On Thursday, Kramer Dining Center featured “Life in the Fresh Lane” as their theme for the “Course Change.” The event is a monthly dinner to provide residents with dining experiences that focus on incorporating healthy eating habits into the average student’s diet.
    “We were wanting to look for something that was healthy, but also tasted good,” said Carla Campbell, senior dietetic.
    The recipes for this dinner were created and tested by senior dietetic students who are doing their management practicum with dining services this semester. The menu consisted of a variety of foods like autumn beet salad, oven roasted salmon, penne pasta, roasted root vegetables, and artisan bread. Hazelnut Semifreddo cappuccino and chocolate biscotti were served as dessert.
    The senior dietetic students and the rest of the Kramer Dining Center staff said the produce was provided by Willow Lake Farm, operated and ran by the K-State horticulture students, Parideaza Farm in Wamego, Kan., and Barbara Flores, a local producer who resides in Manhattan.    
    “One of the reasons we chose to use locally grown produce is to really send a message of sustainability,” said Cheryl Klobasa, director of Kramer Dining Center. 
    Staff also focused on promoting the “Five Ways to Sneak a Few More Vegetables into Your Diet,” which they adopted from the book “The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without,” by Mollie Katzen.
    Klobasa stated that the staff specifically wanted the students to get the idea of eating more vegetables and fruit.
    During the event, students waited in line while filling out a Kramer Dining Center customer comment card, which allows the students to rate their dining experience which includes the atmosphere, the meal and a choice to give suggestions. Everyone who gave feedback by turning in the comment card was entered into a drawing to win a market basket full of fruits and vegetables. They were also entered in a grand prize drawing that will be at the end of March, the National Nutrition Month. March grand prizes include a digital camera, GPS running watch, iPOD, or a gift certificate to a local restaurant.
    Students across the room seemed to have an expression of enjoyment as their plates were filled with the menu entrées and desserts. Amanda Sarr, freshman in animal science, enjoyed the food as though the menu had never changed.
    “I think the food is good,” she said. “I was aware that tonight was a Course Change dinner, but it didn’t matter to me. I wouldn’t mind more dinners like this.”

Comments

Be the first to comment on this article!

Add comment


I am not posting spam. I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.

Enter the characters in the image above: