration of residents, but other, more residential areas have limited options. While people can drive to other places to eat and shop for groceries, more often than not, they buy from establishments closer to their home. That, in turn, can affect their entire dietary lifestyle.

A major influence on dietary choices stems from economic factors. While it is well known that in general, wealthier people can afford to eat higher quality food, there are a lot of nuances that generally go unnoticed.

In recent years, many people have converted from omnivore diets to either vegetarian or vegan ones. According to GlobalData, between 2014 and 2017, the number of vegans in the U.S. grew by 600 percent. While veganism is great for the environment and has many health benefits, there are some real barriers for those trying to go vegan on a low budget. For example, alternatives to meat for vegans that have become recently popular, like Impossible and Beyond Meat, are quite expensive compared to their beef counterparts, making them less accessible. Pound for pound, regular beef is 43 percent less expensive than its non-meat alternatives, which is a significant cost increase to swallow when making your rounds at the grocery store.

Additionally, studies have shown that vegans have to spend 65 percent more on an average meal than someone without any dietary restrictions. If you have to spend a significantly larger amount of money each time you go out to eat when vegan, it becomes a luxury reserved for the wealthy, who can afford to spend that extra money. That is why grocery stores and restaurants that cater to people with vegan and vegetarian diets are found in wealthier neighborhoods, since that is where their main customer base comes from. All these factors, while not intentionally limiting access to diets such as veganism, all contribute to the exclusivity of these dietary habits.

It is true that vegan diets cost more than non-vegan diets, but we can classify the trend more generally by saying that eating healthy foods costs a significant amount more than less healthy options. This stems from the fact that manufacturers can produce processed, unhealthy food options at a much lower cost than naturally grown, nutritious options.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Anna Taylor, the executive director of the Food Foundation, speaks to this divide. “Unhealthy food is so cheap because the prime ingredients can be

of buy your way out of the problem. If you don’t have a lot of money, you’re stuck with that really toxic combination of having not much money combined with the unhealthy food environment that we already have, which is leading to some of those really worrying health outcomes.”

Anyone can make the choice to eat unhealthy food, but not everyone can make the choice to eat healthy food. This is why people with a higher socioeconomic status are more likely to choose healthier food options, because they at least have a choice. This point is reflected in data showing obesity rates among people who live in the U.S.

According to a study on the socioeconomics of obesity, “Persistent household food insecurity, in particular when present without hunger, has been associated with a 22 percent increased odds of childhood obesity versus children who are food secure throughout childhood. Adults with food insecurity similarly have a higher prevalence of obesity compared to adults who are food secure.”

Socioeconomic status affects the diets of adults, but it also influences those of their children. Studies have shown that wealthier people can afford to feed their children healthier foods, like vegetables, without worrying about whether

the child will waste it or not. Children who are exposed to nutritious foods early in life are more likely to choose healthier options in adulthood, which shows that socioeconomic status affects eating habits even throughout multiple generations.

An example of someone who was encouraged to eat healthily from childhood is Corinne Perez, a junior at ETHS and someone who lives in the same area as the high school.

“My mom always encouraged healthy eating habits,” Perez says. “We never really grew up with soda around the house. We would have a lot of healthy options and a lot of vegetables.”

When planning what to eat for the week, many people start by going to their local grocery store over the weekend. Most grocery stores have many options, but some are healthier than others. Whole Foods Market, where it is more strugglesome to find highly processed foods than somewhere like Walmart, is rated as one of the healthiest grocery stores in the United States.

According to Business Insider, the average income of the people that shop there is $80,000. Compared to the median income in the United States, which is about $30,000, it is evident that some healthy grocery stores, like Whole Foods, are a resource that only the wealthier can afford.

“We usually shop at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Jewel-Osco,” sophomore and North

nie Gertz sees Jewel-Osco in a similar way. “We go to Jewel-Osco because it’s really close by and it’s kind of cheap, but it’s not that healthy. We usually have more quantity than quality.”

Perez’s family usually shops at Trader Joe’s and Valli Produce, and she agreed that one can find healthy foods to eat there if that is their goal.

Overall, wealthier people have the option to eat healthier and follow more diets than people of lower socioeconomic status and that often reflects in their overall health. It is still possible for people with lower food budgets to eat and shop healthy at their local grocery stores and restaurants, but the greater amount of money required to do so often outweighs the benefits.

Entire neighborhoods without so much as a corner store, blocks and blocks of residential homes and not a grocery store in sight. These are Evanston’s food deserts. According to the USDA, food deserts are areas where people have limited access to a variety of healthy foods, and there are plenty in Evanston. In areas such as the Fifth Ward, it’s near impossible to get groceries without driving, especially if you don’t want to pay the premium for front-door delivery. Even around Northwestern, an area which features some of Evanston’s preeminent restaurants, it’s not always easy to access healthy food.

Northwestern Senior Beni Keown explains, “The only real grocery store within walking distance of campus is a Whole Foods, so if you want normal, cheap groceries you need to take a bus or a car.”

The National Library of Medicine reports that placing food further away from people decreases likelihood of consumption, which makes food deserts especially devastating. This is also detrimental when close, healthy, options are scarce.

“Restaurants near the college are still pretty expensive. Most of the restaurants are catering to college students, so it’s a lot of fried meat and cheese,” Keown says.

It’s clear that a lack of accessible, affordable and healthy food options is present in Evanston. But it isn’t just Evanston. Over 6,500 food deserts still exist in the U.S., and they disproportionately exist in areas with high poverty rates. Food deserts exist in almost every major urban center in America, and lack of transportation options can leave families without access to the most basic human need: healthy food.

The proximity one has to grocery stores and restaurants is crucial to the availability of affordable and healthy food. As Gertz explained, one of the main reasons her family shops at Jewel-Osco is how close it is to them. Two of the restaurants Perez usually would go to were Dengeos or Paninos, both in close proximity to where she lived. When LaRosa’s family eats out, one of their standard restaurants is Bluestone, which is just around the corner from his home. LaRosa doesn’t think the food there is particularly healthy, but the convenience and easy walking

“Unhealthy food is so cheap because the prime ingredients can be mass produced and these products can be created in a non-perishable form. We have this situation where it is very easy to buy very cheap calories with very low levels of nutrients. Whereas the same is not true for some of the more nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables.”

- Executive Director of the Food Foundation Anna Taylor

Evanston resident Anthony LaRosa said. “We go to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s if we want healthy food, but if we want more snack-like stuff, we go to Jewel, because the other places don’t have very much junk food.”

Sophomore and South Evanston resident An-

distance play a part in why they go there a lot.

“I wouldn’t say it’s health focused. It’s fine, I guess,” said LaRosa. “You can get a salad, but the main things people get there probably aren’t great.”

It is impractical and sometimes impossible

-Northwestern Senior Beni Keown

Art by Ahania Soni

Insta-worthy?

By Lydah Coates Staff Writer

An Evanston resident for four years, Laura Perry starts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a boost of protein from one of 4 Suns signature smoothie bowls. Whether it’s the beach smoothie, Berry bowl or plain Acai and granola, 4 Suns provides the perfect pre-workout nutrition before beginning the quick walk over to Blink. An efficient and healthy way to start the day.

What a person eats can be seen as the building block of an ideal lifestyle and can shape many other decisions in a person’s day. For many, it is the center of leading a fulfilling career while engaging in the beauty and opportunities that planet Earth has to offer. In order to achieve this mental and physical well being, restaurants have begun to pri oritize foods that benefit the body. Eating locally has become a societal norm while supporting larger food corporations is looked down upon. Evanston has taken steps toward being involved in environmentally friendly food programs, reaping the benefits of nu trient-dense meals grown in their own backyard. Trendy health foods have gone in and out of fads, helping to encourage the shift toward a fruit and veggie centered diet.

Deep Purpl, home of the Bra zilian Acai bowl, is a new addi tion to Evanston’s healthy food chain. The ambient purple lights, neon signs and abun dance of thriving plants adds to the aesthetic appeal. With signature empanadas, smoothies and a variety of vegan toppings, Deep Purpl is a captivating and delicious place to enjoy a meal. Cacao nibs, Goji berries and Chia seeds are just three of the 18 toppings available to obtain iron and protein. But do protein and iron really matter when snapping pictures of your ap pealing, fruity choice? The line between a healthy meal and an artistic, Instagram-worthy snack becomes blurred with each vibrant topping.

“The Acai, it’s now becoming more of a show. It feels more important that it’s all purple and cool-looking while they’re stray ing away from the protein and nutrients – the most important part,” says sophomore Elijah Hamman.

Hamman has seen Evanston’s restaurant culture evolve.. In his eyes, healthy restau rants have shifted towards becoming more dependent on the impression that the atmosphere has on the customer, rather than the products themselves.

Certain aspects of healthy food certainly encourage the impulse to snap a pic. Vibrant colors associated with the richness and bursting flavors of fruits and vegetables are more satisfying to look at than a bag of chips. This also goes hand in hand with the simple idea that eating healthy is taking a step towards a better lifestyle which is something to be shared.

Perry speaks about the way social media works to romanticize the way eating healthy is portrayed. Although it may not be what people ultimately eat for every meal, millions of Kardashian-style salads, green smoothies and Chia seed pudding recipes are shared daily. These kinds of posts, stories and videos create the way people are perceived – constantly keeping up with the latest health trend.

“People want to be the best version of themselves, and they want to be viewed as being happy or having it figured out. Social media amplifies that. It is especially pleasant

for us to digest social media information that is idealized, because it makes us attain something greater than ourselves,” Perry says.

When constantly seeing posts that augment the daily life of others, it is a habitual human desire to keep up with them. Workout routines, skincare tutorials and “what I eat in a day” videos are all trendy ways to learn the glamorized versions of someone else’s life. These posts center on theatrics of an everyday routine by working to create the perfect, elevated, yet unrealistic lifestyle. Although these trends may not always have such branded health benefits, following the pattern of others outweighs any cons.

“A lot of the times when I’m scrolling on my feel better about themselves and their choices,” says Hamman.

With influencers ruling apps like TikTok and Instagram, social media becomes the ideal place to not only share, but also adapt and adopt new ideas and habits, including the growing trend of healthy food being the only component in one’s diet.

Another way healthy food is encouraged is through easy to access delivery systems. One of the most common ways is through subscription food boxes. These boxes are delivered as many days a week as desired. The meal kits provide easy to follow instructions and pre-measured ingredients to simplify as well as guide the creation of a healthy meal. Hamman sees these food boxes as a simple way to avoid the hassle of making a healthy meal.

“When my parents are at work and don’t have time to buy groceries, it allows my family to eat healthily rather than takeout or just something easy like a frozen pizza,” Hamman says.

Blue Apron, HelloFresh, Green Chef and Modify Health are all versions of the newly

trending meal kits. When time is of essence, buying groceries, especially fresh produce, is a burden. Subscription food boxes like these make crafting a healthy meal much more efficient.

Time savers like these could be one reason eating healthy has been on a rise. With perfectly portioned ingredients, meal boxes limit the amount of wasted ingredients and rotten produce. They guide families, first time chefs, late night feasters, early risers and picky eaters into generating the healthy meal fit for them. All of this contributes to a more accessible and simple way to form a nutritious meal and is a factor in the ways a healthy culture has become more easily prominent.

diet, tips and recipes become more widely spread. This raise in self esteem and feel-better attitude is yet another element in the continuous shift towards healthier food culture.

When the benefits of healthy habits are more prominent and new routines are discovered, industries and local programs like the Evanston Farmers Market help to remind consumers of the plethora of healthy food choices that they can make, one being buying locally.

Camille Walker, a worker of Evanston’s local grocery store, Village Farmstand, and director of multiple local community gardens, speaks about the shift she has seen in healthy food programs. She recalls a time before many grocery stores were walkable or in a mile radius of each other. Walker discusses the way markets have pushed towards a healthier grocery system.

“I would say the healthy food culture has grown, because now we have Trader Joe’s [as of 2013], our farmers market has grown tremendously, we now have the Village Farmstand, and we’re working on getting a co-op with that. We’ve got a garden in almost every elementary school to help teach the elementary kids about it, all of which takes adult labor. There’s enough interest to keep these programs going,” Walker shares.

Markets and industries like this give Evanston residents multiple opportunities to find healthy food that is locally grown and accessible to them. The Evanston Farmers Market alone has been continuously growing ever since it began in 1976. Similarly to elementary school gardens, the Evanston Farmers Market now hosts the children’s Spud Club. This brand-new addition aims to educate children about ways they can eat healthy and make their own healthy food choices.

The Village Farmstand is a twoyear old grocery store that provides a space for farmers and growers to sell their produce. Thanks to this program, Village Farmstand has connected customers with local farmers, thus creating more links between Evanston residents and locally grown produce. These small businesses encourage the shift from processed, packaged snacks to nutrient-rich, rainbow foods that don’t travel far.

continual, positive circle that begins with eating healthy.

“I’ve noticed that if I’m working out, then my body wants to eat healthier and then I end up eating more nutritious foods. I feel better because I have more energy and want to do things. It ends up being this positive feedback loop.”

The foods you eat every day not only affect energy levels but also mood and decisions. Eating in a way that makes you feel proud of yourself subconsciously encourages the way you want to take care of your body. After enjoying a homemade smoothie, it seems like the best idea to go on a run or on a trip to the gym. This is because eating healthy strengthens your immune system and gives your body more long lasting energy, reinforcing your physical and emotional well being.

This worthwhile shift in mood and energy levels is a factor in the way people make their everyday food choices. After sustaining a healthier routine and overall lifestyle, keeping up with a consistent workout and diet becomes a simpler task. Once discovering the valuable results of carrying out a healthier

A healthy routine is quickly becoming a societal norm for Evanston residents. Good health creates opportunities, improves physical and mental health, boosts self esteem, concentration, attention span and more. Although these benefits have always been present, they haven’t always been as well known. Trends have become more eminent in advertising healthy food. Food boxes and delivery systems have increased accessibility to nutritious meals. Gardens and markets have encouraged the environmentally friendly locality to plant-based meals. Some argue that healthy food is only about the reputation it exaggerates, as being the #myplantbasedlifestyle. Others see the shift as being purely individual - each person finding their own reason why healthy food is right for them. Regardless of the reason, these factors contribute to Evanston increasing its shift towards healthier food, lifestyles and a more wholesome happiness.

How social media has distorted society’s perception of “healthy”

Art by Jilian Denlow

Food deserts: A reflection of a failed system

By Milo Slevin Staff Writer

A refrigerator lies just off the sidewalk on Dodge Avenue, two blocks south of ETHS. It carries everything from carrots to donuts; mac n’ cheese to lemonade. It’s one of four fridges in Evanston, run by and for the community.

From that fridge, walk three blocks north, past ETHS, to the C&W Market. The store, rooted in community trust, gives out hundreds of free meals to families and elderly folks every month.

Then, from C&W, it’s a 10-minute walk to the Fleetwood Jourdain Community Center. The center is home to a community garden run by Evanston Grows, a postCOVID-19 startup that serves community

owns C&W alongside his wife.

Food insecurity has been a pervasive problem in the United States since the Great Depression, when a quarter of the American workforce was unemployed and food couldn’t be sold for profit. Since then, the U.S. government has made many attempts to combat food insecurity.

One is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Formerly known as food stamps, SNAP helps low-income households get the food that they need. The government also manages several child nutrition programs and food distribution programs. While government assistance has proven helpful for millions of Americans for decades, they have proven to be no more than adequate solutions

members who cannot easily access or afford healthy produce.

In the context of nationwide food inaccessibility that disproportionately affects Black and brown communities, massive Chicago food deserts less than 30 miles from ETHS and big grocery stores’ refusal to offer their services to low-income communities because it’s not profitable enough, these community-based efforts have been crucial for countless Evanston residents.

“There’s enough food in America to be able to make sure people have something to eat. We’re just doing our part to contribute to make sure the families that we can get to, or they can get to us, have something more than what they had the day before,” says Clarence Weaver, who

to the hunger crisis.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 10.2 percent of Americans were food insecure in 2021. That number is echoed in the millions of parents who struggle to afford to feed their children, especially with fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables.

There are two main reasons why people can’t access fresh food. The first is location. Millions of people don’t have access to nearby grocery stores with fresh produce. For example, around 30 miles from ETHS, entire neighborhoods like Riverdale on Chicago’s Far Southeast Side have no grocery stores within a 0.5-mile radius. For elderly people and people without a car, it’s very difficult to make such a long trip for fresh food. The second is affordability. Especially with recent inflation,

buying fresh produce simply isn’t an option for those who can’t afford it.

“Even if there’s healthy food in walking distance, that food may not be affordable for all families. And so there’s not enough being done in the industry and at a local level to make sure that healthy food is affordable to everyone,” says Anna Grant-Bolton, the Outreach Organizer for Evanston Community Fridges.

So why is that fresh food so important? Well, when you were younger, you probably heard adults telling you to, ‘Eat your vegetables!’ They didn’t just say that to make you hate broccoli. They said it because healthy food sustains us.

Debbie O’Connor, a board member at Evanston Grows and an advocate for the nutritional education of youth emphasizes why eating healthy food matters.

“It’s really hard to [get through your day] when you’re eating all this processed

cially given that the company brings in billions of dollars in revenue every year.

Among them is Chicago 16th Ward Alderwoman Stephanie Coleman.

“The fact that [Whole Foods] did this after six years when we celebrated their five-year anniversary as a part of Englewood excellence put a dagger in our hearts,” she told Block Club Chicago. ”We’re not a failure. They failed us.”

