Stephanie Hulme purchases items at the POD Market. Photo: Christina Huff, The Daily Mississippian.
In a recent effort to provide healthier on-campus options for students, Ole Miss Dining discontinued the pizza sticks served at C-Stores in Crosby and Martin/Stockard. But the effort was not well-received, as students complained on Twitter about the fried treats being replaced with healthier options.
Ole Miss Dining rescinded its decision to discontinue pizza sticks along with the other deep-fried menu options on Jan. 13 but took to Twitter to defend its decision to renovate both C-Store locations.
“Don’t worry Ole Miss!!! Our pizza sticks are here to STAY!” Ole Miss Dining tweeted, adding, “We are NOT getting rid of our c-stores. They are all being renovated currently to POD market just like minor halls POD.”
The rumor that C-Store locations would be replaced by P.O.D markets was started by the Ole Miss Problems Twitter account.
It is true that C-Stores are being renovated, but the renovations are mainly architectural finishes. The Grille at C-Stores will be renovated, adding a Papa John’s station.
Freshman integrated marketing communications major Ashlee Johnson said she believes there should be a balance between healthier options and favored treats.
“I do think that there should be healthier options on campus to cut back on obesity rates and promote student health, but at the same time it’s nice to have something greasy and yummy to eat after a long night,” Johnson said.
The recent change is a part of a nation-wide push toward a greater variety of healthier choices available at popular eateries. Ole Miss Dining uses nation-wide marketing survey data to determine what college students want to eat on campus, while maintaing reasonable menu items providing necessary nutritional value. But these token meals aren’t always taken advantage of, as higher-calorie foods are most popular. According to Jason Philips, director of Ole Miss Dining, the addition of Panda Express to the Union was a decision made based on thousands of student survey emails.
Ole Miss students are eating up the new marketing templates encouraging healthier eating.
Panda Express is offering 250-calorie-or-less servings as apart of its WOK Smart menu, a Freshii market is coming this spring to the new Johnson Commons, and the newly renovated Rebel Market at the Johnson Commons provides healthier options for students with gluten-free or vegan diets.
Panda Express’s WOK Smart campaign isn’t the only caloric content menu making its way this year. Students can expect to see Chick-fil-A launching a “Grilled” menu offering every item grilled instead of fried. Burger Studio and Toss it Up offer students veggie-based ingredients and lower-calorie items.
Ole Miss Dining is currently featuring a Healthy For Life campaign providing “delicious, nutritious, energized, fresh flavors.” Healthy For Life uses the Campus Dish app to help students make better decisions by showing them caloric intake and nutritional information. The Ole Miss Dining web page offers links to everyday nutrition and wellness information and news articles impacting all aspects of health.
Real Food Rebels is an on-campus group aimed at improving the quality of food available for students. Sustainably produced, ecologically sound and humanely raised options are defined as “real food” for the Rebels.
The group’s director, Emma Willoughby, said she feels that “there are healthy eating options on this campus, but I think if we want students to actually make those healthier food choices, we need to make it as convenient as possible.”
Getting real food into campus dining halls, engaging students in food-based issues and working with Campus Dining to increase the power of healthy eating are only part of Real Food Rebels’ mission. Working to incorporate local and economically helpful foods into student diets is a movement beyond counting calories. Willoughby hopes Real Food Rebels “can help bring Ole Miss to the next level by utilizing our purchasing power and supporting more sustainable food options — choices that are healthy in a much more holistic way.”
Associated Student Body President Gregory Alston is hoping “students will be excited about the meal options that will be coming to Ole Miss in the near future.” Several areas on campus are expected to be under construction in the next year. A Starbucks is planned for Coulter Hall; a Qdoba and McAlister’s in the Union; and a new Subway on campus.
— Cecily Lane
clane@go.olemiss.edu
