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SLU Nutrition and Dietetics Students Offer Opportunity to Taste Their New Recipe Creations

07/25/2025

Students in SLU's "Innovations in Dietetics Practice' course are taking pre-orders for their products, including nut-free pesto and "meatless" insect vegan crumbles.

Basil Bloom: Fresh, Organic Nut-free Pesto

For those looking for a delicious, local and nut allergen-friendly pesto, Nutrition & Dietetics master’s students Chloe Raben and Jenna Brus have created Basil Bloom — a flavorful, handcrafted pesto made with organic, locally grown basil, completely nut-free, and free of additives.

Each 4 oz pack is vacuum sealed for freshness and perfectly portioned for an easy lunch, dinner, or appetizer. Just thaw, open, and enjoy! It’s the ideal freezer staple for busy days.

Each pesto is $10 and pre-orders are open now through July 30. Basil Bloom offers flexible pickup and delivery near North Campus or nearby offices — and they will work around your schedule!

Ready to order?

Follow Basil Bloom on Instagram: @basilbloom.co for updates, recipes, and behind-the-scenes stories. 

Thank you for supporting small, student-led, sustainable food ventures! 

B!TE, a delicious, sustainable, nutritious product made with bugs

Dietetic intern Adri Gonnella is the creator of B!TE, a delicious, sustainable, nutritious product made with bugs. While some may be unfamiliar with eating bugs, the practice of eating insects has existed for centuries across many cultures. In fact, over 2 billion people worldwide regularly consume more than 2,000 species of insects. B!TE is made a ground insect blend with the intention of resembling/being used like ground meat of "meatless" vegan crumbles.

With growing concerns about food security, nutrition, and climate change, Gonnella's goal was to create a product that tackles all three. The solution? Bugs. Insect farming uses 7x less land and 100x less water while providing protein that's as bioavailable as animal protein. Each 3 oz serving of B!TE packs 22g of protein.

B!TE also delivers clean, nutrient-dense ingredients that stand out from meat and other meat alternatives. For example it provides 14% of the Daily Value for iron and 90% for vitamin B12—two nutrients often lacking in plant-based diets.

B!TE is committed to strong ethics: our mealworms come from a small, woman-owned organic farm, and our packaging is 100% compostable. B!TE currently comes in two flavors, taco seasoned and plain so that it can easily be incorporated into many of your favorite dishes.

With a brand that is is bold, funky, and adventurous, B!TE is about pushing the boundaries of sustainable food and empowering people to make small choices that create a big impact.

"I would LOVE for you to try B!TE," Gonnella said. 

Follow B!TE on Instagram @buggindelicious_bite for more information, order forms, and pop-up events. DM with any questions, comments, or advice!

"Let’s change the future of food—one B!TE at a time."