A foodie blogger, an academic and a lover of Emmy's Organics! We sit down with Sarah Schutz to find out what makes her "Not Your Average Cookie"!
TELL US HOW YOU FIRST GOT INTO YOUR CURRENT CAREER?
That question is actually kind of complicated. I’m not just a food blogger and recipe developer (@thecuttingveg), I’m actually in the world of academia, currently in my second year of my PhD in health care economics. My goal is to eventually become a professor. I am currently juggling 2 fields that I deeply love!
I accidentally fell into food blogging. I had some medical issues that were tied to food and my doctor recommended that I start documenting the food I was eating so that I could try to figure out where the issues may lay. My photos made their way onto Instagram and people started asking about the recipes I was posting about. It just spiraled from there!
With my professional research in healthcare and ties to the food industry, it’s been extremely interesting to read papers on consumer welfare, the wellness space & disease prevention. In my research I also consider the foods that are marketed towards us as consumers. I think about brands and how new products, through marketing strategies, make waves across the industry. It’s all interconnected and super fascinating.
GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT MAKES YOU NOT YOUR AVERAGE COOKIE? WHAT IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT YOU THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW RIGHT AWAY?
I was born in Arkansas, which surprises people for some reason. I’m very influenced by the south and southern culture and food. Even though I do not eat meat anymore, I have nostalgia about eating white Wonder bread soaked in BBQ sauce!
I have also had a lot of random luck along the way in my professional career. In between college and graduate school, I ended up becoming a research assistant for 2 Nobel Prize winners, one of whom became the winner while I was researching for him. I even became a NY Times stock photo because of this. You never know what might happen!
WE ARE ALL ABOUT SIMPLICITY. CAN YOU TELL US A LIFE HACK OR TIP THAT HELPS SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE?
The big thing for me is meal prep. Meal prep means I can have the foods I love without a ton of effort throughout the week. It is all about alleviating brain space. My favorite trick is soft boiling eggs! I cook a bunch at a time and then reheat them when I’m on the go. Here’s how I do it- drop your eggs into boiling water for 6 minutes and 40 seconds, after, plunge them into an ice bath then into fridge. EASY! This is a real time-saver!
WE GOTTA KNOW, WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE EMMY’S PRODUCT AND WHY??
I love the Chocolate Covered Coconut Cookie Bites in Peanut Butter. I have to have them right out of the freezer, that gives them an absolutely perfect texture.
WHAT SOMETHING COMING UP FOR YOU THAT YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT?
I am entering into my third year of graduate school, which means I am starting my own research for my dissertation. It will have its own challenges but I am so excited to move on from classes (aka NO MORE GRADES) onto research that I am more passionate about
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