English 115 A Professor Sheriff How Healthier Dining Hall Food Can Contribute to a Healthier Student Body Kaci Kus English 115 A Professor Sheriff What Are The Issues? Typically, there is only one cooked vegetable option for lunch and possibly two for dinner, not including the salad bar. Vegetarians are often forced to turn to pizza or pasta in order to round out their meals. Although apples, bananas, and oranges are always served throughout the day, they are often unripe, bruised, or overripe. The fresh, cut up fruits served for breakfast at Bobs and Dana are extremely popular, yet they are promptly taken away once breakfast ends. Unfortunately, breakfast is the meal that students are most likely to skip! Too many unhealthy food offerings e.g. pizzas and hamburgers Currently, nutritional facts are rarely posted for the meals served at each dining hall. Proposals For Change More Vegetables! I propose that for some days of the week Colby could have the equivalent of “Meatless Monday” at one of the dining halls. This would force some students to make healthier choices at least one day out of the week if they choose to eat at that particular dining hall, and it would provide a larger array of options to a portion of the student body that is often overlooked. Fruit For Lunch And Dinner I propose that the fresh, cut up fruit from breakfast is left out all day until it is gone. Oftentimes it is taken away as soon as “breakfast” ends even though there is a considerable amount left. More fruit would of course come at a higher cost to the school and so either the dining hall budgets should be increased to account for this or perhaps money could be reallocated from one unhealthier option. Reducing Temptation I propose that for two or three days out of the week, one or two pizza options be removed. Even though it is extremely popular, that doesn’t mean it is good for students to eat on a daily basis. The dining halls are capable of creating healthy options that are just as desirable. The money not spent on extra pizzas could be put into buying more fresh fruit or vegetables. Increased Education Luckily, the school has already recognized this inconstancy and is working to fix it! As of June 2015, monitors will be installed atop each food station that will provide added information about the food being served. This will help students not only understand what they are putting into their bodies, but better keep track of servings, caloric intake, and more. The Freshman Fifteen The Myth Upon coming to college, many freshman worry that they will gain the infamous “Freshman Fifteen”. This, however, is not entirely true. Although many students will experience some amount of weight gain, it is rarely as much as 15 pounds. That being said, there is still some validity to this phenomenon. The Reality Researchers of this phenomenon have found average weight gain of college freshman to range from as little as 3.86 lbs to an average of 8.8 lbs. Of course everybody is different and so averages only give a general idea of this trend even though this affects people on an individual level. Why Does This Matter? As of the past 30 years, obesity has become a growing problem in the United States, and this trend of weight gain throughout college may have dangerous implications for the future. Students do not develop weight problems overnight; however, the eating habits formed in college have long term affects on our eating habits. College is a time when healthy eating habits should be formed.