Healthy College Cafeteria - Assignment Example

16 November 2008 Proposal for a Healthy College Cafeteria We are what we eat! Or so the saying goes, so why is it that in colleges across the country the food that is served is often mass produced, low quality and of poor nutritional value There is a real and urgent need for people, and in particular students to wake up to their diets. A recent study by the University of West Hampshire showed that eight hundred undergraduates between the ages of 18-24 were on course for development of chronic health diseases, including being overweight, obese, having high blood pressure and mineral deficiencies as a consequence of their diets1. Eating healthy is made more difficult by the lack of available healthier foods in college canteens yet due to the economic restraints and busy lifestyles of students, the college canteen is often the main place that students eat. There is a responsibility from our educational institutions to focus on providing healthy , nutritious , reasonably priced foods that ensure that students have healthy eating options. In the UK, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has become notorious for his scathing attacks on the food served in schools. A ten part TV series released in 2005 based in a school, exposed exactly the type of food that was being served (processed food that is high in sugar and fat) and the negative effects on health. His pioneering work has since continued, urging schools to use natural ingredients, local and organic produce and serve well balanced meals. He has also succeeded in getting councils to sponsor "a ten-year strategic plan and fund a long-term public campaign to get people back on to a proper diet and empower/persuade (and possibly scare, if needed) the public to make better choices." (My Manifesto) To design a college cafeteria I would propose the following steps need to be taken. Awareness Raising; Any significant change in the food served in the college canteens should also go hand in hand with a college funded awareness raising project. This has taken place in a number of colleges already in the UK and US2 and could provide students with ideas, recipes and information about the nutritional and health values of the food that they eat. Consultation with the students; In making a shift to providing healthier foods for students it is important that they are consulted in order to ascertain what health foods would be popular. By running a consultation information can be gathered to help design the new menus. Skills gap; To provide healthy and nutritious food using natural ingredients can often mean that those working on the cafeteria need proper training in food production. Training should be offered to cafeteria staff and their wages should reflect the potential increase in work hours caused by preparing meals with fresh ingredients. Sourcing Organic Foods; Organic foods can appear to be more expensive but often when they are brought in bulk the price goes down significantly. Maybe joining up with other educational institutions in the area to make joint food orders with or looking for sponsorship for the college's healthy food project could ensure that prices stay affordable yet the quality goes up. Sourcing Local Foods; While the food might not be organic, buying food from local producers assures a number of things. It boosts the local economy, it is often cheaper for the buyer as the 'middle person' ( in this case the food distributor) is cut out. Regular orders and establishing a good relationship mean producers listen to their buyers and could in the future ( for example) reduce use of pesticides and fertilizers Sourcing Fair Trade Products; Fair trade products are often organic and produced by co-operatives therefore ensuring the best price for the farmer. By purchasing these products the college not only supports farmers in the developing world but also indirectly educates students about just and sustainable farming methods and food distribution. Environment; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, As well as looking after our own health it is also important to look after our environment, many of the above methods automatically mean that food comes with less packaging and therefore less waste. Where possible the use of excess packaging and plastics should be reduced in favor of using recyclable products such paper bags. Recycling facilities should be available in the cafeteria. College Environment; Taking the time to eat is also important- all to often it feels that we are grabbing a sandwich on the run. A nice environment to eat makes us more likely to sit down and enjoy our food. The cafeteria should be a relaxing social space, that avoids overhead strip lightening, and is well ventilated , it could show examples of college work on the walls. Ensuring the cafeteria is open a sufficient amount of time can help in avoiding overcrowding at meal times. Soft Drinks; Although it often seems like the college runs on coke! The cafeteria should stock a good range of fresh juices and smoothies. Designing Menus; There does not need to be a huge array of food on offer. Students might well be happy with the knowledge that there is a daily choice of two or three well balanced meals at a reasonable price. Consultation with students will enable cafeteria staff to design good menus. Additionally organic restaurants or even well known chefs could be asked to assist in designing menus. Launch the 'healthy college' project; There is a real and recognized need for colleges and schools to provide healthy food for its users. By involving outside influences in the project- such as nutritionists, organic food producers and well known chefs the 'healthy college' campaign could gain local, possibly national media coverage, benefiting the college and providing publicity for the college cafeteria. There are obviously other things to consider in creating a healthier cafeteria- such as economic costs etc. But across the country there is increasing concern about our diets, level of obesity and health problems as a consequence. Healthy eating isn't difficult, it does mean some changes but in the long term eating well is enjoyable and beneficial to us all. Bibliography Books 1.K Bryan and A Cutler, Ed: Trapese Collective. Do it yourself: A handbook for changing our world 2007, Pluto Press. Websites 2.College Students Face Obesity, High Blood Pressure, Metabolic Syndrome Science Daily, June 18 2007 www.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070614113310.htm Accessed 17-11-2008 3.Jamie Oliver, My Manifesto Jamies Olivers Website www.jamieoliver.com/my-manifesto Accessed 17-11-2008 4.Imperial College London Read More