Food deserts are also rooted in systemic racism. For example, Riverdale is 95 percent African American, and that’s no coincidence. According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), “Over the past 20 years, both Black and Hispanic households have consistently been at least twice as likely as white households to experience food insecurity… In 2020, 21.7 percent of Black households experienced food insecurity, as did 17.2 percent of Hispanic households and 7.1 percent of white

households.”

food. But when you’re fueling your body with whole foods, it really does affect your ability to think straight, to do your homework, to go out and run and exercise and things like that,” she says.

Despite the importance of healthy food, the big grocery store chains often don’t see it as profitable to set up in low-income communities. A few months ago, a Whole Foods in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, a major food desert, shut down after six years in the community. Many in the area were disappointed by the decision to shut the Englewood outlet down, espe -

These numbers, CAP says, are the ramifications of centuries of decisions by politicians to “exclude Black and Hispanic families from the systems and institutions that allow many white families to build financial security, collect generational wealth and experience economic mobility.”

In Evanston, there are five big-name grocery stores across the city, but that doesn’t guarantee that all residents have easy access to them.

[Cont. on pg. 7]

While big grocery stores leave the Chicagoland area dry, community efforts attempt to replenish food supply though gardens, fridges, free meals

“Having these community gardens within the City of Evanston is really important to not only create a community of camaraderie, but it also creates opportunities for people to see how everyone lives. Everybody’s coming from different places, but the thing that we all have in common is food.”

-Evanston Grows Board Member Debbie O’Connor

“There’s enough food in America to be able to make sure people have something to eat. We’re just doing our part to contribute to make sure the families that we can get to, or they can get to us, have something more than what they had the day before.”

- C&W Owner Clarence Weaver

Art by Ahania Soni

Photo courtesy of Isa de los Reyes

Guests enter the soup kitchen to the compelling sounds of a piano, each and every note guided by passion and purpose. It is 6 p.m., which indicates the commencement of Beth Emet’s Wednesday soup kitchen. Clusters of individuals enter the doors, directing themselves to the array of tables, where chairs sit anxiously awaiting their occupants. Stained glass windows highlight a singular wall, through which the remainder of light passes before dusk arrives.

Inside the dimly lit kitchen, volunteers of all ages thoughtfully prepare Beth Emet’s Wednesday night staple: tacos. In addition to the tacos and their usual accompaniments, fresh pastries, locally sourced bread and a variety of drinks are made available to the guests.

A steady buzz of conversations creates a warm ambience. People from all walks of life discuss their days, the good and the bad. Recurring visitors embrace while strangers greet one another and connect through stories.

Whether you visit one yourself, have signed up to volunteer or encounter one’s presence simply due to the passings of daily life, soup kitchens have a way of connecting a community. They help to elevate some of the burden that an individual may be facing, whether that is through food consumption or conversation. Soup kitchens are a necessary fixture, and Evanston has breathed this into existence with more than ten kitchens that serve its inhabitants every day of the week to ensure that no person goes hungry on a given day.

“I think people don’t understand just how important it is to the people that we’re serving. Being able to come and get a meal helps them get by. When it’s just three or four days before payday and someone doesn’t know what they’re going to do, they know that they can go to Beth Emet, they can go to Hemenway, they can go to St. Mark’s or St. Pauls. They know that they’ll have something warm to eat,” says Bob Carroll, an organizer at Hemenway.

Indigence and homelessness are ingrained in the Evanston community. By adapting and continuing to provide their services, Evanston’s soup kitchens are mending this complex set of wounds one hearty meal at a time.

“I see how it helps people from all walks of life. Many people think about a soup kitchen and envision people who are experiencing homelessness standing in line and getting food. But it could be your next-door neighbor,” says Susan Berube, executive director of the Interfaith Action of Evanston that organizes four of Evanston’s local kitchens.

Berube found herself sitting around a bonfire in her yard one night when she overheard her neighbor, whose husband had recently become ill, talking about the food that a lo-

cal soup kitchen had provided her family in a time of need.

“[My neighbor] said, ‘I got enough carrots and potatoes to last our family for a month.’ That’s when it really hits close to home, because [that family lives] in my neighborhood. They own a home. They’re just going through a hard time right now.”

According to a Feeding America study conducted in March 2021, nearly 12 percent of Cook County residents were projected to

Richardson’s first role with the soup kitchen was as a Tuesday evening preparer, where she would extend her gratitude for serving those in need by making peanut butter sandwiches. Under the leadership of St. Mark’s late parishioner John Lucadamo and Janet Eder from St. Matthew’s, with assistance from a loyal force of volunteers, the ministry continues to function. Donna Richardson and Kati Olsen, now co-leaders of the kitchen, are committed to feeding Evanston’s inhabitants.

For those that have dedicated their lives to providing hunger relief, the desire to serve the local community was inspired by a multitude of circumstances.

“My daughter was the one who suggested it six years ago when we were talking about things that we could do to make the world a better place. She said that she thought it would be nice if we could do something at a soup kitchen. We got involved through St. Mary’s and have been consistent volunteers ever since,” says Katherine Heid, an organizer at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

For Kris Economos, one of the co-managers at First Presbyterian, the focus is on the taste of the food that’s served.

“As far as the quality of our meals, we serve really good food,’” says Economos. “We love to take suggestions from our guests. Two weeks ago, someone said to me, ‘Kris, we haven’t had peach cobbler in a long time.’ And I said, ‘You’re right, we haven’t, so we’re going to make it in two weeks.’ I can’t wait to surprise him with the cobbler.”

A soup kitchen isn’t simply transactional; it’s relational. Leslie Levin-Shulruff, Chair at Beth Emet Synagogue’s Wednesday’s soup kitchen, wants to build a community among guests and volunteers.

“[A successful soup kitchen] looks like a well-oiled machine. It looks like volunteers out talking to guests, the guests being happy and music filling the room. The vibe feels really warm and friendly and everyone’s spirits are high,” says Levin-Shulruff.

From reshaping to disrupting to dramatically altering American life, the pandemic exacerbated food insecurity. As a result, soup kitchens across Evanston had to modify their services to ensure the health and safety of those seeking food assistance. The pandemic fueled a sense of urgency, and Evanston’s soup kitchens recognized the need and tackled it head on.

“We are very proud to say that we have never missed a Saturday serving a meal here, even in the depths of COVID when no one knew what they were doing. We kept preparing and serving, and we have not missed a beat. Some of [our volunteers] had to step back for various reasons, but others have stepped up, and we feel very fortunate,” says Barb Spencer, a co-manager at First Presbyterian.

live in food insecure households in 2021, versus 9.3 percent in 2019, prior to the pandemic.

“It is indicative of the Evanston area that, through faith communities and other agencies, we’ve recognized the need and have been able to step in and fulfill that need,” voices Donna Richardson, one of the co-coordinators of the Wednesday Lunch Ministry jointly sponsored by St. Matthews and St. Mark’s Episcopal churches.

“Nobody should go hungry. For me, the opportunity to provide a good meal was just compelling. It really spoke to me as something that I was called to do. It’s a highlight of my week every week; it really is. People sitting at tables, eating, talking, enjoying each other’s company over good food; the atmosphere just feels good,” Olsen says. “We enjoy the fact that [the guests] are enjoying themselves and enjoying each other’s company. It’s like hosting a dinner.”

Virtually overnight, the typical models of the soup kitchens changed; the guests that once occupied the carefully curated spaces were forced to adapt to a grab-and-go meal. While soup kitchen coordinators were intentional in fulfilling their responsibility and serving all aspects of a hearty meal, their mission was greatly altered. As doors closed, the sense of community that was once the foundation of the soup kitchens became lost. [Cont. on pg. 7]

By Jilian Denlow, Isabella Martinez

Feature Editor, Staff Writer Art by Clara Gustafson

Infographic by Isaac Flint

STUDENT HABITS

LUNCH

Lunch at the high school with the largest student body under one roof

By Clara Gustafson, Hazel Hayes News Editor, Staff Writer

With a student body of 3,600-plus students, scheduling lunch in an effective way has been on the mind of ETHS administration since returning from virtual schooling. For students like senior Mason Denlow, lunch is the best time of the day.

“Throughout all my years at ETHS, I have always been able to enjoy lunch with my friends. Freshman year, I was happy to eat in the cafeterias, and I was always able to get in no problem. Sophomore year was obviously different with the virtual stuff, but my junior and senior years, being able to leave the school has been really nice,” Denlow shares.

With COVID-19 concerns and the structural shift to a block schedule in the 202021 school year, lunch periods have changed significantly over the past couple years.

“When I was a freshman, there were three lunch periods, which made the cafeteria scene look different than it does now,” Denlow recalls. Since the pandemic schoolyear, there have only been two lunch periods. Also, some new lunch areas have been made available for students to enjoy their lunch, while others have closed.

From the cafeterias to the libraries, from the Hub to scanning out to leave, lunch now looks different for every student at ETHS.

These changes have also led to questions. What happens when your cafeteria gets to full capacity before you get there? Or the Hub? What if you are unable to leave the school because of grades, tardies or detentions, transportation or weather? There aren’t too many options for students that find themselves in these situations, but one place for students to retreat to during their lunch periods is the libraries throughout the school. However, for many years, a policy has been in place that prohibits eating in the library.

School librarian Robina Button has a simple reason for the no-eating policy in the libraries.

“Usually what happens is when people eat, crumbs fall down and it attracts the mice,” Button says. “I’ve seen them in here. One time in [Central Library,] it ran over someone’s backpack, and everyone was screaming of course. I grabbed a Tupperware and caught it and then brought it

outside… It also attracts the cockroaches, insects, and then they eat the glues of the books, and then there goes a whole collection. That’s why we don’t allow food.”

This ‘no eating’ rule is really just to keep little critters from roaming around our school—something no one wants to deal with. When provided with that reasoning, not many people argue with the libraries’ no food policy.

There are some students who, having spent their lunch in spaces where they aren’t able to eat, will then have to eat their lunches during class periods. While eating during class isn’t prohibited,—and a lot of the time teachers do allow students to come in and eat in their classrooms—most would think that a school as large as ETHS would accommodate all students in their lunchrooms.

Another common place students eat lunch every day is the Hub; a space created in the past decade for students to study and a popular meeting place for clubs and activities at ETHS. The Hub has a certain capacity, so once it hits the maximum number for lunch, the Hub staff members don’t allow students to enter. Along with this, they only allow two students per table in the back and four per table near the front. These are all measures that the staff feel they need to maintain so that order can be sustained during hectic lunch periods.

Given the many concerns with lunch in the Hub and elsewhere, staff and students want more areas to be open to eat.

“I think, maybe, if they had more space where people can eat, that would probably alleviate the issues,” Button states.

Button also refers to the Student Voice Forum that was held the week before winter break. The forum was put on by Student Union with the goal of addressing the issues that the students care about in the school. At the forum, there was a table where students could discuss the pros and cons of the current lunch system, and students did not hold back their opinions.

Student Union advisor and History teacher Michael Pond explains what Student Union has been discussing these past couple months stemming from student opinions.

“A lot of [those conversations have] been [happening] because of the Student Union and student frustrations in general. [The administration is] trying some new things.

They opened up South Cafeteria to any student.” He continues, “We were limited as to our safety staff, which was a reason for a lot of the restrictions that were taking place. Now, students can also [leave lunchrooms] to go to classrooms with passes as well. So I would say that it’s not just the Student Union, but I think student voices in general that led to those changes.”

This is not a new issue for Student Union either—they have faced many issues with lunch throughout the years. These problems have ranged from food served at the school to which school rooms are available for students to eat in, to staffing and regulation. They have always used their position with the administration in the ways that they believe are most helpful to the student body.

As challenging as making change can be, the administration has taken steps to listen to the needs of their students, and is working with Student Union to make more smooth and enjoyable lunch periods for all. In fact, the administrative team turned student voices into a survey that the school sent out to students, which led to the decision to open South Cafeteria to all students starting in semester two.

“In general, I think Student Union has a lot of power. When it comes to lunch, it’s been more challenging, and I think that’s because there have been some constraints with things like finances and staffing availability.” Pond explains.

The change in lunch structure coming from administration shows how they are willing to listen to students and their wants and needs for designated social time during school hours. Through its efforts to change lunches, Student Union has shown that it isn’t just a club to complain about the problems with ETHS, but it brings action to these issues.

With the start of the new year and third quarter, students will see some new lunch policies. For second semester, all students can eat in South Cafeteria, no matter what their assigned lunchroom is. While this opens up a space for more students to enjoy lunch with friends who aren’t assigned to the same cafeteria, it has also crowded the school’s smallest cafeteria and made it much harder for students who are assigned to South to access it for lunch.

Additionally, Door 3 has recently been

opened as a way for students to get in and out of school during lunch blocks. Throughout first semester, only Doors 1 and 2 were available because staffing shortages limited who could scan students in and out of the building. But listening to the voices of the students, the administrators found a way to open up this door for a more convenient way into the building for a large number of students.

There are many factors that the administration has to take into account when shaping its lunch-time services. Problems like availability of safety personnel, access to food in locations other than the cafeterias, and maintaining safety in places where students are during the lunch block make it hard for administrators to make the structure too loose. Still, they have some ideas about changes to be made next school-year. For example, they are looking at a way to return to the three lunch periods that existed before the move to the block schedule.

“It would be interesting to see if there would be a way next year to open it up to three lunch periods, but then that would require half-blocks. There’s a lot of schedule maneuvering that we would have to do. Unlike prior to the block schedule, we’ve got less flexibility with when we can schedule lunch, which presents challenges,” Pond states.

The Academic Study Center is also available for students to eat lunch if they need academic assistance with anything ranging from Spanish to Calculus. In the study center, they can meet with a teacher from whatever subject they need or they can see a peer tutor. However, students are not permitted to spend their lunch block in the Academic Study Center if they aren’t getting help on school work. There is a “No Phones Allowed” policy, which is implemented to keep students on task and use the Academic Study Center for its intended purpose: getting extra support for learning and studying outside of the classroom.

Yet, in practice, the environment in the study center can be more social than academic for some. During lunch blocks, there are groups of friends huddled at tables all around the space, with their phones out and no sign of schoolwork.

[Cont. on pg. 7]

Art by Parker Krzystofiak

“Lunch is a time that we all want to enjoy”

[Cont. from pg. 6]

Sophomore Emilia De La Torre says her experience with the study center varies. “There are some times we will all be caught up on work, but other times we separate and work with different teachers,” she shares.

De La Torre explains that while access to a resource like the Academic Study Center is very helpful, it also serves as a way to eat lunch with her friends if they don’t have the same assigned

cafeteria as her. Since the center allows for a sort of social break during the day, the rules of the Academic Study Center become foggy and inconsistent, opening the door for a potential change in official policy.

Another issue that most students and staff agree on is that the courtyards should be reopened to eat in. “Having the courtyards open for lunch last year was really nice. I liked eating there. It was fun,” junior Jeremiah Lobin Schwartz says.

The outdoor lunch options were clearly well-

liked among students and staff, but ever since coming back for the 2023 school year, the Safety Officer staffing shortage has made it impossible to regulate the courtyards.

Although it is the coldest time of the year, the option to sit outside during semi-warm days or at the beginning of the school year would be an option for students to get a breath of fresh air in the hours that they are stuck at school. Even though, on the days that weather permits, there are circles of students scattered around the grassy areas of

the courtyards, a table and chairs are appreciated and contribute to a much more enjoyable lunch.

Being the largest school under one roof in the nation, lunch is a struggle to control. ETHS students’ lunch habits are formed around ever-changing necessary but sometimes inconsistent policies.

Lobin Schwartz concludes, “Lunch is a time that we all want to enjoy, so it is important that the school can provide that for us.”

Community efforts reduce food insecurity

[Cont. from pg. 4]

“If you’re anywhere in between [the Evanston grocery stores], it’s really not easy for you to get there, especially if you do not have transportation and you’re taking public transportation,” O’Connor says.

The situation isn’t all negative, though. While big grocery stores have failed low-income communities and government assistance programs haven’t been enough, community-based solutions have emerged as a huge part of the battle against food insecurity. Three Evanston community solutions, in particular, have made big impacts on the community.

The first is Evanston Grows, which was founded in April 2021 to increase edible community gardens in Evanston. Evanston Grows has eight community gardens, five of which are situated in the Fifth Ward, which has an Evanston food desert.

“Having these community gardens within the

[Cont. from pg. 5]

“I think the biggest thing is the loss of community for the people that come and eat. These soup kitchens are a place where they can sit down and talk together and see each other. At the start of the pandemic, a lot of them would say, ‘Have you seen Steve?’ ‘Have you seen Helen?’ ‘If you see them, tell them I say hi.’ If I don’t see somebody for a couple of weeks, I have to ask ‘Have you seen so and so? I haven’t seen them in a couple of weeks. Are they okay?’” Caroll says. “They sit at tables together. They all know each other. They miss that and it’s been a huge loss for them.”

Still, Caroll believes it is possible to foster a nurturing community. Rather than simply handing the to-go bag and sending a guest on their way, Caroll has explored the value of small gestures.

“I try to form a connection with everybody and make sure they’re all okay, because to me, that’s the most important part. I try to call everyone by their name or get their name. I just do goofy stuff, like ‘I need to see a smile before I’m giving you this meal,’ instead of just saying ‘here’s your bag,’ because to me, anybody can do that,” Caroll shares.

Widespread financial instability left many Evanstonians strained, unable to provide themselves and their families with basic needs. Additionally, many individuals who became confined to their homes in an effort to avoid exposure to COVID-19 no longer visited the kitchens.

