General's Quarters: Changes for the better
Robin DeCicco
Issue date: 3/17/05 Section: Life!
She emphasizes that it is never too early to develop healthy eating habits and that it is okay to occasionally eat fried food, but is unhealthy to consume it regularly. French fries and deep-fried mozzarella sticks, if eaten frequently, can contribute to obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes. Some healthy options to consider instead of the cheese fries and chicken fingers served at the Grill, which are mostly empty calories, are the salads, vegetarian soups and microwavable meals.
In regard to the healthiness of these microwavable meals, John Pasquarello, Manager of Dining Services said, "We responded to student needs. There was a demand for food on the go, and we made a conscious effort to offer healthy microwavable meals." One of the healthiest "minute meals" is the vegetarian burrito, which is loaded with protein, "good" fats and whole grains, from refried beans, cheddar cheese and rice. Other meals include macaroni and cheese, chicken parmigiana, pasta with Alfredo sauce and the most popular item, stuffed shells.
Unlike food at the grill that is prepared with oil and high saturated fats, these meals are made with natural ingredients and provide protein, complex carbohydrates and vitamins.
Although these meals are easy to grab on the go and fulfill dietary needs, they are not always available to students. These meals are not offered in GQ everyday; therefore, some vegetarians and health conscious students who do not eat from the grill are not left with many options to fulfill their daily nutritional needs.
When discussing the selection of food at GQ with several students, they immediately said that there aren't enough options for vegetarians and students who do not feel comfortable eating the meat at school.
Although Pasquarello assures students that GQ uses quality meats and cold cuts, there is an obvious difference in appearance alone between these cold cuts and cold cuts seen in upscale delis, which are usually Boar's Head Meats.
In regard to the healthiness of these microwavable meals, John Pasquarello, Manager of Dining Services said, "We responded to student needs. There was a demand for food on the go, and we made a conscious effort to offer healthy microwavable meals." One of the healthiest "minute meals" is the vegetarian burrito, which is loaded with protein, "good" fats and whole grains, from refried beans, cheddar cheese and rice. Other meals include macaroni and cheese, chicken parmigiana, pasta with Alfredo sauce and the most popular item, stuffed shells.
Unlike food at the grill that is prepared with oil and high saturated fats, these meals are made with natural ingredients and provide protein, complex carbohydrates and vitamins.
Although these meals are easy to grab on the go and fulfill dietary needs, they are not always available to students. These meals are not offered in GQ everyday; therefore, some vegetarians and health conscious students who do not eat from the grill are not left with many options to fulfill their daily nutritional needs.
When discussing the selection of food at GQ with several students, they immediately said that there aren't enough options for vegetarians and students who do not feel comfortable eating the meat at school.
Although Pasquarello assures students that GQ uses quality meats and cold cuts, there is an obvious difference in appearance alone between these cold cuts and cold cuts seen in upscale delis, which are usually Boar's Head Meats.