When undergraduate dining halls reopen Saturday, Aug. 25, students will see more than just new meal options on the menu. Now, as part of a new initiative from Bon Appétit Management Co., each item served will feature a “Well-Being Indicator” to show its nutritional benefits.
The Well-Being Indicator is part of Bon Appétit’s new Enhanced Nutrition Information program. Listed on the menu will be an arrow that ranges from completely empty to fully colored, based on the food’s nutritional content.
Each week, chefs will evaluate menu items using a set of criteria developed by registered dieticians and then assign ratings to the dishes. Menu items composed of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins—such as Orange-Glazed Tofu and Peppers with Quinoa Water Chestnut Salad—will have a fuller arrow next to them on the menu. Those high in sugars, sodium and saturated fats—such as the Antipasto Pizza—will have a less full (or even empty) arrow.
“The new Well-Being Indicator, along with previous initiatives such as posting of caloric content information, underscore Bon Appétit and CWRU’s mutual commitment to providing healthy choices for students and the overall campus community,” said Dick Jamieson, vice president of campus services.
The Well-Being Indicator will appear on the menu signage at each station in the dining halls and will be available via the online menus at cafebonappetit.com/case or on the digital signage menus in the dining halls. The menus in the dining halls will feature QR codes for students to learn full nutritional details.
“Nutrition facts labeling has been around for many years, yet the labels are often misinterpreted and there is still an obesity epidemic in this country,” said Jim O’Brien, Bon Appétit’s resident district manager. “The new indicator will provide our students and customers with the tools they need to make healthy choices, while giving our chefs the creative freedom to offer an exciting variety of food made from scratch.”
Bon Appétit at Case Western Reserve is known for its commitment to fresh, healthy dining options. Just last year, Leutner Commons was named the best residential dining concept by the National Association of College and University Food Services. In the awards, judges were impressed by the management company’s commitment to nutrition and wellness, especially its Farm to Fork program that serves fresh, sustainable fare.
Case Western Reserve University is one of two universities in the country piloting the Well-being Indicator, as Duke University also launches its program this week. Bon Appétit leadership selected CWRU as a pilot program because of their confidence in the team’s abilities, O’Brien said.
The indicator will appear in campus retail cafes such as Biomedical Research Building Café and Tomlinson Marketplace later this fall. For more information, visit cafebonappetit.com/well-being-case.