“Pre-pandemic, depending on the time of the month and the time of year, we would have anywhere from 65 people on a low day to more than 100 people on a religious day. Now, since the pandemic, we serve 65 meals. A few of those are usually seconds, but we serve 65 meals every week, and we rarely really run out. We’re serving far fewer people,” explains Paula Ketchman, coordinator of the Interfaith Sunday Soup Kitchen at St. Paul’s Church.

As lifestyles changed, longstanding habits were suspended.

City of Evanston is really important to not only create a community of camaraderie, but it also creates opportunities for people to see how everyone lives. Everybody’s coming from different places, but the thing that we all have in common is food. And having access to food is a basic right that everyone deserves,” O’Connor states.

Evanston Grows engages the community by offering volunteer opportunities to high schoolers looking to spend an afternoon laying down soil or planting tomatoes. The organization emphasizes that Evanston Grows doesn’t run unless the community pushes it forward.

That’s the same message that the Evanston Community Fridges lives by. The fridges were created in conjunction with Evanston Fight for Black Lives to combat food insecurity in the Black, brown and low-income communities of Evanston. The four public fridges in Evanston are filled by community members with the idea of providing for those in need. However, the group believes that anyone who wants food can

“We have lost serving groups. I’m currently trying to fill out my 2023 schedule, and I have a lot of empty Sundays where I don’t know where the meals are going to come from,” Ketcham shares. “We have had fewer regular volunteers; there are people who just haven’t come back. But we do have a really dedicated core group of folks, and we couldn’t do it without them. They’re just people in the community who have been doing this, and it is something they’re really committed to. One of the only reasons we have been able to provide a meal every single Sunday throughout the pandemic is because of the volunteers and the groups and organizations that have supported us.”

During the height of the pandemic, the American population navigated sources of strain driven by isolation and uncertainty. The modifications that were once considered a priority for many soup kitchens were no longer attainable under the weight of the radical transformations.

“We were composting at my soup kitchen [prior to the pandemic]. We had been doing it for several months, and we were finally getting into a rhythm of training our guests and then all of a [sudden], we didn’t have water and pitchers. Instead, we have to give them individual bottles,” says Mary Beth Roth, co-manager of the Friday Sack Lunch Soup Kitchen and coordinator of the Produce Mobile, which distributes free fruit and vegetables to Evanston’s inhabitants twice a month. As many kitchens were taking steps to become more eco-friendly, the pandemic forced them to utilize more plastic than they ever had before.

Even in the depths of isolation, many were able to identify silver linings. For Evanston’s soup kitchens, open communication became a necessary fixture; it facilitated consistency and ensured that meals weren’t duplicated.

“[The soup kitchens] used to communicate with one another on a regular basis, but within two weeks of COVID, we began to communicate every week. This was very helpful in making decisions, especially for when and how we were going to open back up,” Roth adds.

take it, no matter their demographics.

“Our motto is ‘Take what you need, leave what you can.’ So the purpose of the fridges is to ensure that every community member in Evanston, every neighbor of ours, has food to eat if they want it,” says Grant-Bolton.

These community efforts aren’t limited to nonprofits and startups. C&W Market and Ice Cream Parlor has been in business right across from ETHS since 2014. When the pandemic hit and everything shut down, they stepped up in the community, handing out 200 meals a week to Evanston residents. Almost three years later, they are still packaging and delivering meals to families and elderly folks who need them. Unlike the big grocery stores, C&W doesn’t just want to make a profit; they want to build mutual trust with the community.

“[Customers] can come in and purchase if they’re capable. And if they’re out of work and then they find jobs, then they can become a customer as well. So it’s beneficial to be able to

After a strenuous two-year battle, several soup kitchens have reopened their doors, allowing guests to be seated indoors, with few restrictions in place.

“We’re back to tablecloths and flowers on the table. Most of the guests are really happy to be inside and be able to come in from the cold,” Levin-Shulruff says. “The guests commented last week that this is the happiest place to be.”

In a constantly evolving world, reopening is both tempting and intimidating. As some community members rushed to return to pre-pandemic tendencies, the threat of contracting the virus wasn’t so effortlessly abandoned for others.

“There’s still a bit of a reluctance to go back inside for some of the volunteers. We’ve been going back and forth about whether we should resume service inside, and we just aren’t there yet,” Spencer shares.

Nonetheless, those who have expressed hesitation towards reopening their doors have transcended their energy into preparing to-go meals that satisfy the needs of their guests.

“We’re currently serving about 50 people on Saturdays at First Presbyterian, but we also package about 60 meals for guests that are housed at the Margarita Inn,” Spencer adds. The Margarita Inn, a hotel-based shelter located on Oak Avenue in Evanston, is a new, innovative program operated by Connections for the Homeless, an organization that provides supportive services for individuals and families that are struggling with homelessness. “We’re making about 110 meals right now for every Saturday [for those folks].”

As a result of the inevitable burden caused by the pandemic, hunger relief coordinators collaborated with one another and strengthened their usual services, providing additional resources for those that attend the soup kitchen.

“We also have somebody from Connections for the Homeless that comes in that can direct people to any kind of services that they might need outside of the meal,” says David Karnes, the supervisor for the First United Methodist Church soup kitchen.

Olsen solidifies its significance.

build a relationship, and then work with families from there,” Weaver voices.

All of these community efforts make a critical difference for countless families. But those efforts and ones like them across the country can’t fill the gap left by big grocery stores that don’t cater to the food-insecure people of America. The very existence of organizations like Evanston Grows and the Evanston Community Fridges is a reflection of a system that has failed to provide the most basic necessities for all people. They are a reflection of companies that value profit over people, and a country that carries the weight of centuries of racist policies.

Until the day that all people have equal access to affordable, healthy food, it’s up to individual communities to provide meaningful food resources for those who need them.

“I think people have to realize there’s always somebody out there that needs help,” Weaver concludes. “And whenever you can help somebody, you should always do it.”

“It’s more than just food. It’s more than just the meal. That’s just a part of it,” she says.

By seeking advice from one another, those that assist in coordinating the soup kitchens have developed creative solutions to problems and gestures that make the experience worthwhile.

“Sue Murphy said something once, and I always remember it,” Economos shares. “She said, ‘Many of our guests, all they ever hear is no.’ So we try to remember that if someone asks for something, and we can’t provide it, we’ll say, ‘We’re not able to meet your request right now, but we will in the future’ or ‘let me just double check on this.’ We try to say yes if we can. If someone wants a second cup of coffee, we say ‘Yeah, that’d be fine!’ It is important for people to [hear] ‘yes’ every once in a while.”

Individuals that attend Evanston’s soup kitchens are not required to show any form of income or provide details about their situation. This speaks to the community’s recognition of the humanity of guests. And for those that help facilitate the soup kitchens, the patrons’ appreciation does not go unnoticed.

“The [guests] are always thankful, and they’re always giving gratitude as they walk out. Someone once said, ‘Thank you so much’ and I said ‘Oh, you’re so welcome.’ And he said, ‘I don’t mean for the food, I mean for how we’re treated,’” Roth shares. “At the soup kitchen, we try to give people choices. We try to treat them like you treat any other guest in your own home. It’s really important that people feel they are respected when they walk in the door and that they don’t have to prove that they need the food. We just give it to them.”

Coming out of the pandemic, soup kitchens are responsible for leaving our community slightly less hungry and far more united.

“It is a joy,” Spencer shares. “We’re just trying to contribute a little bit of warmth, and if I can put a smile on someone’s face, it’s worth it.”

Art by Meg Houseworth

“I don’t mean for the food, I mean for how we’re treated”

Cycles of Shame

How culture, family, social media influence dietary mindsets

By Jessica Sehgal, Bridget Baker, Marin Ubersox, Paula Hlava, Zoe Kaufman Executive Editor, In-Depth Editor, Assistant In-Depth Editor, Staff Writers

Family Influence

Food: for many, it’s a typical part of everyday life. For others, however, it is so much more than that. Food can represent culture, inspire people and connect families.

Unfortunately, despite all of this, society has stigmatized the simple act of eating food. Generational cycles, social media and pressure from others have caused many, like ETHS student Lucy Littenberg*, to struggle with eating. Littenberg recalls sitting at meals, surrounded by extended family, listening to them complain about their weights. She absorbed the comments they made, the diet regimens they bragged about and the warped standards they strove to uphold. Those words began to replay in her head whenever she looked in the mirror; questions about her own body began to burden her endlessly.

“In some of my extended family, other girls were very conscious about their weight…Since they were obsessed with their [eating habits], I became obsessed with mine,” she says.

Eating disorders, by nature, are competitive. Details of disordered eating frequently fuel and worsen someone else’s relationship to food, and as a result, an

unhealthy perception of eating and body image plagues multiple generations. According to CNN, 61 percent of adolescents have experienced “body dissatisfaction,” and one factor is often overlooked: family. Even in environments where family members only comment on their own weight, their statements can perpetuate societal standards and create a dangerous awareness of calories and food.

“I know people whose mothers are constantly body checking or don’t get buns with their burgers because they’re afraid of the carbs or just [engage in] negative self-talk,” ETHS student Stella Scott* explains.

Oftentimes, people try to avoid certain foods to lose weight. While this can be a beneficial practice if done safely and with the correct information, many foods have become stigmatized due to their portrayal in media and within families. Relatives making offhand comments such as “this is too many calories,” or “I’m going to need to work off these carbs” plant detrimental seeds in others’ brains. Suddenly, it might seem like too much to have another roll at Thanksgiving or to order a side of fries with a favorite meal. These small thoughts, these moments of deliberation, can lead to much larger issues.

“Even if you’re not saying it to your daughter or son, but if you’re just talking about yourself negatively in front of them, they kind of take your ideas and use that as their expectations for themselves,” Scott

continues.

Young people often internalize many of the things they hear, especially from trusted figures in their lives such as parents and guardians, mentors or other relatives. From comments on their own bodies, saying, “I can’t eat that, it’ll go straight to my thighs,” to eating miniscule portions of food, children can be very aware of how their parents interact with and talk about food. While these comments may not cause adolescents to develop unhealthy

don’t like the idea of food being thrown out when there was so much hard work and love poured into it,” Sammy Joseph, an Indian sophomore, explains.

Despite this, Joseph admits to having small disputes with family members over food. Sometimes, the intentions behind certain comments are unclear, which can create miscommunications.

“There was a point where I definitely took it the wrong way. I just thought she wanted me to stuff myself and I [would

“I’ve talked to a lot of people and a lot of my other girlfriends can relate that moms from a certain generation have a skewed way of looking at food and [body image]. The way that my mom used to talk about herself [and] about the things that she ate [in a restrictive way] influenced me to think those same things.”

- student Diana Diggs*

eating habits, they can completely alter their perceptions of certain foods. They can also enable self-deprecating thoughts. Without parents or guaridans realizing it, their seemingly harmless comments and habits can determine the subconscious outlook their children have both on food and their bodies.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people and a lot of my other girlfriends can relate that moms from a certain generation have a skewed way of looking at food and [body image]. The way that my mom used to talk about herself [and] about the things that she ate [in a restrictive way] influenced me to think those same things,” says ETHS student Diana Diggs*.

Unfortunately, comments aren’t the only way family makeup can contribute to abnormal eating patterns. Eating can be a social activity and not having the structure that eating with others may provide can make eating a full, nutritious meal seem less important. As students grow older and become more independent with increasingly hectic schedules, there are less structures in place that promote healthy and consistent eating habits. With age, students have more autonomy over what they eat and when: they may become responsible for packing their own lunches, making their own breakfast or cooking their own dinner as opposed to having their parents or guardians complete these tasks for them. With less supervision, it leaves room for students to skip meals without any parental intervention.

“We don’t really have family dinner every night or family breakfast. So I think neglecting to bring people together, not holding people accountable and not being able to see what they’re eating can contribute. I mean, I would tell my mom I ate breakfast when I very clearly did not eat breakfast,” Scott, who has struggled with anorexia, explains.

Due to the diversity in every family routine, many families don’t sit down and eat meals together. However, it’s still important to check in on family members and strive towards eating together whenever possible. Family routines and meal norms can also be dependent on that specific family’s culture. Some people eat at different times, serve different courses and consume different portions. Food is cultural, and culture determines values. A family’s relationship with food often determines how an individual regards food and navigates their diet.

“Indian families and many other families around the world are huge, and so they also have a strong belief of not letting food go to waste. They’ll push family or friends to just eat their food because they

tell her,] ‘No, I don’t want any more. I’m satisfied with how much I ate.’ But over time, I eventually grew to understand that it wasn’t coming from any place of rudeness. She just wanted me to be well-fed,” Joseph describes.

Many factors, such as culture, connect family to food in ways that can be both negative and positive. However, it’s been found that families aren’t the only thing that can influence relationships to food—so can actual genetics. According to the National Library of Medicine, eating disorders have become increasingly linked to genetic factors. Originally, as the report states, they were solely caused by sociocultural factors. However, as humans have evolved, their neurochemical makeups have changed, leading to generational cycles of eating disorders. This study also found that age and developmental differences can contribute to these issues. It’s stated that in groups of 11-year-olds, there seems to be no genetic contribution to eating pathology and attitudes towards food. However, in the group of 17-year olds, over 50 percent of variance in eating patterns can be attributed to genetics. The theory is that “these findings may reflect an activation of etiologic genes during puberty.” Etiologic genes are essentially genes that can contribute to the contraction of a disease. While genetic makeup can absolutely be a factor, it’s important to keep in mind that anyone can suffer from an eating disorder, and family relations are not the only contributor.

Societal Influence

Videos explaining how to diet, showing off flat stomachs and thin figures fill student Stella Scott’s For You Page. With the right angles, lighting and the ability to edit out any perceived imperfections, social media posts, working alongside algorithms that push the kind of content that users show interest in, surround Scott, causing a downward spiral of comparisons with the “perfect” person constantly plastered on their screen.

“You’re seeing these videos, because they’re catered to you, and if you’re liking videos, with small girls who are so beautiful, dancing in bikinis, or you’re liking a video that’s like, ‘Oh, I didn’t eat today,’ then you keep getting these videos of these girls that are eating [less]. It’s just putting you in a worse and worse place than you were before,” says Scott. “I downloaded the app yesterday, and I had to delete it again.”

In addition to the consequences of social media algorithms, advertisements flood today’s world and target people’s in -

terests specifically. While advertisements were previously targeted to adult consumers, there has been a gradual shift toward reaching younger and younger audiences. Ads targeting teenagers can be incredibly harmful if they promote unhealthy habits to such a vulnerable and impressionable group. The media’s emphasis on diet culture and the push to appear a certain way conveys the idea that there is one way to live and look to teenagers who just want to fit in.

“I think [diet culture] used to be pushed more towards middle-aged women, but with the growing presence of social media in younger kids’ lives, I think they’re just exposed to way more than they used to be in the past. I definitely didn’t grow up with TikTok and seeing people dancing around in swimsuits, but I can imagine that has terrible effects for how an eight-year-old girl can view her chubbier body. I think it’s shifted from older [women] to teenagers,” says Scott.

This social media bombardment and constant media pressure to conform to the beauty standard confronts students at all times, even during breaks in the school day meant to serve as a way for them to de-stress. There is truly no way to avoid societal pressure when on a cell phone, and students are faced with the consequences of this endless cycle. In Wellness classes, which are intended to help students understand their own bodies and learn how to take care of themselves, students are still constantly reminded of how their own bodies compare to those of others.

“I give my kids in my classes, a five-minute social wellness break. It is absolutely silent. Nobody talks to each other. There isn’t any conversation. It’s right to your phone, so [the classroom environment has] changed. If I were to give my classes a five-minute social wellness break five years ago, it would be nothing but talking. Now we’re constantly, I mean multiple times a day, comparing ourselves to other people,” says Frank Consiglio, an ETHS Wellness teacher. “When we go on Tik Tok, or we go on Instagram, [and] you’re seeing the best version of people. Not just for young people, but teenagers and adults too, it’s hard to separate what’s real and what’s not real.”

Outside of social media, society begins to infiltrate a students’ relationship to food before they open up their phone. Fellow students and toxic relationships can worsen one’s view of food and exacerbate any food-related issues that may already exist. A student who may be self-con-

Comments with negative impacts aren’t always unintended, though. Bullying has not disappeared, and peers can be the most hurtful to one’s self-esteem and body image, especially when their comments are intended to harm another.

“I’ve definitely been called fat many times,” says Scott. “I believe, if I never met [certain people], my relationship with food would be 1,000 times better.”

Regardless of the driving forces behind disordered eating, the most important stage to an eating disorder is the last, and sometimes hardest, step: recovery.

Support & Healing

With one hand on the door and the other holding her keys, ETHS student Kelly Kirk* was about to head out for the night when her mom stopped her. Eyeing the way the waist of Kirk’s jeans sagged loosely around her torso and her once tight-fitting shirt now hung limp around her ribs, her mom had no idea that her next words would cause Kirk to burst into tears.

Her mom saying that she looked ‘extremely skinny’ was the breaking point. For months, Kirk had been grappling with her anorexia on her own, but now she knew she needed support.

According to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, only one in 10 people who are battling eating disorders receive support. This means that millions of people struggling with everyday eating, are left helpless. Without support, it is almost impossible to change day-to-day habits. However, building up the courage to say something and actually seeking support can be just as strenuous.

“I haven’t really ever sought support, but it was kind of just given to me. But I think it’s good to seek support. I also think the support ended up being good. I was just embarrassed and scared to be vulnerable,” says Littenberg.

