Serveries offer better options
Trayless dining initiative saves over $70,000
Jaclyn Youngblood
Issue date: 10/23/09 Section: News
The fish is not the only thing that is prepared directly in the serveries.
"We're 90 percent scratch-made kitchens, so … [we've] taken out a lot of the preservatives and things that come with pre-packaged foods," McDonald said.
The next thing McDonald said he wanted to tackle is antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken. He said the high cost of chicken will probably prevent it from being purchased this year, but such a change might be realized by next fall.
"Those are the big things - beef, seafood and chicken - that we purchase," he said.
On a smaller scale, McDonald said College Food Services has tried to vary the rice offered in the serveries by incorporating more expensive types, such as jasmine rice and basmati rice. He also said whole grain pastas are being offered occasionally.
"We can't do it all the time, but where we can we are trying to introduce [it]," McDonald said.
These changes are not being implemented for solely sustainable purposes, however. He said he has tried to emphasize wellness with the purchases he has been in charge of this year.
"Over the next 10 years, wellness will be the focus," he said. "[I'm] trying to find whatever I can do to make things better."
Now that the higher-quality beef and seafood has been introduced, it will become servery-standard, McDonald said.
"Once we introduce something, we will build it into our model," he said. "From this point forward, we won't change unless some major catastrophe happens."
Martel College sophomore Amy Altchuler, disappointed by the selection of seafood last year, said she has been impressed by the changes in variety.
"This year is definitely an improvement over last year," Altchuler said. "There's just more fish in general."
McDonald said when the trayless dining initiative was implemented last year he received virtually no negative feedback. He added that there has been praise from students about the higher-quality food options this year.
"I've gotten a lot of good feedback from students this year about the menus, so it leads me to believe we're on the right track," McDonald said.
"We're 90 percent scratch-made kitchens, so … [we've] taken out a lot of the preservatives and things that come with pre-packaged foods," McDonald said.
The next thing McDonald said he wanted to tackle is antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken. He said the high cost of chicken will probably prevent it from being purchased this year, but such a change might be realized by next fall.
"Those are the big things - beef, seafood and chicken - that we purchase," he said.
On a smaller scale, McDonald said College Food Services has tried to vary the rice offered in the serveries by incorporating more expensive types, such as jasmine rice and basmati rice. He also said whole grain pastas are being offered occasionally.
"We can't do it all the time, but where we can we are trying to introduce [it]," McDonald said.
These changes are not being implemented for solely sustainable purposes, however. He said he has tried to emphasize wellness with the purchases he has been in charge of this year.
"Over the next 10 years, wellness will be the focus," he said. "[I'm] trying to find whatever I can do to make things better."
Now that the higher-quality beef and seafood has been introduced, it will become servery-standard, McDonald said.
"Once we introduce something, we will build it into our model," he said. "From this point forward, we won't change unless some major catastrophe happens."
Martel College sophomore Amy Altchuler, disappointed by the selection of seafood last year, said she has been impressed by the changes in variety.
"This year is definitely an improvement over last year," Altchuler said. "There's just more fish in general."
McDonald said when the trayless dining initiative was implemented last year he received virtually no negative feedback. He added that there has been praise from students about the higher-quality food options this year.
"I've gotten a lot of good feedback from students this year about the menus, so it leads me to believe we're on the right track," McDonald said.
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