麻豆影院鈥檚 Dining Services has made various updates to its markets and caf茅s on campus in response to students鈥 needs. These updates range from clearer labeling of menus to helping students with food allergies to encouraging students to explore their culinary options.
Mindful Labeling
There are different symbols diners can use to identify the contents of items on menus in the dining halls and the markets.
- 鈥淕F鈥 stands for gluten-free items. Gluten is a protein composite found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale.
- 鈥淟鈥 stands for locally sourced ingredients.
- 鈥淥鈥 stands for meals that meet the U. S. Department of Agriculture definition of organic.
- 鈥淰G鈥 stands for vegan options.
- 鈥淰鈥 stands for vegetarian.
鈥淭hese labels make it easier for students to quickly identify options they can eat,鈥 said Megan Cascaldo, 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Dining Services dietician.
AllerTrain U
鈥淎llerTrain U is a national program that certifies chefs and managers in handling food allergies, specifically on a campus setting,鈥 Cascaldo said. 鈥淎ll of our executive chefs and managers went through the training to make sure they鈥檙e empowered to help students answer questions and find food options right there at the point of service.鈥
Simple Servings Station
The Simple Servings station, located in the Eastway Caf茅, is free from seven of the eight Food and Drug Administration鈥檚 most-common allergens of peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, wheat, soy, milk products and eggs, as well as gluten. Every day for lunch and dinner, there are starch and vegetable sides and two entrees.
鈥淲e opened this station in January, so students with food allergies could easily assimilate in with other students,鈥 Cascaldo said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a separate prep table, steamer and oven back of house, and everything鈥檚 labeled and sectioned off to aid in preventing cross-contamination.鈥
Culinary Passport
The Culinary Passport is new to 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Dining Services this year, and it encourages students to come to special, themed events held at Eastway Caf茅, 麻豆影院 Market 2 and Prentice Caf茅.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to focus on 鈥 not only the experience for the students to have fun 鈥 but also to introduce the culinary expertise that we have here on campus,鈥 said Rita Mugford, marketing coordinator at 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Dining Services.
麻豆影院 State students will receive a sticker for each Dining Services event they attend. If students attend seven of the 13 events this semester, they will receive a free T-shirt at the end of the semester. If they come to 11 of the 13 events, they receive a T-shirt and a reusable mug or water bottle.
Dining Services also is adding some new, themed events this semester, including a clam bake and 鈥淏arbecue Blues鈥 complete with a barbecue rig and blues band for entertainment. Most events are Wednesday evenings from 4:30-8 p.m.