Despite support being inherently ‘good,’ the journey to get there can often be limited by the stigma that often surrounds disordered eating. Dismantling this societal perception begins with education and awareness.

“I think that there could definitely be more [awareness] about misconceptions [accompanying eating disorders]. [For example], a lot of what people hear about is just anorexia, and they think people only eat less because they want their bodies to look better, which isn’t the case. It’s easy for people to jump to that conclusion,

“I think people focus too much on calories. Whenever somebody hears the words calorie and fat, they think of it as a negative term. That’s not just [at ETHS]; that’s really everywhere. I think what we need to look at is how food works as fuel. If that’s the focus of our teaching, then I think that some of those misconceptions can be managed.”

scious about their appearance or a student who has an eating disorder may find themselves constantly reminded of their internal battles and how others perceive them by the way their peers interact with them. Even unintentionally, the comments of other students can leave long-lasting impacts on struggling students or catalyze unhealthy relationships between someone’s body and food.

“I think that the biggest thing that I want people to know is that any compliment on someone’s body can be harmful, even if it’s something that you perceive as a compliment, like telling someone that they look good. You have no idea what kind of relationship they have with their body. I think a lot of the times when… I would go without eating for days, someone would tell me that I would look good. To me, I would equate that with, I should keep doing what I’m doing and so, I think people should never comment on how someone’s body specifically looks,” Diggs explains.

so I think there could be definitely more awareness about other types of eating disorders,” shares Rena Reed*, a student at ETHS.

Not only is misinformation regarding eating disorders common, but falsification about eating habits alone is also potent throughout modern culture. In recent years, students have criticized the Wellness curriculum for upholding negative stereotypes regarding calories and nutrition. Now, Wellness teachers aim to reverse this trend, reworking the way they approach content involving nutrition.

“I think people focus too much on calories. Whenever somebody hears the words calorie and fat, they think of it as a negative term. That’s not just [at ETHS]; that’s really everywhere,” explains Wellness teacher Frank Consiglio. “I think what we need to look at is how food works as fuel. If that’s the focus of our teaching, then I think that some of those misconceptions can be managed.”

Well-thought-out, comprehensive education regarding both the process of eating and eating disorders is essential because many of the driving forces behind disordered eating are rooted in cultural mindsets and societal perceptions. However, educational precautions and interventions are not the only tools that are available to students struggling with disordered eating.

Following her mother’s confrontation, Kirk began regularly meeting with doctors and nutritionists in order to regain a healthy relationship to food.

“I would get weekly visits, and they would weigh me, and I had to pee in a cup for them. Then, I had to get tested for all of these different sensitivities that I could have possibly gotten because I couldn’t eat anything without feeling sick at that point, so they drew a bunch of blood from me. I had to try and gain weight, and I didn’t always do it, because it’s just hard to get your body to work again.”

There are several resources and centers in Evanston with a similar approach to eating disorder recovery. While seeking support from a doctor or medically trained professional is crucial for health factors, it can also be a difficult process for patients and may feel impersonal. Consequently, connections and relationships with loved ones are also integral in recovery. Friends and family have an element of personalization that people in healthcare settings don’t possess.

“My friends really got me through a lot of it, because they checked in on me but they also still treated me like I was normal, which made me feel more human than I felt when I was at these doctor’s appointments, because the only thing that mattered [to the doctors] was my weight,” Kirk notes.

Just like personal relationships largely influence the formation of eating habits,

intimate friendships can inversely serve as sources of nourishment toward recovery, and if there’s one common theme amongst the emergence and recovery of disordered eating: the little things go a long way.

“I think a lot of my friends knew about the things that I was going through. It was easy for the people really close to me to encourage me, and they continue to invite me to go places, getting lunch and stuff like that. Having my closest friends invite me [made me feel] more comfortable eating in front of them and made me not worry so much about how I look in front of them,” Diggs reflects.

Valued friends are a key component of healing, and for many people, it’s easier to confide in a friend than a parent. However, it’s essential that family members act as a source of support as well.

“My relationship with my father was really helpful. My dad was really looking out for me and would check in. Once he realized there was an issue, he would check in all the time to make sure I wasn’t like falling down that path again. He really supported me a lot. He was so aware of what was happening, and he cared so much about me. He’s such an awesome man,” says Littenberg.

Whether it’s a trip to the doctor’s office, a hug from a good friend or eating together as a family, support looks different for everyone.

If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating, the national eating disorder helpline is (800) 931-2237.

Art by Jillian Arnyai

*We have changed the names of certain students and identifiable details in order to protect their privacy.

- Wellness teacher Frank Consiglio

TOP EIGHT

We asked 406 students to rank their favorite places in Evanston and this is what they said

Sadie Dowhan Digital Content Editor

From boba to burritos, pancakes to pizza, if you’re in Evanston, it’s more than likely that eating good food is a staple in your day. Whether it be a coffee shop to study at, dinner with the family or a spot for a midnight snack, the options are end-

less. In Downtown Evanston alone, there are approximately 66 places to eat and drink, not to mention the hundreds more that surround the area. While it can be difficult as a student to fit all your friend’s meal preferences into a 45-minute lunch block, the proximity of Downtown Evanston restaurants to the school and to each other makes the decision a bit easier, and

makes everyone a bit happier.

Food is very much a subjective topic— one of the most frequent debates among ETHS students is simply where to get the best of whatever they’re looking for. In this food themed issue of The Evanstonain we put these opinions to the test to truly see what is the best of the best.

Kimrey's Krossword

Down:

1.Sweetest ________ by Megan thee Stallion and Dua Lipa

2.Mozzarella-stuffed breadstick brand served in the cafeteria

3.Popular food review website/app

4.Knives Out sequel playing at the Evanston AMC 12 (second wrd.)

7.Evanston coffee shop at the corner of Sherman and Church

9.______ of Wrath

10.Oily, salty fish in a tight spot

11.Downtown Evanston chain restaurant known for its bottomless chips and sizzling fajitas

Across:

5.Local Evanston restaurant known for its bubble tea and Pan-Asian cuisine

6.Diet that restricts one's consumption of animals and animal products

8.7 condiments top this Chicago-style treat (2 wrds.)

12.Large, pink citrus fruit

13.Actress, best known for her role as Captain Marvel (first wrd.)

® Crossword by Emerson Kimrey

Evanston’s Best Coffee Shops best of evanston - 11 Backlot

By Riley Romisher Staff Writer

Fresh, local and a known study spot, Backlot Coffee is a loved location on Central Street. With perfect options for seasonal drinks and food, the coffee shop is always filled with students and residents. The welcoming environment and high popularity has led to the shop being voted the number one favorite coffee shop in Evanston, according to ETHS students.

Senior Sofia Shewfelt touches on Backlot’s environment. “They have incredibly welcoming employees, great service, good food and an awesome atmosphere,” she says.

The business is open seven days a week, and is known for kind employees. Whenever a customer chooses Backlot, a friendly “hello” is always waiting behind the doors. Proving the positive descriptions of the local restaurant is the bustling activity inside, as it can sometimes be difficult to find a seat.

Similar to Shewfelt, junior Monroe Stroth describes the energy at Backlot. “It is relatively fast to get your food,” Stroth says. “The environment is very friendly, and I am always seeing my friends or people I know when I go in. It gives the perfect coffee shop vibe you need for studying or

just hanging out.”

Backlot continues to excel through having a staff that are truly kind people. Shewfelt re-emphasizes the excellent environment. “I love the fact that the whole cafe is covered in plants, but aside from that, they do a great job at making it a fun place to work or so-

The warm environment and convenience isn’t the only draw. The storefront is filled with delicious pastries, food options and drinks. The seasonal treats that Backlot has to offer are another plus, as the ontheme food and drink contribute to their unique environment.

Senior Noah Reichlin, says that their “Peppermint infused hot chocolate is my favorite.”

Besides the seasonal snacks, Stroth enjoys the chai lattes and the old fashioned donut. The store has wonderful holiday options, but their classic, year-round treats will never disappoint.

Colectivo Coffee

By Malia Schoonyoung Staff Writer

At the heart of downtown Evanston lies Colectivo: a warm and welcoming coffee shop. Students always fill the tables due to the perfect study environment and the functional indoor and outdoor seating. Not only do they have special holiday decorations and seasonal food and drink, but the staff always welcomes you with a warm smile too.

Senior Karolien Van Mieghem enjoys the study environment.

Brothers K

By Meg Houseworth Executive Editor

“I like the ambience and how everyone else is studying around me. It’s the perfect amount of noise for me to study.it’s not too loud but not too quiet.”

“I love the environment inside, it feels very cozy and a great place to hang out with friends and study,” sophomore Josephine Bonney adds. “I especially love it during the holidays because they put up seasonal decorations.” This adds to the aura and charm that one experiences when visiting Collectivo.

“It’s a super cute cafe,” freshman Lilla

With the name stemming from a shared backyard-playground in Evanston, the possibilities to flourish and be yourself are continued into the coffee shop. Backlot claims to be a “comfortable, stimulating, and diverse community,” and many will

say Backlot is exactly that.

If you are ever passing Central Street, be sure to stop by, because, as Shewfelt says, “you can never go wrong at Backlot.”

espresso, the soft chatter from the couple sitting next to you and the crowded shelves housing retro crimson mugs. Luckily in Evanston, we can feel a semblance of Stars

Johnson exclaims. The shop has many places to sit and plants throughout the cafe, which add to its great environment, and makes it a community area that is very welcoming.

Aside from the cozy environment, they also have a great selection of food, including many delicious seasonal options. Johnson says, “I like their iced chai and the pumpkin spice french toast.”

A highlight of Colectivo’s menu are the vegetarian and vegan options. A favorite is the impossible burrito which includes tofu,

sweet potatoes, impossible meat and salsa. Colectivo is accessible by foot, as well as public transportation and has ample parking available. It also accommodates large groups with its long tables that also are great for taking your time to study. With a great menu coupled with its great atmosphere, it is a place you should be sure to visit in the future.

Hollow on the corner of Hinman and Main where Brothers K is located. A hometown staple for South-West Evanstonians, Brothers K is an adorable coffee shop that values affordability, quality, and community.

“[Brothers K] is a place where you could study and get a lot done, but you can also meet up with someone and have a conversation without it feeling too loud or too quiet. [They] also play nice, quiet music, so [it] always [feels] cozy,” says senior Stella Ward.

Ward has been Brothers K regular since childhood. Initially coming to play board games with family members, Ward has developed a deep appreciation for Brothers K over the years.

“[Brothers K] has always been the closest [coffee shop] to my house and I’ve been going there since I was little. And I feel like they’ve always made such an effort to build community. When I was little, I’d go with my mom, and they’d have games that I could play. And then in middle school, they’d always have a good hot chocolate,

and [now I go there] to do college applications,” Ward continues.

Just like many other seniors, coffee shops have been an integral weekend staple to work on college applications, and finding an environment that fosters both productivity and comfort is of foremost importance. For Ward, Brothers K checks those boxes.

“It feels so nice to walk in and to be surrounded with people that I know. I feel like I know all the people behind the counter, and I still see the same people when I come in. And even just like listening to the conversations between the people and people who come in typically, [it’s] like we all know each other. It feels like a little family.”

Whether you’re going to grab a latte togo or spend hours completing homework, you can be rest assured that Brothers K serves high-quality coffee and a warming welcome.

Photo courtesy of Emma Thomas

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Picture Luke’s Diner from Gilmore Girls . Take in the smell of rich brazilian

Photo courtesy of Parker Krzystofi ak

12 - best of evanston Trader

Evanston’s Best Grocery Stores

Joe’s

By Hope Vezner Staff Writer

From caesar salads to delicious desserts, Trader Joe’s has everything you need to satisfy your nutritional (and less-nutritional) needs. Their wide range of vegetables, meals, snacks and drinks satisfy nearly everyone’s dietary preferences and cravings.

I’ve gone to Trader Joe’s since it opened in 2013, and it’s barely changed over the years. Although Covid-19 has closed down countless good businesses that will be missed, Trader Joe’s has managed to remain open and stay relatively the same.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, many people’s favorite part of Trader Joe’s was the purple stuffed animal named “Ozzy the Octopus.” Every day it would be hidden in a different place around the store, and little kids would walk up and down every aisle searching for the purple octopus so they could get a prize from the cashier at checkout.

“My earliest memory of Trader Joe’s is trying to find Ozzy the Octopus so I could get a lollipop; my favorite were the pome-

Valli Produce

granate-flavored ones,” stated Grace Puricelli, a sophomore at ETHS.

Trader Joe’s is a very popular and wellloved source of food, some people have shopped at Trader Joe’s their whole lives and created wholesome childhood memories there that separate it from other grocery stores.

“I think the difference between Trader Joe’s and other grocery stores in Evanston is the community, I really like the homelike vibe,” says Puricelli.

Numerous people agree that Trader Joe’s is popular due to its friendly and community-oriented atmosphere.

“Trader Joe’s is a lot cheaper, workers are a lot friendlier, and in my opinion, they’re more unique. They’ve got a lot of in-brand stuff, so we get a lot more unique stuff you can’t find anywhere else,” says senior Marco Conde, an employee at Trader Joe’s.

Not only is it enjoyable to be a customer there, but according to Conde, it’s also a good place to work.

“It’s a very flexible place to work, we

get to choose our own hours; we have a lot of freedom with that. It’s just a really nice place to work, everyone’s really friendly

and it’s a really open environment.”

Whole Foods

By Tanya Weisman Staff Writer

Evanston is home to many popular grocery stores, but none of them compare to the unique experience you have at Whole Foods. Rows full of high-quality fruits and vegetables, fresh ingredients and hot or cold bars of food available for takeout are just the beginning of what awaits you in Whole Foods.

Out of all the Evanston grocery stores, residents agree that Whole Foods is one of the best. Whole Foods’ proximity to the Northwestern campus is beneficial since students can easily get groceries along with Evanston locals.

By Macy Hoeveler Copy Editor Evanston

“The location of Whole Foods on Chicago and Church is convenient because there are parking options, it has large sidewalks with good pedestrian safety, and it is in the heart of downtown Evanston, [giving] it a sense of purpose,” says senior Nasir Sims.

Whole Foods is an exclusive store. Something that makes it so is Amazon’s

Alfredo Presta, an Italian immigrant, opened Valli intending to bring the nostal-

gic cuisine from his childhood in Valli, Italy, to his new home in America. The first Valli Produce store was opened in Arlington Heights and has since been spreading slowly but surely across Illinois cities throughout the next thirty years.

Evanston’s Valli Produce lies in Evanston Plaza, in an outcrop of local stores, restaurants and community spaces. Nestled in between the local Goodwill and several small businesses, the Valli sign is visible from blocks away. The 2015 opening of Valli marked an appreciation of the diverse communities and cultures in and around Evanston.

“I was at the grand opening of Valli Produce,” senior Ayla Conn recalls. “Me and my friend went with Dance Center Evanston to see the ribbon cutting ceremony. They have an astounding variety of pasta, I remember laying on the floor of the pasta aisle.”

Valli Produce was not only one of the first grocery stores in the area with international and ethnic cuisines, but also fulfilled a need for produce and groceries in the second ward. Prior to the opening of Valli, the nearest grocery store was the Jewel Osco on Chicago Avenue, a trip that would require a car to comfortably make.

“I think it’s better than Jewel-Osco; it’s more efficient. The workers are always re-

stocking the shelves, and they’re interested in helping you,” says sophomore Andy Mertz. “At Jewel-Osco, you don’t really see them around the store. There’s not much help you can get.”

Many Evanston residents consider Valli Produce to be their go-to grocery store. One such Evanstonian is senior Delilah Salzinski, whose parents are both professional chefs.

“They have a lot of good quality products and ingredients, and it’s nice that you can walk in and get a quick meal. My family does the majority of our shopping at Valli.”

Now, almost 10 years after its opening in Evanston Plaza, Valli continues to be a go-to for Evanstonians to find international food selections for an inexpensive price. It specializes in Italian and Greek foods, but also has a wide selection of foods from India, Spain, Asia, Poland, the Middle East and Latin America.

“People who live around here who don’t like American food or are from somewhere else can go there to find foods from their hometown,” says Mertz. “I think it’s important to celebrate that.”

Photo courtesy of Aaliya Weheliye

ownership of the chain.

“Being able to make returns in seconds with no box is super helpful. It’s something that no other store has. We often utilized many grocery deliveries from Whole Foods, which were quick and easy,” says Sims, whose experience with grocery stores has been unique because of his vegan diet.

“Whole Foods is my favorite grocery store in Evanston because of all of the availability of vegan options like Soul Vegan Lasagna, Salted Carmel Cluster Cashew Milk Ice Cream [and the] Daiya Vegan Mac and Cheese,” he says.

The Evanston Whole Foods is a place where everyone can shop to have a positive experience. It provides a multi-faceted and low-stress environment, from walking through the aisles to killing time to enjoying food in the sitting area. With its bright and fresh ambiance, Whole Foods doesn’t disappoint.

Photo courtesy of Emma Thomas

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Evanston’s Best Bubble Tea best of evanston- 13

By Ben Levy Staff Writer

Whenever I want something affordable, delicious and filling, I turn to Joy Yee Noodle. The small building on the corner of Chicago and Davis is a warm welcome with its bright green walls and tall windows.

