A student pours sauce for her french dip sandwich at Sewall's "World Plate" counter Tuesday afternoon. (CU Independent/Molly Maher)
As more people are eating healthier and trying out many different types of food, Housing and Dining Services staff say they are working to meet students’ needs.
“We strive to serve more healthy and ethnic foods and in general, the student population wants that,” said Lauren Heising, CU’s resident dietician and coordinator for Sustainable Dining. “However, it’s a balancing act because you have the students who want that and then there are the ones who want what they know and are comfortable with.”
Heising said a project currently being developed is known as “the healthiest option.”
The healthiest option will earmark items which meet a certain set of guidelines that are healthier, like baked, grilled, or steamed products and foods that contain whole grains, high fiber, vitamins and calcium.
However, Heising explained this does not mean that they will be omitting all foods that do not fit into these categories. She said the dining halls will always serve student favorites like chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, tomato soup and tater tots.
“For students, this is their home-away-from-home,” Heising said. “Everything can fit into a balanced diet.”
Heising said she has also been working on an allergen project because of an increased number of students with certain allergens and gluten intolerance.
The Allergen A-9 project aims to identify the eight major allergens within the food system, including gluten.
By doing this, Heising said she hopes they will be able to expand the amount of food options and varieties that are available to students.
However, some students have additional requests.
Gabrielle Boloker, a freshman international affairs major, said she wishes the dorms offered a better selection for students like herself, who prefer to eat only Kosher foods.
“I can’t say I like to eat the food in the dorms because I don’t like to eat food that’s not Kosher,” Boloker said.
Kerry Paterson, the executive chef for CU, said the dining staff receives lots of comment cards and e-mails from students who let them know the kinds of things they want and need and what foods they like or dislike.
Patterson also said another way he receives feedback is from monthly taste tests.
Paterson said students taste foods that the dining staff might see a problem with and try new things against them. Other taste tests might compare products with gluten against those without it, in an attempt to integrate more gluten-free products into the dining halls.
“What we really look for is quality,” Paterson said. “We want whatever covers more angles and more people. Sometimes if it is more expensive we can do more with it.”
One major trend Paterson has noticed is the desire for sustainable products in the dining halls.
Aside from trying to provide local produce, caged-free eggs and all-natural beef, Paterson said the dining halls have also stopped using plastic bags and are trying encourage all students to “lug your mug” instead of using plastic coffee and water cups.
According to Paterson, when the Center for Community is finished it will house a new and innovative dining hall that will provide more healthy and ethnic varieties than any of CU’s dining halls have before. It will consist of eight to 10 stations including an allergen-free salad bar, an Asian station and a Persian station.
“I think as long as they have a large variety of good food people will be happy,” Boloker said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Lindsay Gulisano at Lindsay.gulisano@colorado.edu.
