Campus in need of healthy food options
Here’s a joke: How do college students stay true to their diets?
Drop out.
We can’t guarantee you’ll find that funny, but one thing we know you won’t is the state of health among children and young adults across the U.S.
A press release from the National Women’s Health Resource Center reports incidences of obesity tripling among 12- to 19-year-olds.
While a good deal of responsibility does rest on the shoulders of the parents of these children, college campuses should take more initiative in providing healthy eating options for college students.
Our campus is not exempt from this recommendation. The selection of food at Fresno State is slanted heavily toward the fried, the fattening and the all-around artery-hardening.
The hungry student can pick up a fried chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A, one of several fried meat dishes from Panda Express along with some fried noodles or a side of fried rice, a pizza from Round Table, or something from Taco Bell or The Bucket. Both seem to specialize in grease.
Even the apparently “healthy” choice of a sandwich from Subway can quickly become just the opposite, if you want cheese, mayonnaise or any of the other calorie-laden sandwich sauces.
A quick look at the comments on The Collegian Online’s Web-Spe@k topic “How do you like campus food?” reveals a trend: students desire a broader range of vegetarian eating options
No, salads aren’t cutting it for us.
The Farm Market, located far from the center of campus, sells much of the produce the campus farms put out. As one potential fix, the university should give students greater access to this and other fresh food.
Also not funny, but it’s a reason to stay in school.
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4 Responses to Campus in need of healthy food options
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I think the comments section of the web-speak feature isn’t a very good indicator of what students want. I bet if you took a survey on campus most people would be content or enjoy campus food options.
Even if an accurate cross section of students visit this site, which is doubtful, many students don’t comment. And it’s not really considered fashionable these days to admit loving Panda Express or RDH chicken wings.
Telling the campus to change for a vocal minority wouldn’t make sense. The emphasis should be on encouraging students to want to be healthier. But good luck with that. And let’s face it, plenty of fast food regulars aren’t the least bit overweight.
Enough options for non-fast food exist that the current method is probably the most practical. Most students seem to want Taco Bell and Panda, and the others can choose different meals on campus, bring a bag lunch or eat off-campus. The university is about learning, not eating.
Students are not kids – they can choose their own diet good or bad
I think the comments section of the web-speak feature isn’t a very good indicator of what students want. I bet if you took a survey on campus most people would be content or enjoy campus food options.
Even if an accurate cross section of students visit this site, which is doubtful, many students don’t comment. And it’s not really considered fashionable these days to admit loving Panda Express or RDH chicken wings.
Telling the campus to change for a vocal minority wouldn’t make sense. The emphasis should be on encouraging students to want to be healthier. But good luck with that. And let’s face it, plenty of fast food regulars aren’t the least bit overweight.
Enough options for non-fast food exist that the current method is probably the most practical. Most students seem to want Taco Bell and Panda, and the others can choose different meals on campus, bring a bag lunch or eat off-campus. The university is about learning, not eating.
The meals that are offered or sold at the campus cafeteria have always been the same, I loathe the lack of healthy nutrients that they have, but the reality is that changing the menu requires more than that, I don't think that school systems around the country would be up for it. Call me pessimist.