For starters, I’ll have the Joy Yee Lunch Special, or JLS. This deal is life changing. One of Joy Yee’s big fans is senior Quintin Nguyen, who says that, “[The JLS] is the best bang for your buck meal out there. You get so much quality food for a pretty good price.” For $9.95 (some dishes are $10.95) you get a dish filled to the brim with your meal, whether it be fried rice, a variety of chicken, or even pad thai (amongst many other options). The meal comes with a sizable egg roll, and a small soup. It gets my mouth watering just thinking about it.

In addition to their meals though, Joyee is renowned for its drinks. Whether you find yourself drawn towards Milk Tea, a Fresh Fruit Freeze or a Fresh Fruit Tea, you can’t go wrong here. The freezes are served with

incredible efficiency (I’ve had a turn-around time of less than a minute), and the fruit flavor POPS. It’s not some watered down slushie with a dash of syrup. This is the real deal. It’s as if the fruit itself gifted you its glorious flavor on a silver platter. When combined with the boba, or popping jelly, you get a powerhouse drink. The milk teas are also incredible. It’s a silky delight, a cold refreshing drink that side-steps the oft-overpowering sweetness of its fruit counterpart.

The service is also crucial. The time between ordering and picking up for take out is usually less than 20 minutes, and it’s always so convenient. Nguyen says that,“ [The staff] are very nice, and always get the food out quick”. Whether you’re in a time crunch or just craving that delicious meal, Joy Yee’s service will never let you down. Kind workers and simple, eye-catching decor propel the appeal of the quaint noodle place. Delicious food, unique drinks and stellar service really cement Joy Yee as one of the best restaurants in Evanston.

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Kung Fu Tea

By Calliope Green Staff Writer

Kung Fu Tea is one of Evanston’s hot spots for the popular drink: bubble tea. Originally founded in Queens, NY, on April 10th, 2010, this restaurant is always packed with customers. It can be found in the center of Clark Street in downtown Evanston. Its extensive drink menu draws customers to their quaint shop, recently outfitted with a new arcade claw machine.

“I go there usually during the summer. I really like their pot stickers and all of their fruit smoothie drinks,” says sophomore Delila Liston.

The menu consists of nine categories of drinks, such as slushes, caps, milk teas and punch. My favorite tea is the peppermint milk tea. It has a delicious minty-sweet taste without being overloaded with a peppermint flavor. Another favorite drink of mine off of the slushes section of the menu is their mango snow slush. This drink is perfect for a refresher during a hot summer day. It has a fresh mango taste that will leave you wanting more. Kung Fu Tea also has a small, delicious food menu that includes hot potstickers and a wide variety of popcorn chicken. Kung Fu Tea has been rated a 4.9/5 on Uber Eats and meets all expectations you’d

Tealicious Bubble

By Meera Field Staff Writer

Tealicious Bubble is a bubble tea store in downtown Evanston. It’s located at 1565 Sherman Ave. and is open seven days a week (hours can depend on holidays).

Tealicious has a wide variety of refreshing drinks, from smoothies to milk tea, to traditional teas and an assortment of toppings including tapioca (my personal favorite), popping boba, crystal boba, cheese mousse and more. They also have a selection of food such as egg waffles and popcorn chicken. This local bubble tea shop opened on June 10, 2019, and makes all of its tapioca pearls by hand. It’s a perfect place to go on a hot summer day when you need a cool drink.

Freshman Anna Furney says, “I like Tealicious because it has the best boba in Downtown Evanston, and the service there is great.”

Similarly, sophomore Delila Liston says, “Their service is very efficient, and the workers are always really nice.”

Tealicious is a place where customers feel welcomed, and don’t feel like they have to wait forever to get what they ordered. It has fast service and nice workers, which can be rare. Liston also commented on the ambiance. “I love the environment.” Liston says. “It’s really fun with stuffed animals, and I like how you can watch them make your drink in front of you. I

really like the feeling of it, the stuffed animals on the wall and the open seating area just make it feel so welcoming and fun.”

“I think it’s really cute inside,” Lillian DeBernardi agrees.

Everyone seems to think that Tealicious is an enjoyable place to be. The environment and vibe of a place are part of the experience, and if a store has a bad vibe, people won’t want to come back. The fun and happy environment of Tealicious is one of the reasons that customers return.

I personally go to Tealicious on a hot day to get a refreshing Wintermelon Lemonade to cool me down. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and tart, and it’s just the right thing in the middle of summer. Another popular drink is the brown sugar latte, which is a favorite of both Furney and DeBernardi.

Furney says that she “likes the syrup-to-liquid ratio, which makes it sweet, but not too sweet.” She describes it as “having the taste of coffee but not being too bitter.” Though it’s not one of the traditional drinks at Tealicious, it’s one that’s perfect for people who don’t want milk tea but still like the toppings.

A fun and comforting environment, efficient service, good drinks and kind workers are some of the reasons that Tealicious is a favorite of bubble tea lovers in Evanston.

have for a well-rounded restaurant.

Good service is equally important as the menu when it comes to having an enjoyable restaurant experience. Thankfully, the dedicated workers at Kung Fu tea show a lot of respect toward customers. With only up to three people working at a time, the food and drinks are made quickly and flavorfully.

Lydian Green, a sophomore at ETHS, remarks, “Servers are always kind and accommodating.”

Every season is bubble tea season, and with Kung Fu Tea’s seasonal drinks, students never get bored with the menu. Currently, the winter seasonal drinks consist of hot brown sugar ginger tea to warm up with and iced pumpkin oolong milk tea for the occasional cooldown.

Sophomore Elijah Hamman talks more about how the drinks have kept up with the weather. “During the summer, I had the seasonal drink ‘grape, grape’, it was yummy,” Hamman says.

The interior of Kung Fu Tea is small, with limited seating. However, there’s a park right across the street with the perfect amount of space for students to relax and drink their bubble tea. The big flavors definitely make up for the restaurant’s small interior, so come on down and experience Kung Fu Tea.

Photo courtesy of Aaliya Weheliye

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

best of evanston

Edzo’s

Sam Froum Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor

You can’t talk about iconic Evanston restaurants without bringing up Edzo’s. Since 2009, Edzo’s has been serving up mouthwatering burgers, fries, shakes and more from its prime location in Downtown Evanston. If you’re looking for an exciting place to get a great meal, Edzo’s is the perfect destination, and it’s for that reason it has earned the designation as the Best Evanston restaurant as voted on by ETHS students.

Edzo’s is an essential part of Evanston culture that has provided many of us with great food and priceless memories.

I have countless memories of going to Edzo’s with my dad on a cold winter day or with my friends on a half-day in middle school. When Edzo’s closed for remodeling during the pandemic, Evanston residents couldn’t wait for it to reopen.

“I was super happy when it reopened. I tried to go as soon as possible when it did, because I really love that restaurant,” says sophomore Zach Cutter.

I felt the same way. When I heard that Edzo’s was reopening in September after being closed for seven months, I knew I had to go.

The first thing I noticed when I returned to Edzo’s was the change in decor. The wall-sized chalkboard menu and the colorful burger mural were gone. The menu had been replaced by an ordering app and the mural had been painted over with colorful stripes. Despite the change in

appearance, the atmosphere of the restaurant still fits owner Eddie Lakin’s original vision.

“I wanted it to look like a funky hotdog stand… that had been there since the 60s or the 70s and not changed. I want people to think…it’s been there for 40 years,” says Lakin. This definitely came through when I entered Edzo’s. With the retro stripes stretching around the walls and the vintage poster hanging opposite the counter, it was easy to believe this place had been here for a while.

I wasn’t in Edzo’s just for the atmosphere; I

soft yet crispy, perfectly thin and salted just right. Next, I grabbed the burger and took a bite, careful to get a taste of each ingredient. My tongue was bombarded with an array of different flavors, the tender beef patty, the gooey cheddar, the crisp lettuce, the juicy tomato, the tangy pickles, the sharp onion, the sweet splash of ketchup and the soft, fluffy bun. It had been a while since I had eaten a burger this good.

“We grind the beef fresh every day. We have the potatoes fresh every day. We try to use whole ingredients that start with real produce and not buy stuff that’s frozen or already pre-made before we cut it. And then we just try to cook it fresh and serve it quick,” says Lakin.

I could taste the difference, Edzo’s fresh ingredients gave strong, unique tastes, elevating the food to an ever higher level. After devouring the rest of the burger and fries, I leaned back in my chair, satisfied. I was happy to know that my favorite Evanston restaurant was back in business and better than ever.

If you missed Evanston’s best burger restaurant during COVID, don’t worry. Edzo’s is back and just as good as you remember. The restaurant looks a little different, but the great food and retro atmosphere are still the same.

wanted to eat. I eagerly ordered a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and ketchup, and a side of fries. Within minutes my food was ready, the burger and fries tossed messily into little cardboard boats. My nose filled with the intoxicating aroma of the warm, golden-brown fries, and I quickly stuffed a handful in my mouth. They were just like I remembered them,

“The vibe of the place is really fun, and [it is] a place that I can go to anytime [and] not have to worry about the food being good one day or bad one day,” says Cutter.

Art by Macy Hoeveler

Buffalo Joe’s

Tony Mateos Staff Writer

Are you looking for a cost-efficient restaurant with high-quality meals? If you’re a fan of wings, then Buffalo Joe’s is the right choice for you!

Founded by Joe Prudden, Buffalo Joe’s is known as the “Wing Pioneer” for creating many delicious sauces. Joe describes the process of creating the sauces as saying that he won’t use all of the ingredients because a little can go a long way. The three main sauce options they offer are, mild sauce, spicy sauce and—if you think you can handle it—the suicide sauce. All of these sauces lead to a diverse selection of wings. For freshman Alister Keely-Walker, the barbecue sauce is the best a part of the wings overall. Fellow freshman Hans Petraitis finds the spiciness of the barbecue sauce to be particularly enjoyable.

Wings aren’t the only thing Buffalo Joe’s serves though. They offer other foods

Todoroki

Miranda Escalera Staff Writer

Todoroki is a sushi and Hibachi place located on 526 Davis Street in Downtown Evanston. They are open everyday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. everyday except Sunday when they open at 12:00. I find it easiest to make a reservation the morning you plan for dinner or as early as the day before to avoid the dinner rush.

The staff was very friendly and considerate as I went when their regular tables for sushi were still under construction. At the time, the only section they had available was the hibachi area. They do charge extra for the hibachi, and because of that, we had decided to leave and try somewhere else until they kindly told us they had tables in the back

such as chicken burgers, hot dogs, salads and fries. The burgers are 1/3 lb of quality steer meat per burger and have freshly cut cheese as well as fresh ingredients. They sell many different types of hot dogs but the most popular is their take on the Chicago-style hot dog. Since wings aren’t the healthiest food options, the shop attempts to make up for this by selling salads. They offer chicken salads which include their famous sauce and seasoning. Another staple on the menu is their Buffalo Fries, which are their take on waffle french fries that have an incredible amount of flavor.

This balance of healthy with not-sohealthy never sacrifices taste. Freshman Katherine Kupferer finds the chicken to be her favorite part of her meal but is also surprised by how good the celery is.

The pricing at Buffalo Joe’s is decent. The store sells high-quality food at average prices. Luckily, it takes little to no time for your order to be ready, which is

beneficial if you are in a rush or are getting takeout. The size of the wings are small but they make up for it by giving you a hefty amount of them. This can also be said for the number of buffalo fries you get per order as well.

For both Keely-Walker and Petraitis, the best part of Buffalo Joe’s is how homey the entire vibe of the restaurant is. “The aesthetic of the place is different than the other wing [spots] since it’s a hole-in-thewall type of place,” Petraitis says.

Finally, when asked what their favorite thing to order they all agreed to say the wings due to how good that flavorful sauce is.

“I love the sauce, it was definitely the best part,” Kepferer says.

Overall, if you are craving wings and are in the downtown Evanston area stop by Buffalo Joe’s.

Executive Editors rank their favorite restaurants

Ahania’s Favorite

The 10Q tofu bowl is flavorful and delicious, and their fries are the best in Evanston! It’s by far my favorite spot for lunch or dinner!

where they were undergoing instruction the were kind enough to offer. A few other people were there eating dinner as well. It was like banquet length tables so a decent amount of people could fit.

The menu for sushi rolls alone has a wide variety, but they also have a little section of classic rolls such as your basic california roll, salmon roll, etc. that were more on the cheaper side. Their more complex sushi rolls range from $12-$18.

I recommend one simple roll and one complex roll if you’re sharing with a partner, so you can have multiple rolls and share amongst each other. You spend under 30 dollars each.

They also have non-sushi dishes like fried rice and with various other items that aren’t

seafood. You can get a generous bowl of fried rice for at most $15.

As for the taste, I got the shrimp tempura roll—a spicy tuna roll with crispy shrimp tempura and eel sauce. The roll was very enjoyable and refreshing. With the kick from the spicy tuna and the crunch of the shrimp tempura, the flavors combine beautifully.

The one thing I would say is there are drinks like their soda and lemonade that taste pretty watered down. Other than that the food is delicious and a great spot if you want to go out to dinner with friends or family. Todoroki is definitely deserving of one of the top three restaurants in Evanston.

Collage by Meg Houseworth

Meg’s Favorite

Tomate is my favorite restaurant for fast service, good quality food. I typically order a chicken burrito with chips and guac, and let me tell you, it never dissapoints. I reccomend Tomate to anyone who wants delicious, affordable food.

Jessica’s Favorite

Tapas Barcelona is my favorite family restaurant. I crave the bacon-wrapped dates and patatas bravas at all times, and don’t even get me started on the beef tenderloin. No matter the occasion, Tapas Barcelona never disappoints.

Fine Dining in Forty Minutes: Evanston’s

10Q Chicken

By Charlotte Geyskens Staff Writer

Located in the heart of Downtown Evanston, near Fountain Square, 10Q Chicken is beloved for its unique and delicious chicken-based menu options. Right when I walk in, I’m impressed by the casual, welcoming atmosphere and the way that the restaurant is filled with lively locals—Evanstonians and Northwestern students alike.

Because I’ve never been to 10Q before, I decide to order the signature 10q sand -

Chipotle

By Finch Shewfelt Staff Writer

Founded in 1993 in Denver, Colo., Chipotle is arguably the most well known and well loved Mexican/American fast food chain in the country. Chipotle was founded by Steve Ells with the goal of serving quality food made with quality ingredients very quickly. “Steve founded Chipotle more than 23 years ago with a powerful vision to use great ingredients prepared skillfully by hand, but served very fast,” said the lead director on Chipotle’s board. The chain has since grown to be one of the largest in the U.S., with over 2,200 stores across five countries.

Although the menu is not extremely diverse, Chipotle is successful because of the

wich, their most well known menu item. The sandwich is composed of a crunchy panko fried chicken breast on a soft, buttery brioche bun. What really brings this sandwich together is the thin slice of radish on the bun, which, along with the spicy togarashi mayo compliments the sweetness of the bun nicely.

Following the theme of ordering menu items that I’ve never tried before, I order a side of buffalo nacho fries, not sure what to expect. What I receive is a plate of french fries covered in nacho cheese

topped with buffalo sauce drizzle and jalapenos. Whether you’re a nacho enthusiast or a fries enthusiast, this side offers the best of both worlds.

If you’re feeling less adventurous and are looking for more classic menu items, 10Q also offers staples like tenders, jumbo wings and Korean BBQ, all at modest and affordable prices.

The service at 10Q is as excellent as the food. My meal comes out so quickly that I feel the need to check that I’m not accidentally taking someone else’s food.

It’s also worth mentioning that while the portions are generous, they’re perfectly sized, and I don’t leave feeling like I ate too much or too little.

I spent this whole week summoning all of my self-control so that I don’t run back to 10Q Chicken to order that sandwich again. With its delicious food, casual atmosphere and efficient service, 10Q Chicken stands out as one of Evanston’s best.

many diverse variations on their relatively few menu items, the most popular being their burritos, burrito bowls and tacos.

Ordering at Chipotle is not as simple a process as it is at other restaurants. You first tell the employee making your food what kind of meal you want, (i.e. burrito, taco, quesadilla) then what protein you want, then you proceed to tell a different employee who completes your order with whatever other toppings you might want (things like cheese, lettuce, gua, or salsa). After toppings a third employee will help you check out. This is the person you ask for chips or a drink. Although this might seem intensive compared to other fast food restaurants in the same market, the process seems to noticeably decrease the time it takes

to get your food, as per the goal of creating a higher quality, faster fast food experience.

The Chipotle location in Evanston sits at 711 Church St, near the main branch of the Evanston Public Library. This location in central Evanston is a valuable tool, since one of Chipotle’s largest markets is people who just want a quick lunch or dinner. The speed and customization based model that Chipotle does business through is ideal for ETHS students looking for a quick lunch during the school day.

The inside of the Evanston Chipotle is quite small, with about 10 or so tables, a soft drink machine, an area with stools facing out of the window and the counter where your food gets made. “The lights, tables and even walls are

made of exposed metal which is kinda weird,” freshman Spencer Barbato says.

Luckily, the unusual styling of the interior is more than made up for by the scrumptious fast food. In regards to his burrito, freshman Francis Lang says, “mine was wrapped questionably, but the steak was great, it tasted delicious.”

Chipotle is not very old in the scheme of major food chains, but they’ve been around long enough to have found a market and perfected a business model. The Evanston location is a prime example of what Chipotle as a chain is. Fast, quality food and the perfect place to go during your lunch break.

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Evanston’s Best School Day Lunch Spots Potbelly

Sandwich Shop

By Tanya Weisman Staff Writer

Potbelly, founded in 1977, is arguably the best lunch spot in Evanston due to its delicious food and intriguing Chicago history.

