When asked about their favorite parts of Case Western Reserve University, students may reference clubs, friends or places around campus. However, it may be rare to find a student who lists CWRU’s dining options among the highlights of their college experience. The dining at CWRU, particularly the taste of the food, has always been a subject of discourse. Equally as important, and perhaps less discussed, is the nutritional value of the options available on campus. Specifically, the lack of whole fruits, vegetables and grains.
Think of the majority of food establishments on campus and their lack of produce. Save for the two main dining halls, Leutner and Fribley Commons, fresh foods are rarely incorporated into the options offered across campus. Sure, Subway may have the option to add a few slices of cucumber and a sprinkling of spinach. That being said, other meal plan options, particularly late-night options such as the Jolly Scholar, The Den, Fribley Late Night or Carlton’s Hot Honey, host an array of carbohydrate-heavy foods like burgers and pizzas. For college students studying past the 8:30 p.m. closing time of both dining halls, evening food choices are limited to options that are energy-draining.
The options are arguably even worse for those with dietary restrictions, such as vegetarians. Even during the daytime when everything is open, almost all of the food is targeted toward those who follow a traditionally Western diet. Add in the unclear or misleading food labels to cross contamination with gloves, and one can see why much of the CWRU dining hall experience may be difficult for those with restrictions. Take the Fribley dining hall, for example, although there is always a vegetarian option (often tofu) for the Chipotle-style and stir-fry section, the main rotating hot plate station’s only vegetarian option is a side vegetable, with no main protein alternative. During breakfast time, the only vegetarian option from the main hot plate are either french toast or pancakes. The quicker or late-night options are not much better. Most of the vegetarian options turn out to be some variation of bread and cheese, whether it be mozzarella sticks, cheese pizza or grilled cheese. In reality, the food served should be nourishing as much as it is filling.
When considering the accessibility to healthy food at CWRU, it is important to note that Cleveland is a food desert. This means that its residents live in low-income areas and have a lack of access to fresh produce. According to the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, more than 59% of Cleveland residents live in food deserts. Though the state of Cleveland’s food insecurity may serve as a reason for CWRU’s lack of healthy food options, it is still not an excuse. Students pay a large sum of money to attend CWRU and, by doing so, invest into CWRU. CWRU should return this investment by providing more nutritious options that support students’ energy, mood and immune health.
Still, progress is being made, both at the campus level and the city level. On campus, CWRU’s catering through the Bon Appétit Management Company focuses on getting fresh produce locally. Bon Appétit’s policies require at least 20% of the purchases be compliant with the Farm To Fork program. The program requires that items be grown within 150 miles of where they are served, thus limiting the amount of processed and packaged foods. CWRU also has its own University Farm where fresh produce is grown and served for on-campus dining or sold at pop-up farm stands. At the city and state level, House Bill 543, also known as the Food Desert Elimination Grant Program, has been passed by the Cleveland City Council and is currently before the house committee. Oftentimes, stocking fresh produce is a business risk for smaller establishments, leading to a lack of access for residents. The bill aims to mitigate food deserts by directly providing small store owners with fresh produce.
That being said, there is still much to improve. Implementing more produce into CWRU dining benefits everyone, not just those with dietary restrictions. It facilitates healthier lifestyles for everyone while also supporting local farms. So, as your parents probably told you growing up: “Eat your vegetables!”
