In lieu of student suggestions, Culinary Services added more healthy options to West Green.
At the suggestion of students, West Green now offers more healthy and vegan-friendly options.
The Boyd Mini Grab N Go, which previously served different hot foods, is now a “Create-Your-Own-Deli station.” This station offers vegan-friendly options such as hummus, fresh vegetables and salad items, said Assistant Director of Auxiliary Sales for Culinary Services Dan Pittman in an email statement.
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The Hungry Cat food truck, which previously had a vegetarian white bean burger and a mushroom gaucho taco as the only vegetarian-friendly entrees, now additionally serves a spinach salad with or without shredded chicken. The Hungry Cat also serves whole fruits, which were added based on student recommendations during the Culinary Services Development Committee’s monthly meeting, a student-led group. The suggestions deride from comment cards at the dining halls, social media and in-person conversations with the staff.
“We are always updating our on-campus variety, and our team takes customer feedback very seriously,” Pittman said in an email.
Calvin Haines, a freshman studying mechanical engineering and living in James Hall on West Green, said he eats at Boyd “once or twice a day,” and is satisfied with the new changes.
“I had never eaten at the Mini Grab N Go before the change,” said Haines. “It was always really random food, but everybody likes sandwiches so people come more often.”
Olivia Gatto, also a freshman living in James Hall, frequents the new Mini Grab N Go since the change.
“The food truck used to have a lot of calories in every single option,” Gatto said, whose major is undecided. “(Now, they have) real food (available) that’s not buttered. It has definitely improved.”
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Emily Apgar, a freshman studying graphic design and living in Ryors Hall on West Green, said due to her vegetarian diet, she struggled to find healthy options on West Green before the changes. Although she said she is glad The Hungry Cat offers a salad entrée, she is disappointed at the lack of variety.
“I always get spinach salad, but the food truck’s salad is mostly just spinach. They have tomato, cucumber and onion, but it’s not enough,” Apgar said. “(I would like) if you could have options about what you put in your salad, but I guess it’s more convenient for them to have it all together.”
Despite the changes, some students would rather stick to a traditional dining hall experience, such as Will Kern, a freshman living in Ryors Hall on West Green.
“Most of the stuff at the food truck is really unhealthy and the healthy stuff I don’t like,” Kern, who is studying finance, said. “I don’t really like the food here so I’d rather go to West 82, Shively (Dining Hall) or Nelson (Dining Hall).”
Apgar said because being healthy is a big part of her life, she is glad that Culinary Services is listening to student suggestions for healthier food.
“They could probably do better, but they’re making their way,” Apgar said. “It’s better than before.”
@rachel_hartwick
rh375113@ohio.edu