Potbelly started as an antique store in Lincoln Park when owner Peter Hastings had the wondrous idea of serving sandwiches to his customers. Six years later, the shop reopened as Potbelly, a sandwich shop, named for the antique shops’ potbelly stove that was used to create toasted sandwiches. After the shop was bought by a loyal customer in 1996, it quickly

expanded all across Illinois and, before long, across the country.

Potbelly’s menu ranges from soups and salads to sandwiches that are superior. Some of the restaurant’s most-ordered items include the Mediterranean, Grilled Chicken Club, Pizza Melt, Turkey and the make-your-own option.

“Potbelly is my favorite place to go for lunch,” says sophomore Jenet Luning.

“I like to get the chicken salad sandwich. The milkshakes are also very good.”

Potbelly’s milkshakes are a hit, with basic flavors such as vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and even oreo—they never dis -

Bagel Art

By Clara Gustafson News Editor

My Saturday morning ritual consists of waking up, picking up a friend or two (or sometimes flying solo), and heading to Bagel Art Cafe where I order my usual: Lox n’ Key and a Thai Iced Coffee, and then head to my spot by the lake where I enjoy my delicious bagel and the company of my best friends or whatever album I’m currently loving.

To me, Bagel Art is a hidden gem–tucked away on the corner of Dempster and Sherman–full of wonderful employees where I always feel welcome and am never disappointed by the consistently amazing bagel sandwiches and coffee that they make. Every time I walk in, I am greeted with a kind “Good Morning!” and a beaming smile on the face of an employee ready to take my order–I think they might rec-

ognize me by now. As I watch them carefully make my bagel, the anticipation begins and my stomach starts to growl. When they call out my name at the other end of the bagel-making assembly line, I can’t help but smile while sipping on my coffee. The energy inside of the cafe is just the best. Even though I rarely stay there to eat, when I do, I really do enjoy looking out the big windows and listening to other customers ordering what they love. The iconic bright walls and little tables scattered around really contribute to the positive and comforting atmosphere. Though I’ve tried a few different bagel sandwiches at Bagel Art (they are all phenomenal), the Lox n’ Key is my go-to. The layers of bagel, chive cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers, and of course, lox, always hit the spot. A close second, and also one of my frequently ordered items, is the Egg Cheddar n’ Avocado. It’s out-

appoint. There’s also the iconic accent, the cookie on the straw which excites everyone.

The Potbelly in Evanston stands at 630 Davis St near Evanston’s Fountain Square. Being near a very popular part of Evanston is a huge benefit, especially for ETHS students looking for a quick lunch on a school day. The quick & easy go up and order then pick up your food is perfect for students during a 45-minute lunch period.

In most Potbellies, there’s a ton of wood giving the restaurant an old-timey vibe. The atmosphere is immaculate once

you step through those doors. The warm and cozy environment hits you with its optimity along with the exceptional choices of food to choose from.

“I like Potbelly because it is always reliable,” explains Luning. “You always know what you’re going to get, and it’s fast and never disappointing.”

Out of all the restaurants nearby, Potbelly provides the best service, and the best selection of tasty foods to everyone, especially students out on their lunch breaks.

standing. And of course, you can’t go wrong with a simple bagel and cream cheese to pair with whatever your favorite coffee is. I really think that there is something for everyone there with their wide variety of bagels and combinations that they’ve made, and of course, the ones made up by customers.

I am quite loyal to my usual order and haven’t ventured away from the delectable Thai Iced Coffee, but some of my trustworthy and tasteful friends have told me that other lattes and teas are some of the most delightful in town. I think that’s saying a lot, considering the other wonderful cafes scattered around Evanston.

One main reason why Bagel Art is so special to me is its location. Dempster Street (and the surrounding area) is full of some of Evanston’s best places to grab a bite of food. With Bagel Art for breakfast/lunch, Union and Union

Squared for dinner and Frio Gelato for dessert, I’d say you can’t go wrong. The Mexican Shop is also right down the street, a sweet store with something for everyone. It’s in the best part of Evanston, a few blocks away from the lake, and walking distance from downtown, it doesn’t get better than that.

Bagel Art has seen me on my great mornings, and on days when I need a pick-me-up, and has never failed to make me happy. It has truly become one of my comfort places in Evanston, and though I’m new to going at least once a week, I don’t plan on ending this tradition of mine anytime soon. I hope that I’ve convinced you to take a trip to Bagel Art and give a wonderful Evanston-local cafe a try.

Photo courtesy of Isa de los Reyes

best of evanston Walker Bros.

By Cameron Corbett Staff Writer

The ideal spot for morning meals, Walker Brothers doesn’t just flip the perfect pancake. If you ever find yourself looking for a to-die-for spot for a family breakfast or large gathering, Walker Brothers Pancake House is the place for you! Located on the border of Evanston and Wilmette on Green Bay sits a classic family-friendly breakfast restaurant.

Serving breakfast since 1960, Walker Bros’ has been open for almost 63 years! While the building is located on one of Evanston’s busiest streets, the restaurant manages to keep a warm and cozy atmosphere with stained glass light fixtures and comfy booths arranged with wooden tables. The inviting ambiance attracts many residents of both Evanston and Wilmette and has been chosen as a favorite by many ETHS students.

Sophomore Serena Jones chose this Walker Bro’s as her favorite because of “its close proximity.”

“I like having breakfast with my family there because of their welcoming environment,” senior Stella Ward adds. Walker Bro’s is a clear winner

Evanston’s Best Breakfast

when it comes to location and atmosphere.

It’s safe to say Walker Bros’ has mastered the art of flipping pancakes, but pancakes aren’t the only star items on the menu. Walker Bros’ offers a wide range of delicious dishes from pancakes to waffles, french toast, omelets and breakfast meats.

Many students have voted the Apple Pancakes as their go-to order; however, senior Amanda Nelson says, “My favorite thing to order are the hash browns”. So whether it is a savory or sweet breakfast dish you are craving, Walker Bros’ has you covered.

Service also plays a big role in its overall rating. Walker Bros’ service receives ratings that are off the charts. No one likes waiting hours for their food to come. Thankfully, the servers there get the job done—the food arrives fast and hot!

Well, what makes their service great? Junior Elise Pollack explains, “My food always comes pretty quick, I never have to wait much longer than 15-20 minutes.”

As sophomore Esther Mueller says, “it is the best breakfast place in the area.”

Stop by next time you’re looking for a bite.

Photo courtesy of Isa de los Reyes

Ovo Frito Cafe

Located just a few blocks north of downtown Evanston, Ovo Frito Cafe’s bright atmosphere, five-star service and extensive menu make it the perfect spot to enjoy an early or mid-morning meal.

Ovo Frito “started as a dream for an American dream,” as co-founders Roberto Flores and Zinnia Iglesias put it on the website. The husband and wife team worked a combined three jobs for over 13 years before finally opening their cafe in July of 2017—it immediately took off.

The menu is the main factor in Ovo Frito’s success. The sheer size of it is sure to have you struggling between a “delicious craving,” a classic omelet or something from the “breakfast eggsquisities” section. The many unique American and Mexican-influenced dishes range from cinnamon pancakes to chorizo to equally delicious vegetarian and vegan options.

“One of my favorite things to order at Ovo Frito is the Zarzamora French Toast,” freshman Chloe Von Hoff says. “It’s french toast filled with pastry cream and has blackberries on the top.” She also recommends washing it down with a steaming cup of hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

I took Chloe’s advice and tried the Zarzamora French Toast for myself. If you have a sweet tooth, this dish is made for you. A river of sweet cream and fresh blackberries sit sandwiched between two pieces of brioche french toast. Topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream, every flavor present in the Zarzamora French Toast perfectly compliment each other to create a great experience for your taste buds.

From what I’ve heard, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Freshman Ethan Martin agrees.“Everyone’s meal at the table was delicious and paired well together.”

Aside from the menu, the bright, welcoming environment contributes to the restaurant’s success as well. Translating to “fried egg” in Portuguese, Ovo Frito takes inspiration directly from their name for their decorations. Stepping into Ovo Frito is like stepping into the yolk of a fried egg. From the sharp yellow of the walls to the eggshell hanging lights to the egg-inspired art all around the restaurant, the whole atmosphere is one that is sure to have you smiling all through your meal.

Ovo Frito has never disappointed, so next time you’re in the mood for a morning meal, head down Maple Ave. to the perfect little brunch spot—Ovo Frito.

Le Peep

By Sophia Sherman Opinion Editor

When reminiscing upon my childhood in Evanston, few things bring back as many happy memories as the bright lights and warm smiles of Le Peep. Years later, I still remember the brunches I spent perched by the restaurant’s open-glass windows, waving to pedestrians passing by. I would chug down glass after glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice—usually leaving me with a mustache of orangey goodness. Once I had licked the residue off of the top of my lip, my attention would soon turn to the plate in front of me: some form of pancakes, usually with a side of potatoes. I never once left Le Peep unhappy, even after waiting in a line spanning outside of the doors; it was a staple of my youth.

Now, a junior in high school, the joy that had defined Le Peep for me as a child remains heavily ingrained in the building’s walls. As people of all different ages and backgrounds gather at clustered tables, connections are built, memories are made and most importantly, bellies are filled.

“In middle school, I used to go to Le Peep once a week after swim practice with a friend. It would be about seven in the morning, [and] we’d both be exhausted, but I never felt that way when we left. It’s the perfect brunch spot, and everything about the place is happy,” junior Chloe Wagner reflects. “For me, my love for Le Peep is less about the food, and more about the ambiance and kind people, though the food is

delicious. They seriously have the best pancakes in Evanston.”

Although Evanston is home to just one of the dozens of Le Peeps across the nation, it could be argued that the Church St. Location is distinct in its ability to bring people together. Whether a regular bruncher or first-time customer, nearly every patron of Le Peep looks back at their experience with fond memories of gleeful chatter and mouth-watering cuisine.

“Before COVID hit, me and my mom went there for breakfast almost every Sunday. I would order chocolate chip pancakes every time, but their omelets are also really good. It was like our own special spot,” says junior Georgia Balasis says. “When restaurants were closed and everything, we ordered takeout a few times I think, [but] it wasn’t the same. We didn’t get to do this thing we always did where we clink our coffee cups by the window or drink a whole liter of orange juice. It wasn’t the same Le Peep.”

In addition to pancakes, Le Peep offers everything else you could dream of from a breakfast place—omelets, skillets, crepes, waffles, oatmeal, sandwiches, eggs benedict, french toast and more. Many ETHS students have also relished in the delights of Le Peep at a place they least expect it: Wildkit Academy. Twice a month on Saturday, before students are met with stacks of assignments and peer support in the hub, teenagers funnel into west cafeteria for a taste of Le Peep’s signature pancakes and golden-brown potatoes.

By Mae Luning A&E Editor

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Evanston’s Best Pizzerias best of evanston - 19

Gigio’s Pizzeria

By Finch Shewfelt Staff Writer

Gigio’s Pizzeria is a local pizza shop in downtown Evanston, located at the corner of Davis and Maple. Founded in 1968, Gigios has been open for more than 50 years, and has long been considered one of the premiere pizza places in the entirety of Evanston.

The menu at Gigio’s is one of the most impressive aspects of the restaurant. Despite being first and foremost a pizzeria, Gigigo’s still boasts one of the most robust menus around. The vast selection of sandwiches alone would be sufficient to call this a good spot to eat, sporting multiple burger options (including an impossible burger), as well as corned beef and italian beef sandwiches, hot dogs, chili dogs, delicious gyros, and much more.

“I really like the fish, the tacos and the meatball sandwiches, which is good given its a pizza restaurant,” says freshman Spencer Barbaro.

Beyond their sandwiches, tacos, and salads, the real highlight of Gigio’s is, of course, the pizza. Gigio’s pizza is absolutely delicious, and the by-the-slice attitude really helps, as you can enjoy hot pizza in minutes for less than six dollars. The quality is top tier as well. The pizza at Gigio’s is some of the best I have ever had, a sen-

timent echoed by the 4.4 star average across its 745 reviews on Google.

Barbaro agrees. “The crust was perfectly crisp and the cheese had an amazing mouthfeel.”

In addition to the delicious pizza, Gigio’s has other things going for it as well. The restaurant is located in one of the most accessible places imaginable, seated across the street from a Metra stop, and nearly central in the densest part of Evanston. The corner of Davis and Maple has been one of the most important factors in keeping Gigio’s in business for so long. Another one of these factors is the restaurant itself. A glowing, orange sign with big windows on both sides, and a memorable depiction of a man holding a pizza above the doorway help to really grab the attention of passersby and make Gigio’s stand out on its block. The interior is admirable too.

“The music is very fitting, and there is a good amount of space between tables,” comments Barbaro.

With its reliable quality, local small business vibe, expansive menu, and amazing pizza, Gigio’s Pizzeria is a consistent classic and a favorite part of the Evanston food scene, and it might just be the best pizza in town.

Union Squared Pizza

By Abigail Romisher Staff Writer

Union Squared is a favorite pizza spot among Evanston residents. Not only are their wide varieties of Detroit-style pizzas a favorite, the nighttime environment is one to remember at Union Squared. With its selection of pizzas, appetizers, salads, and even desserts, Union Squared is the perfect spot for a delicious dinner with family or friends. It has a convenient location close to downtown Evanston making it the perfect destination for students. The welcoming atmosphere and unique Detroit-style pizza make it a favorite for many ETHS students.

Sophomore Jamie Brourman touched on Union Squared’s environment, saying, “The Union Squared venue isn’t very big, but they have good service and a nice seating area for dinners with family or friends.”

Even though the venue is not very large, the restaurant is known for its kind employees and warm welcomes as customers enter the establishment. Union Square offers an outdoor patio in the summer months as well, which provides additional seating and a perfect spot to enjoy the weather outside while eating delicious food. In addition to Union Squared’s good service, its popularity also soars due to its long hours of 4:00-9:00 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday.

Similar to Brourman, junior Lilo Seyberth-Shea describes the service by say-

Lou Malnati’s Pizza

By Tony Mateos Staff Writer

On Sherman Avenue lies Lou Malnati’s, a fan-favorite restaurant known for its spectacular pizza. Lou Malnati’s serves various types of pizza such as thin crust and deep dish, and they also have different food options which include wings, sandwiches, soups and salads. The pizza they serve always has the perfect amount of cheese and fresh ingredients no matter what kind you order. Lou Malnati’s has a relaxed overall feel and great customer service too.

Ainslie Stoolmaker and Gabe Black commented on why Lou Malnati’s is their favorite pizza place in Evanston.

Stoolmaker enjoys how Lou Malnati has reasonable prices for almost every one of their food items and states that Lou Malnati’s thin-crust pizza was the reason it became her favorite pizza place. Black agrees. “I love their pizza, whenever I want some pizza they are always avail-

able.” He also enjoys the service, saying, “The service is great!”

When asked what separated Lou Malnati’s from the other pizza places in Evanston, Stoolmaker said that it’s more of a sit-down restaurant compared to the other pizza restaurants in the area. She also appreciates how they have gluten-free options which most pizza places don’t serve. Gabe Black says that the restaurant gives him the most authentic feel and says, “It doesn’t seem like a normal chain that doesn’t have emotion behind it.”

When asked what their favorite dish is from Lou Malnati’s, Stoolmaker says the thin-crust pizza due to how basic and simple it is. Black responded that his favorite type is Chicago style or thin-crust.

Keep an eye out for Lou Malnati’s the next time you want a delicious slice of fresh pizza!

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

ing, “they are always so kind and helpful when I call to make an order.”

Union Squared excels in all types of restaurant service, making it the perfect place to have an enjoyable experience.

In addition to its in-restaurant services, Union Squared is very unique in terms of the type of pizza it serves. It is known for its Detroit-style pizza, different from the deep-dish style Chicago pizza. Deep-dish pizza is a classic style that is very familiar to the state of Illinois, but Union Squared’s pizza is different. With a square shape and a perfect ratio of sauce to cheese, every slice contains the perfect bite.

Brourman touches on the restaurant’s uniqueness of pizza style for the area by saying, “Evanston has a lot of good pizza options, but I chose Union Squared as my favorite, mainly because I’m a fan of Detroit-style pizza, which is their pizza style. The crusts are really delicious, and the slices are a pretty good size!”

Seyberth-Shea agrees completely and says, “My favorite pizza to get from Union Squared would be either the classic cheese or ham and, I know it’s controversial, pineapple. I like this kind of pizza because there is a lot of cheese on it.”

If you are ever in the downtown Evanston area, Union Squared has excellent service, and its wide variety of pizzas and unique style make it an excellent place to have a delicious meal.

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Photo courtesy of Isa de los Reyes

- best of evanston The Supreme Burrito #1

Evanston’s Best Mexican Food

By Christopher Vye Sports Editor

Ten years ago, The Supreme Burrito #1 opened its doors to the public. Since then, it has become an ETHS swim team tradition to stop by the restaurant for a late dinner after a home meet. With not a single home competition on the schedule for the first month and a half this season, it seemed the tradition had to wait. But after a hard fought victory against Highland Park, I craved one thing and one thing only: a King Ground Beef Burrito from Supreme. Nothing was going to stop me from having one.

Following an anticipatory bus ride down I-94 back to our stomping ground, a group consisting of me and three of my teammates prepared ourselves for a mile-long walk down Dodge Avenue in freezing winter weather. We lacked the proper attire for this journey, having no coats nor closed toed shoes. The valley of the shadow of death may have lied between me and my King Ground Beef Burrito, but I was determined. Broken, starving and disheartened, the four of us trudged through the barren landscape. We were down to our final leg by the time the restaurant entered our line of sight. Had it been any further, I’m not sure we would have made it there alive.

