Admit it. Everyone craves a candy bar or junk food once in awhile. But students need to focus on their selections in the University’s cafeterias in order to make healthy decisions.
Overcrowding, slow service, and lack of variety are often the problems that lead students to make unhealthy selections. The notorious freshman fifteen is due to stress, poor food choices, and unbalanced or oversized proportions and time. While St. John’s tries to offer healthy alternatives, there is more they could do to remedy the situation ranging from providing more variety at all the cafeterias, and changing the products to be more economically friendly for students.
At the Law School Café, there is a salad bar with a wide range of vegetables and dressings, which is considerate to those on diets or who just want something healthy to eat besides a burger. Yogurt, Odwalla fruit drinks, fruit cups, Nutrigrain bars, and sandwiches to go are other healthy options offered on campus. The Law School Café provides the healthiest range of foods on campus compared to Marillac cafeteria.
At Marillac, there is not as much of a healthy variety as there is fast food. Burger King, Taco Bell, and pizza are among the alluring temptations that are best kept to a minimum if craved.
It is interesting to discover at Marillac that there is not a small size portion of fries or fountain drinks offered at Burger King. St. John’s should search for better franchises that provide healthier options and portion sizes that do not hamper the business aspect of food markets.
The health food choices at St. John’s are good, but expensive.
Soy chips cost $2.99 compared to their 75-cent counter parts in the vending machines. It is more convenient to pick up a whopper and fries than to pick up oatmeal, milk, and microwave it, or get hot water.
The progress St. John’s has made is admirable and the health food choices are excellent. However, things could improve economically. When offering health food on campus, keep the cost in mind because it is easier for students’ to make the wrong choice in food when the fast food is cheaper.
