Cafeteria Dining; Are You Aware?
Students encounter many obstacles when it comes to balancing healthy eating on campus. If you’re rushing to get fresh curly fries right after class, you know the feeling.
You walk into the cafeteria and take a look through the glass to see very limited options. You do notice blueberry muffins, banana nut muffins, danishes and many more sweets to fill that sweet tooth. Fresh fruit cups are available for purchase as well as yogurt parfaits but students complain of the high price for these healthy options. Often times, the small selection of healthy items can cause students to want other cheap non healthy items such as fried shrimp baskets, processed snacks and many more.
Engineering major, James Edwards says, “It’s abominable. It’s bad for your system. We need more salads and fruits, they should cook more organic foods.” It’s either cheaper or the same amount as a full meal, which includes a side of fried fries.
Many students leave campus in between classes and head downtown for more affordable and healthier choices. Funchal Cafe, which has two locations surrounding the campus, promotes five dollar lunch specials and also offers student discounts. This downtown lunch cafe offers a variety of healthy food choices including salads, paninis, and wraps.
For an example, NCC, Norwalk Community College,offers a cafe campus nutritious chart when students are in the process of choosing something to eat. Options include calorie intake, fat intake, and sodium intake. USA Today conducted a study of college eating and 59% say they know their diet has gone downhill since they went to college.
Students don’t want to pay more money for healthier items. Students want affordable, fresh, and healthy foods in their cafeteria. HCC Student Jelani Billie says, “Healthy foods help promote healthy living. If you provide high quality foods then people will become more conscious of their unhealthy habits.”
Moral of this article? The more students are surrounded around more healthy items, the easier it’ll be to continue the healthy food habits outside of school.
“A fresh salad bar. If there is a salad bar, it’ll help coax people to choose healthier options,”Billie adds.