Stepping inside the restaurant was a reprieve from our suffering—the very first breath of fresh air after a close encounter with drowning. The scent of freshly cooked tacos, burritos, tortas and tostadas enveloped the dining room with

La Principal

By Clara Gustafson News Editor

No matter the time of year, a cold Mexican Coca-Cola, fresh chips and guacamole, followed by tacos, and finished off with churros sounds appealing to everyone.

Located at 700 Main St., you can find just this experience. One of Evanston residents’ favorite places to eat is La Principal, where you can order amazing Mexican cuisine, from tacos and tortas to tamales. Upon entering, you are greeted by a kind host ready to show you to your seat, where you’ll find a menu full of options–there’s something for everyone, with their vegetarian options on the menu and many fish and meat entrees as well.

“I love La Principal for its environment, the welcoming staff, and of course the food. The traditional tacos are some of the best you’ll find in the area. They also have quite an inclusive menu that includes options for vegetarian eaters as well. I also appreciate the pricing, for the quality of food you get it is very reasonable,” says junior Sofia Harper.

My experience with La Principal was a great one. After sitting down for an early din-

a homelike familiarity. It is that very familiarity that, in my opinion, makes Supreme Burrito what it is. You can always count on Supreme Burrito to satiate your hunger in exactly the way you want it to, and yet, it never becomes repetitive. Truly, the dictionary definition of comfort food. And the best part, it’s ready before you can even sit down.

As my eyes graced my meal, I recalled back to a time a few months before, when I had Supreme with a member of the swim team who has since graduated. They used to brag that they were able to finish a King Burrito in seven minutes, flat. But after having gone through what I had that day, I bet I could do it in five. So, without any further ado, I got down to business. As I took my first bite, A concoction of flavors threw a party for my palate. And trust me, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy and even umami—they were all invited. Soft and gooey inside and out, the burrito made me feel like royalty—maybe that’s why it’s called the King Ground Beef Burrito.

Within mere seconds (a new personal best, might I add) my burrito was gone. While the realization it was finished was undoubtedly a moment of anguish, I needn’t fret, for Supreme Burrito’s presence in my future is an absolute certainty. To put it bluntly, it’s the arms I want to come back to after my toughest days. Supreme Burrito, you have given me the best ten years of my life, and for that, I am forever grateful.

By Rosie Witt Staff Writer

A mouth-watering taco shell with a crunchy texture, crispy chicken, fresh cabbage and carrots, and the tangy flavor of a special aioli sauce. All these flavors come together to make a vibrant, flavorful ensemble that compares to no other. While there are many fabulous Mexican restaurants in Evanston, people have very strong opinions on which is the best.

Sophomore Signe Harris thinks Taco Diablo is the best restaurant in this category. She describes it as a place where “the service is great and their food is always fresh and tastes good.”

When asked what her favorite dish from Taco Diablo is, she states, “I love everything from Taco Diablo, but I think my favorite are the tacos and chips and guacamole.”

While Harris has strong beliefs about her favorite Taco Diablo dish, others have varied opinions on this topic.

Lucy Consiglio and Raya Mae, two seniors at ETHS, share their love for the Evanston restaurant exclaiming,

“Yes! We love Taco Diablo!”

When asked what their favorite dish was,

Consiglio said, “The carnitas tacos are really good.” Raya explained that her favorite was the Al Pastor tacos. Already, the tacos seem to be a pretty big hit for Taco Diablo!

As I searched the halls of ETHS for more opinions on the subject, another person added that their favorite dish at Taco Diablo was the three tacos that come with rice and beans of their choice. Turns out, Taco Diablo had a reason for putting ‘Taco’ in their restaurant name!

Their variety of tacos is extraordinary with its crispy chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, vegetarian options and even a vegan option tacos aren’t the only thing Taco Diablo executes remarkably. They also serve tortas, enchiladas, salads and, of course, their scrumdiddlyumptious churros and flan.

With its dim and eerie atmosphere, Taco Diablo is a memorable restaurant not just because of its fantastic food, but also its unique ambiance. The restaurant is embellished with art that fits their theme of devils, otherwise known as diablos. There’s no doubt that many restaurants in Evanston are exquisite, and each one is different, but some restaurants just take the cake! Or should I say churro?

ner and ordering chips and guac, I watched the restaurant fill with conversation and hungry people–groups of friends and families, eager to sit down and enjoy delicious food. I admired the colorful art and decor throughout the restaurant and enjoyed hearing the volume increase as those around me cracked jokes and connected through stories.

When it was time to order the main course, the diversity of the menu made it so difficult to decide what to ask for. As a pescatarian, there were several options that I hadn’t tried before. Their Baja Fish taco is one of the best I’ve ever had; the sweet mango complimented the crispy fish and made for an outstanding flavor.

And of course, the meat-options on the menu are phenomenal too, according to Harper.

“I feel you can never go wrong with their food, but my go-to order would have to be the Chicken Tinga taco and the Carnitas taco,” Harper shares. “La Principal’s Chicken Tinga is my favorite around, the flavor is spot on and I love pairing it with their sauces.”

Photo courtesy of Emma Thomas

Photo courtesy of Sadie Dowhan

Taco Diablo

Photo courtesy of Isa de los Reyes

Not a medical diagnosis but still a mental demand

By Sophia LaFleur Staff Writer

It’s awkward when you’re sitting down to eat with your friends and only one or maybe two other people also have a full meal, while everyone else has snacks or nothing at all. Why did I pack such a big lunch? you think. It’s uncomfortable to be one of the only ones eating, and it feels like you’re the weird one for choosing to eat when the majority are choosing not to. Then, because you feel bad about eating, when you go to eat dinner with your family, they question why you’re playing with your food instead of ingesting it.

“Oh, I’m just not hungry,” you say. A lie. If I eat as much now as I had for lunch, I’ll get fat. “I had a big lunch.”

This cycle of emotions surrounding food is one that I’m all too familiar with. Why bother eating now when I could wait a couple hours and just eat then? Why does my body still look like this, even after I’ve reduced my usual food intake for months now? I’m going to quietly extract the scale from its spot in the bathroom and weigh myself as often as I can. But every cycle has to start somewhere.

According to the National Library of Medicine, mental disorders and illnesses (including eating disorders) are hereditary; humans learn through observing others and adopting their behaviors. Whether it stems

from family—talking about their weight, asking if you really need that third piece of bread with butter or commenting negatively on the way you look in an outfit you liked— or peers—laughing about “forgetting” a lunch again, making fun of your portion sizes or remarking that they would be drowning in a sweatshirt as big as yours—disordered eating is not something that develops out of the blue.

Even more than those outside influences, disordered eating affects all genders for various reasons. For cisgender women, they’re taught that they should look a certain way, but should also expect sexualization by men from a young age by looking like that. For transgender women, gaining weight helps bring their vision for how their body should look to reality, but not everyone gains weight when they want to, even with careful consumption. For cisgender men, the media says that they have to be tall and muscular— but not thin or chubby—to be attractive. For transgender men, losing weight can help remove certain fat stores on their bodies and help bring their vision for how their body should look to reality.

For everyone outside and in between the gender binary, the beliefs about weight and body appearance were instilled in us as children—while most of us were still presenting as our assigned-at-birth gender, and thus taught the value of what gender-specific weight should look like—and those expec-

tations never went away. These teachings, for me at least, were exemplified when we were stuck at home during the pandemic. We were around those very same people who had potentially made us start thinking about food in a negative light, and we were constantly, inescapably scrutinized for every morsel we put in our mouths.

And where did our disordered eating come from? Parents, peers, genes, the media, etc.

My relationship with food has gotten notably better since I stopped caring about unattainable beauty standards, knowing that no matter the number on the scale, there will be people who care for me. I know it’s a little cliché, but recovery is sometimes a cheesy endeavor. Know this though: you’re not alone in your struggles, and there is always someone to talk to.

Art by Siobhan Monahan

Reflecting on the stereotypes surrounding food from non-Western cultures

By Stella Davis Staff Writer

It’s not uncommon for stereotypes to emerge regarding the food of different cultures, whether it’s around the food we assume one might eat or the cliche, whitewashed meals that Americans attempt to recreate. Either way, there is a lot of ignorance surrounding food from non-Western cultures. Food represents different people’s identities, and the preparation of it varies depending on a person’s upbringing. Often, food is used positively to represent belonging to a group of people and allows an individual to express their culture through their traditional cuisine. But, on the other hand, it can also be used to justify prejudice against groups of people. Unfortunately, Evanston is not immune to such a phenomenon, as the wide range of cultures that appear at ETHS make it easy for these stereotypes to arise. As students, we need to reflect upon the stereotypes that we feed into—even if it is unintentional.

Sophomore Ana Benitez eats Uruguayan cuisine at home and explains that this food is not consumed as much here, resulting in a feeling of alienation from her culture.

“My favorite meat is called molleja (mo-sheh-ha). In English, they are called sweetbreads and are a cow’s thymus gland,” Benitez says. “When we go to the butcher here, the parts we are looking for are a lot cheaper, [because] no one wants that cut of meat.”

Often, people misjudge Benitez’s family because, in American society, we more typically eat the tenderloin and sirloin cuts of steak, rather than the Uruguayan cut.

“We only go to Uruguay once a year, so we don’t get to have it that often, and it’s easy to feel disconnected from the culture,” Benitez elaborates.

Food is such a big part of Benitez’s Uruguayan identity, but Evanston doesn’t have any restaurants that serve Uruguayan cuisine. There is Argentinian cuisine, however, which is very similar, so Benitez usually just grabs that, but it’s not the same as the genuine meals that her family is used to.

Benetiz often comes across the stereotype that Uruguayan cuisine is just a copy

of Argentenian cuisine, but this is not the case.

“We have a lot of food in common because of the Spanish and Italian immigration to the area, known as el ‘Cono Sur’ or ‘Southern Cone,’” Benitez notes.

Saying that one type of cuisine is a copy of another is taking away from the individuality of their cultures. People also take away individuality when they generalize the food of different cultures. Another common stereotype between America and Uruguay is the portion sizes of Uruguayan food.

“We don’t think about it in the way they

ican food.

Sophomore Naina Malholtra has experienced stereotypes with her Indian cuisine as well. Commonly, people label Indian food as very spicy, when this is usually an exaggeration.

“There’s certain dishes that are supposed to be spicy, but mainly the food is just very flavorful and not spicy at all,” Malholtra elaborates.

Traditional Indian food is rarely represented in the United States because of how heavily it’s been Americanized over time. For Malholtra, this makes it easy to distinguish the authenticity of Indian food

seen and recognized in its authentic form. If there are also three other cuisines served at this restaurant, then they aren’t focusing on just the Indian food, and it forces all four cultures to impact each other. So, there really isn’t any genuine food in local restaurants, and grocery stores don’t help the case. When shopping for Indian food in a supermarket, there are a lot of prepackaged frozen meals that are quick and easy to heat up at home, but are they the real deal? It can be hard to replicate spices in processed foods, and honestly, if you aren’t making it by hand, it’s hard to tell which ingredients are being used.

“There’s lots of frozen Indian meals that are not bad. It’s just hard to get the taste right,” Malholtra says.

think of Americans eating big portions, which is connected to obesity and all that. People just know portions are generally going to be big,” Benitez elaborates.

In the United States, there is a surplus of processed foods, so large meals from countries like Uruguay are often stereotyped because American meals are filled with unhealthy ingredients. However, in Uruguay, while the portion sizes are typically large, the food is made from natural, real ingredients that compensate for the heavy meals. Uruguay proves that large meals are not a bad thing, and ETHS should start introducing these natural ingredients as well.

When you go to any of the four cafeterias at ETHS, there are a couple options for fresh food, but if you don’t like what they are serving, people most likely will turn to the easiest option: fast food. At all of the cafeterias, there are chips and cookies in the checkout line that students turn to, along with vending machines around the corner. Not to mention, finding meals if you have a dietary restriction makes matters even more difficult because of the limited amount of salads and vegetarian options. Thus, ETHS has further promoted this stereotype of unhealthiness in Amer-

in Indian restaurants.

“Most of the Indian restaurants I’ve been to are run by Indians, and a lot of it is pretty flavorful, but when we go to an American-run restaurant, the food is very bland,” Malholtra agrees. “My dad grew up there, and he has a strong metal stomach.”

Most likely, this also happens because we have watered down their culture to fit

These meals vary a lot depending on different companies making the product, to the point where it’s hard to draw the line where genuine food crosses to processed food. Indians are not the only ones who feel this way; Latinx people also encounter white-run Latin American restaurants and packaged food in grocery stores that inaccurately represent their culture on the daily. These stereotypes surround us, and we need to make an effort not to make them in the first place.

“My parents really make sure that we experience lots of types of food, and my dad goes out of his way to meet people of new cultures,” Malholtra says.

But, this is usually not the case for ev-

the palette of typical American food. This makes it very difficult for Indian families to find authentic restaurants to eat at.

“There’s no really good Indian restaurants anywhere, except for Devos in Chicago, and it [serves] French, Italian, and American cuisine as well,” Malholtra notes.

More needs to be done to make sure that the cuisine of different cultures is

erybody. If you don’t belong to a certain culture, or you aren’t exposed to one, then you might not know that you are making these stereotypes. Food is who people are; it brings communities together, and it cannot be subject to change.

“At the end of the day,” concludes Superintendent Dr. Marcus Campbell, “it’s about affirming who we are, and food has to reflect that.”

“At the end of the day, it’s about affirming who we are, and food needs to reflect that.”

- Superintendent Marcus Campbell

“Most of the Indian restaraunts I’ve been to are run by Indians, and a lot of it is pretty flavorful, but when we go to an American-run Indian restaraunt, the food is very bland.”

- Indian sophomore Naina Malholtra

Wellness classes, the media and unhealthy eating habits

By Maddie Molotla Assistant Opinion Editor

Picture this: it’s sophomore year, and I’m sitting in my Wellness class on the second floor H-hall. Parents and students have already received an email giving us a heads-up on our next unit: nutrition education. It seems easy enough to infer what we’re going to cover over the next few weeks—the dangers of certain foods and how having too much or too little of them may affect your health. Soon enough, we’re dipping our feet into the pool of disordered eating and promptly becoming at-risk for the dangers that come with promoting unhealthy eating habits. Since Kindergarten, we’ve all sat through lessons on nutrition and eating, and this shouldn’t have been anything unfamiliar or unnerving. Except, for me, that was not the case.

I remember receiving a sheet of paper on which we had to write down the names of certain foods on the far left side, and the rest of the sheet is filled with nutritional information. But to me, a lot of the information we are being told to fill out just doesn’t seem to have any sort of beneficial factors. It was a pointless assignment that discouraged a healthy relationship with food, as did many other aspects of that class. Why should I care about the serving size for an avocado? Why should I be reminded that one single apple is the ‘typical’ serving size, and after reaching that one apple limit, I should feel guilty about my eating habits?

As a teenager growing up in the 21st century, with all sorts of media outlets constantly shoved down my throat, it’s more than difficult. I’m watching body types and body weights go in and out of ‘style.’ Every day, I see a new way to lose weight quickly. I see people quite literally killing themselves to be the most “perfect” version of themselves. I’m not shaming anyone for this, and I will never blame us teenagers—the most gullible people— for doing so.

Principal Taya Kinzie elaborates on how the media proliferates body standards and disordered eating.

“[Normalizing calories] is a challenge because of [the] media’s assumption, right?”,

Kinzie’s remark is completely accurate. It has become perpetually harder to steer away from the dangers that come with social media. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, nearly 90 percent of teens (ages 13-17) have used social media. It’s inevitable that such a large percentage of our youth are affected by the media and its wide array of opinions pertaining to the

ideal body type. This is exactly

why I believe it’s just as important to educate students on how to steer away from the ideas that the media instills in us, as it is to tell us about healthy eating. We need to emphasize the importance of stepping away from our screens and taking the time to ground ourselves. When we see something triggering, we shouldn’t simply continue on and pretend as if nothing happened. We must acknowledge those feelings and discuss how to dismiss the negative messages that are being

to forced onto us. care

It’s possible that, to some, a lesson about eating in Wellness class is not enough to substantially impact a student’s body image and eating habits. But to those that it does affect, more care must be included in the curriculum that humanizes food and our bodies. ETHS needs to re-consider the true importance of filling out a sheet that discusses something like the number of carbs and fat in a piece of whole wheat bread.

filling that larly welcoming I of we

ETHS regularly reminds us of the fact that its administration is striving towards making this school welcoming for all. There’s any number of improvements someone could suggest to be made within this school, and I think adjusting a lesson like this is only one small improvement within reach. Considering the struggles of others, while also ensuring that they’re being educated on nutrition is honestly the bare minimum for a school like ETHS. Hopefully, as the years pass, we grow from the feedback and comments received from students that have been through these hurtful lessons. This is a perfect opportunity to begin creating safer

perfect creating spaces for all.

Brunching in Evanston: The divine right of humankind

By Leah Johnson Staff Writer

Some scientists believe the final trial mankind must face in order to be qualified as a highly advanced society is harnessing the power of the sun. I, however, argue that we have already crossed it with the divine invention of brunch.

