Lunch 3.20.13 - A Taste Of The Middle East

I was so excited to have lunch on Wednesday 3.20 because dining services would be serving Middle Eastern cuisine. Pictured above (ignore the to-go box) is Lebanese rice pilaf, kofta, spanikopita, kofta, shish taouk and naan. And I enjoyed every last bite of it.

In fact, it was the dining hall that first introduced me to Middle Eastern foods several weeks ago. While some of the foods differed from the first time they had served this food, I was a little less hesitant the second time around.

Although students ask for new things in the dining hall and complain about the food from time to time, I think that when the dining hall does attempt to release new items or try to present food from different cultures, it can come with some backlash. I appreciate that the dining hall giving students the opportunities to try new foods and I think most students appreciate the opportunity to try these new foods.

Middle Eastern food has a bold and somewhat salty flavor. It's also very savory and contains a lot of spices. I've found that with the specific flavor of Middle Eastern foods, people either love them or hate them because of the combination of spices, specifically with curry. Personally, I really enjoy the combination of flavors.

While salty foods can be delicious, too much sodium is bad for health. This week a study was released from Harvard's School of Public Health saying that too much sodium in the diet is responsible for 85,000 deaths per year in the United States. Too much salt can cause heart attack, stroke or other diseases of the heart. The dietary recommendation for salt, depending on the organization supplying the recommendation like the American Heart Association or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is between 1,500 mg to 2,300 mg per day. Most Americans are eating more than their fair share of salt in one day.

So while the Middle Eastern food may be delicious, it could be an issue if there is too much salt. But as long as salty foods are eaten in moderation, dig in and try new foods!

Just Some History Over Brunch

Brunch is the casual hybrid child of breakfast and lunch served with a combo of food both typically served at both meals. At Cedar Crest, the sleepy, pajama clad young women slowly gather in the Falcon's Nest to enjoy the foods served buffet style.

Brunch and dinner in the Falcon's Nest is a recent change to this year. While the times of both brunch and dinner during the weekends have remained the same (10:30am to 1:30pm for brunch and 4:30pm to 6:30pm for dinner) the location has changed. Dining services also closed the dining hall for breakfast during the week and only serve it in the Falcon's Nest.

The Falcon's Nest itself is still very new, with construction on the conversion of the old bistro completed in late 2009. The Cafe, which is on the opposite side of the Falcon's Nest, was completed within the last 3 years and used to be an art gallery.

And while students may always complain about the food (really no matter what college or university they attend), Parkhurst (which is the foodservice organization that operates at Cedar Crest) seems to really listen to student concerns and complaints by changing and trying to meet student needs. In the last 5 years, they added a salad bar, started providing more diverse and healthier options, and most recently added a soy milk machine.

Dining services also celebrates and recognized different holidays and events by having their employees dress up and providing special meals. Because this weekend is St. Patrick's Day, the Falcon's Nest is covered in green and employees have gotten in the spirit by dressing up as well.

So if you find yourself eating brunch in the Falcon's Nest this Sunday, look out to see if Dining Services has anything special (most likely green colored planned.)

Shhh It's A Secret

Though this week was spring break, I'd like to share some of the secrets of the dining hall and the Falcon's Nest to help make you healthier in honor of the beginning of National Nutrition Month.

Want to be healthier in the Falcon's Nest? You can substitute the french fries for carrot and celery sticks. You can also ask for whole wheat or multi-grain bread instead of a bun or white bread if you're ordering from the grill.

There is a salad bar in the Falcon's Nest believe it or not. And while it may seem expensive, it is unlimited, a fact few actually know.

If you suffer from a disease that you need a specific diet, like celiac disease, if you let dining services know in advance, they can plan a special menu for you or let you know what items on the menu are appropriate.

The dining hall just added a new Silk dispenser, which will dispense both vanilla and chocolate soy milk. Soy milk can have less calories and fat compared to cow milk. The chocolate Silk also has less sugar than chocolate cow milk.

The dining hall offers fresh apples, bananas, pears and oranges. You are able to take one piece of fresh fruit with you when you leave the dining hall, so you'll be able to have a healthy snack later.

Instead of buying a bottle of water for $1.00 in the Falcon's Nest, you can purchase a 16 oz cup with water from the soda fountain for 20 cents, which also comes with free refills for water only. Plus you'll be saving calories and sugar from not drinking soda.

The theme of National Nutrition Month presented by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is Eat Right Your Way, Everyday. Just because you may be stuck eating on campus in the dining hall or the Falcon's Nest, doesn't mean you should be stopped from eating healthy every day. Make sure you keep these secrets in mind the next time you eat in the dining hall or the Falcon's Nest.