Brunching is the god-given, inalienable right of all human beings to wake up whenever they so feel like it and still be rewarded with the breakfast dish of their choosing. Without brunching, nobody would ever fully enjoy breakfast. Personally, I’ve never been amused by an omelet or a banana-nutella crepe before the hour of 11 a.m., because I’m too delirious with sleep deprivation to know what’s good for me. Breakfast has never not been ruined for me by the fact that it’s the first thing in the morning. With brunch, this problem is solved by design.

So, where in Evanston can one go to indulge this luxury? I’ll provide you with this little handbook, from your most wise and seasoned bruncher.

If your social circle is the uninspired, childish kind and therefore does not enjoy brunch as much as you, I’ll first recommend that you do something about that sooner rather than later. However, to provide a band-aid solution, Patisserie Coralie on the corner of Chicago and Davis is the perfect solo-brunch

spot. It’s basically just a coffee shop, making it quick and convenient, but it actually has good food. It’s not necessarily a full brunch experience, but it’s a lovely little excursion to treat yourself to. The shop itself is adorable, and if you’re forced to brunch alone, you can make a storyline out of it, even bringing an arcane classic book and pretending to be mysterious. I’d their lavender and hot co-

Once you finally find new friends and are ready for a more social brunch, Honeybear on Clark is a must. Unfortunately, it’s in Andersonville, not Evanston, but the mini complimentary cakes they give you are worth the

trek. Honeybear has great atmosphere (it’s a wee bit millennial chic but you’ll survive) and delicious entrees, especially if you have a sweet tooth. It’s a great place to go and choanalyze everyone in your life super loudly. My favorite is the Sugar and Spice Waffle

If you’re looking for a calmer brunch, or perhaps your aunt is in

to a little bakery so you can pick something up on your way out. The menu is just classic breakfast, no gimmicks. It’s the kind of place where you spend way too much time talking after you’ve paid your bill. I feel like you could definitely have a philosophical discussion with your great uncle that leads to your debut novel at Lucky Platter.

Finally, I must mention my personal favorite brunch of all time: Frida’s on Church Street. This is me and my mom’s go-to, and we’re talking about me and the woman who taught me how to brunch. Frida’s has an incredible menu, including house-made juice and a plethora of crepes. Their Country Breakfast is also amazing. We often sit in their outdoor seating during the summer or take it to go and have a brunch picnic by the lake. The possibilities are truly endless. Personally, I’ve had epiphanies (plural) about the birth and death of the wide universe over many Frida’s crepes.

town, Lucky Platter is the place for you.

Located on Main, Lucky Platter is the quintessential Evanston brunch. It has plenty of personality, good food and it’s even attached

In short, with so many options, brunching in Evanston is a walk in the park. We must, as a society, make good use of this, and start prioritizing beautiful and delicious brunches in our own lives. Whether alone, with friends or with family, brunching is a gift we all deserve to share, and it truly does make the world go round.

Art by Meg Houseworth

Kinzie says. “The connotation tive and shameful.”

Art by Celia Jefferson

Athletes reflect on nutritional habits, education

By Owen Chiss Assistant Sports Editor

It’s gameday.

The only thing on your mind is winning. You’ve put in countless hours this week in practice, putting your full effort into each drill, each sprint and each scrimmage in preparation for this very moment.

The crowd starts to file in, the bleachers begin to fill and the referee is about to blow the whistle. A rush of adrenaline runs through your body, but suddenly, you start to feel all out of sorts.

Gameplay starts, the clock ticks, and as you begin to run, you start to cramp. The side-stitch hits your oblique and you immediately wince in pain. You try your hardest to keep up but this muscle twinge is preventing you from keeping up. Not only is it going to hinder your ability to stay in the game for the time being, it’s going to affect your performance throughout the entire contest. You wonder if your pregame meal should’ve been different…

“One time I downed twenty Chicken McNuggets right before sprints because I was hungry, but I immediately threw up. Eating unhealthy foods right before a game—you’re going to have bad results,” says Alex Mahoney, varsity boys soccer goalie.

Wellness classes. A graduation requirement, the class has multiple units that encompass personal decision making, stress management, consent, drug education, safety and nutrition. However, due to the loaded curriculum the course offers, the amount of information about a particular subject that students can obtain is limited. Mahoney stresses that while the course is important, presentations catered to each

But it’s not just about educating students on the importance of what they’re putting into their bodies, it’s also teaching them to put something into their bodies altogether.

When a meal is skipped, your body’s glucose levels start to diminish, leaving your cells hungry for energy. According to Brigitte Zeitlin, founder of New York’s BZ Nutrition, this can lead to sluggish-

“The importance of [nutrition] is definitely huge. There’s people especially with morning practices who don’t eat beforehand and it’s easy to tell when they’re slowing down and not at their best. Even sometimes when I don’t eat before, I feel like I’m moving a little slower. My brain isn’t working as quickly.”

specific sport are necessary to ensure athletes are well-informed on decisions that can make or break their success on the field.

“Having some sort of guideline to direct people on [what to eat] to keep them focused would be beneficial,” Mahoney states. “Obviously, Wellness is a sophomore class that we take but having a more

ness, muscular weakness and trouble focusing—three things that significantly affect any person’s day-to-day activities, let alone student-athletes.

“The importance of [nutrition] is definitely huge. There’s people especially with morning practices who don’t eat beforehand, and it’s easy to tell when they’re slowing down and not at their best,” says

Nutrition plays an integral part in an athlete’s success on the playing field, as performance largely depends on what an athlete is putting into their body. The concept of eating well plays as important a role as practicing does, but ETHS student-athletes have limited resources about nutritional habits to refer to in order to achieve their maximum potential on the field.

Mahoney highlights that although himself and his teammates are generally aware of decisions they need to make re-

substantial or long term thing implemented into the Athletics Department could keep everyone motivated and on the same page.”

Girls basketball coach Brittany Johnson is doing her part in educating her athletes about the importance of nutrition but wants to see more resources and time devoted to nutrition-based discussions with the team. Johnson emphasizes that in order to see results in games, young athletes must be aware of what they put into their bodies.

Sydney Ross, girls soccer player. “Even sometimes when I don’t eat before, I feel like I’m moving a little slower. My brain isn’t working as quickly.”

An article written by pediatric experts from Nationwide Children explains that developing healthy eating plans can lead to injury prevention, muscle recovery, energy boosts and increased focus—all crucial factors to athlete’s execution in gameplay. This is something that Johnson understands, aiming to get her team thinking about nutrition early on each season, typically in preseason meetings.

“[The coaching staff] tries to get [our team] thinking about what they’re putting in their bodies and then getting them to understand that things like water are a friend to them during the season, in and out,” Johnson explains.

garding their nutrition, there aren’t many discussions about the topic that stem from the coaching staff.

“In my experience, there isn’t really that much of an emphasis on a nutrition plan from our coaches,” Mahoney states.

“If you’re not eating right, you’re not going to play well. I think most people on our team already have a good nutrition plan, but there’s nothing currently in place to reinforce those good habits.”

One source of information surrounding nutrition that all ETHS students receive comes from semester-long, sophomore

“I think [nutrition] is really important. Young athletes don’t think about nutrition a lot—I don’t even think I thought about it as much until I went to college and worked with a nutritionist and had a training table,” says the former Boston College basketball standout. “You have all these meals that are designed for you. You see the benefits of it, and I think exposure is important. The more they’re exposed to the knowledge of how important nutrition is in their lives, the more they’ll understand and see the results in practices and contests.”

Outside of education-based programs, ETHS offers meals for students, including free breakfast and after-school snacks for students. Although, there is certainly more room for additional programs to be put in place to support the athletes.

“Having healthy nutrition is similar to practicing or doing reps when working out. It’s all in the same lifestyle to maintain a good performance in your sport,” Mahoney says.

“You can’t have the same program for say, a football player and a swimmer, which is what is currently offered. You’re giving virtually the same speech to everyone, so seeing a nutrition program tailored to your sport would be very useful.”

Art by Jillian Arnyai

“Having healthy nutrition is similar to practicing or doing reps when working out. It’s all in the same lifestyle to maintain a good performance in your sport.”

- student athlete Alex Mahoney

- student athlete Sydney Ross

24 - sports

Measuring up: Modern student athletes navigate plethora of unrealistic expectations

By Alexis Rogers Assistant Sports Editor

When asked what they wish adults knew about their experiences as high school athletes, students share answers with common themes.

Junior Aidan Thomson’s busy swimming schedule overflows into the rest of his life.

“Understand how busy [we] are and how much pressure we’re under to do well in school as well as in sports,” says Thomson. “If somebody’s really exhausted every single day, that might just be because they have morning practice every single day and are really tired.”

Senior Claire Henthorn, a volleyball player, struggles to make room for every activity.

“You’re stressed because you have so much to do,” says Henthorn. “Sometimes you don’t have time.”

While playing badminton, junior Jillian Arnyai is conflicted between competition and enjoyment.

“I get so anxious every time I play because I just want to win,” says Arnyai. “You want to be happy because you’re playing a sport you love but at the same time, you’re just stressed out because you want to be your best.”

As junior tennis player Serik Hammond says, “sports, for athletes, that’s their life.”

“Pressure.” “Stress.” “Anxiety.” Connectors between hundreds of students at ETHS– and millions throughout the country. The overwhelming aspect of daily sports is often a motivator for longer, more frequent practice and greater improvement over time. It can also be responsible for deterioration of health. Sports become less about play and more about work: work to match a fitness threshold set by adults, who are at a different stage in mental and physical development.

The concept of overall fitness for high schoolers takes multiple definitions: the body ideals that one might see scrolling through social media, the gym schedules of hardworking peers or the advice of a well-meaning parent or guardian. In a nation where teenagers train year-round to match a standard of excellence in competitive sports, student athletes face even greater pressure to match the fitness threshold of others.

While competition can be beneficial, it is easy for students to become overly critical of themselves or experience low self-confidence. As health impacts performance, performance in turn impacts health.

ETHS head athletic trainer Khaliah Elliston sees this every day.

“I think a lot of people forget that mental health plays a role on these kids, and that affects them physically. Those two connect; you need both to have a good kid and a good athlete,” Elliston says.

Student athletes constantly experience the stress of maintaining both personal perception of fitness and measuring up to the expectations of those around them. Since the foundation of competitive high-school sports, students have coped with these pressures. However, athletes in the 21st century face new challenges: namely, those of greater social media presence and increasing athletic standards.

Body image in the digital age

The idea of being “fit” in the modern-day relies on perception, and social media greatly shapes teenagers’ view of the world. Workout videos, or those titled “what I eat in a day,” are common on platforms frequented by high schoolers.

“I definitely see things pop up on how people who are athletes have a diet and how they exercise every day,” Henthorn says.

“I get so many posts recommended to me about workouts and nutrition and metabolic types,” agrees Arnyai. “It’s really hard when I see someone saying that you have to eat healthy to keep you healthy. They give diets that, if I tried, I could not live off of, just be-

cause I wouldn’t be getting all the nutrients I need.”

Even with an awareness of the impracticality of fitness influencers’ content, these messages can still impact an athlete’s mental state.As found in a study by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, student athletes are more likely to exhibit higher instances of decreased self-confidence and lack of appetite.

“In some sports, it is good to be tall, skinny,” says Arnyai. “But at least in my sport, it’s not a necessity. It’s just like, that’s what the media portrays as a healthy body and an athlete. It’s rough because that can get to you mentally which can affect how you play and then it’s a whole cycle.”

Healthy or athletic body types come in a wide range of shapes and sizes–especially among youth, who are still growing and developing and may not be able to maintain the definition seen in many fitness influencers. Pressure to conform to adult body standards increases when digital advice is focused on a specific sport.

“There’s a lot of false expectations that come out of social media that can majorly impact people’s body image,” agrees Thomson. “There’s a lot of stereotypes around swimmers.”

Not only are student-athletes facing pressure to conform to unrealistic standards through the media, packed schedules add another layer of stress to an athlete’s day. In-season practices are generally six days a week, for two hours every day.

“Sometimes you don’t even have time [to eat] because you have so much to do,” says Henthorn about her own experiences with nutrition. “Stress can be caused from body image and from playing a sport where you are competing against other people and thinking those negative thoughts of ‘I’m not good enough.’”

“When you’re in season, you’re playing seven days a week,” says Hammond. “Keeping a good balance between what you’re eating and how much you’re playing can affect everything.”

Nutrition is a highly specialized factor for athletes, where diet can impact performance, but also depends heavily on individual body composition. Generalized advice from figures through social media is often unproductive for a student.

Even with trusted adults, students receive greatly varying levels of engagement on diets and nutrition.

recommends reaching out to ETHS resources, such as nutrition services and trainers, with dietary concerns.

“Even if you don’t know how to specifically say it, just go and just have a conversation with [ETHS health professionals] about it. You have an abundance of resources here in this high school, even if you don’t even know the dietitian and you don’t know who the nurses are.”

High performance requires high commitment

Athletes face another unique challenge: “sports professionalization,” where students are expected to meet an adult level of focus as teenagers. Especially when athletics can be an affordable gateway to college, pressure to compare to others can build up.

“At some point in time you have to specialize,” says Elliston. “When you’re thinking about going to college, where playing that sport pays for you to go to college. But at a young age, that’s not what you would want your child to do. They’re still growing.”

The high school season is just one facet of sports for high performers, and those who wish to compete in college. Like many athletes, Henthorn feels pressure to compete in outside-of-school clubs before the season.

“I’d be stressed out on making the team for the in-school season,” Henthorn says. “I would think to myself that I need to stay playing volleyball so that I am ready for tryouts when they do come.”

Clubs and traveling teams can be even more competitive than school leagues, and require greater commitment.

“We have two practices a day in my club season,” says Aidan Thomson. “Our coaches encourage us to go to all the practices. There is an expectation from your team and your other teammates who go to all the practices. There’s a decent amount of pressure.”

A 2018 study by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ticed an increase in sports professionalization, especially among children: 54.7 percent

using those same muscles every day, from age eight until [high school], those muscles wear out. Tendinitis becomes more prevalent, [and] cartilage wears out.”

In a separate study, conducted between 1997 and 2001 and published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, female athletes engaging in sports specialization were given a significantly higher risk of injury. In general, total hours of vigorous physical activity was found to be directly related to chance of injury.

An athletic trainer’s advice? Variation is key.

“If you’re playing basketball, maybe switch it up and play baseball in the offseason,” says Elliston. “That way you’re using your shoulders in a different motion. You’re using different muscles. Maybe the muscles that are primary muscles during basketball season are accessory muscles during baseball season. It all makes a difference.”

Along with an effect on performance and health, packed schedules limit a student’s ability to spend time on schoolwork, or with friends, two things that are critical to a successful and happy high school experience.

“I have little to no time to hang out with other friends outside of swimming and it’s on top of schoolwork,” says Thomson. “If somebody’s really exhausted every single day, that might just be because they have morning practice every single day and they are just really tired.”

Imani Wilson, a social worker at ETHS for the class of 2023, writes in an email that “[o]verscheduling can be really detrimental to one’s mental health. I tell my students that it’s important to have ‘white space’ on your calendar, meaning, completely unscheduled time. We need this time to reflect on the things we’re involved in and ask ourselves whether these things are really important to us. We also need this time to just do nothing.”

says

“I’ve gotten much more advice from parents than I have from my coaches about eating,” says Thomson. “My parents and other people’s parents really push eating what they think is healthy. We have team dinners and the parents decide that we’re all going to have pasta because that’s what we need.”

Hammond, like many others, has had the opposite experience, receiving little guidance from the closest people in his life. Discussing nutrition often can be helpful to form healthy habits and routines, especially as a teen and young adult. However, as body needs and composition are unique from person to person, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction.

“My family doesn’t really talk about eating that much,” Hammond says. “I think it is important to find some place

cial media, but whether it family

is from a family member or a friend or coach, that’s hecking rad.”

Professionals who work closely with student athletes can be the source of reliable information Hammond is looking for. Elliston

of students were encouraged to specialize by their parents. With

er ages, stan-

mance

“There’s always someone out there that’s better than you,” says Hammond. “You have all these kids who’ve been playing since they were five, six years old. So if you’re not playing 14 hours a week, you’re gonna fall behind. It’s kind of on you to keep that up, which is a lot of pressure.”

notraining and improvement beginning at increasing ly young dards for perforrise. kind pressure.”

While often necessary to measure up to peers, this year-round focus on one sport can be counterproductive for an athlete’s fitness. Overuse injuries from students overworking a specific muscle or motion are a common occurrence for the athletic trainers.

“Of course, a basketball player, if he’s top of the line, is gonna want to play basketball all year round,” Elliston says. “But

a student athletes, this “white space” is often impossible or rare in season. last availability.”

Unfortunately for a lot of while

“When it comes to balancing school and sports, I think the most important thing is to try to keep yourself organized and to establish some routines,” writes Wilson. “As a student athlete, waiting until the last minute to get started on an assignment likely won’t go over well due to having already limited

Balance is possible. ETHS prides itself on its both academically and behaviorally exceptional students. Among eligibility and sportsmanship requirements, all student-athletes have the potential to represent the best est of Evan-

and the brightston. offer mental health.”

Many students and alumni credit sports teams as a source of stability and support.

“I think sports can have an incredibly positive effect on a student’s mental health,” writes Wilson. “Sports offer community, social support, physical activity and an opportunity to work towards mastery on something…all things that are crucial to our

With the right mentality–and the right advice–this community can be a highlight of high school and a building block for the rest of life. Genuine enjoyment, and not pressure from outside sources, is the best motivation

towards participation in athletics.

“Take your freshman and sophomore year as a young adolescent to find what your niche is,” says Elliston. “But also find what gives you an emotional release.”

Art by Jillian Arymai