SEO: Nutrition at the University of Maryland

Students yearn for healthier alternatives at on-campus dining

venues
Terps discuss nutritional incentives offered by UMD services

Katherine Calabrese, a sophomore psychology major at the University

of Maryland, sat in shock after taking a bite of her apple from the North
Campus Diner to find the pit covered in mold, rotting the apple from the
inside out.
It really made me question the quality of the food that UMD serves to
its students, Calabrese said.
Other students agreed, believing that there are numerous ways the
university could improve the nutritional value of the food at on-campus
venues and provide incentives for students to make healthier lifestyle
choices.
University officials address concerns about nutritionally beneficial food
on campus and take into account a variety of other aspects as well; however,
students argue that officials need to step up their game. The greatest
increases in obesity occur during the transition from adolescence to
independent lifestyles people experience when first attending college,
according to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.
Additions made on campus
In the past couple decades additions have been made to campus to
address this concern, including the weekly farmers market 11 a.m. every

Wednesday in front of Cole Fieldhouse, the Food Co-op located in the

basement of Stamp and the Green Tidings food truck.
The Green Tidings food truck first came to campus in 2013 by chef
William Rogers in hopes to provide healthy alternatives to the College Park
community.
Many students favor the worker-owned Co-op for healthy alternatives
as well. The Co-op purchases its produce from local farms to provide fresh
food on campus and to support local economic growth and sustainability,
worker and recent graduate, Stephen Leas.
Erin Balkam, sophomore dietetics major, eats the majority of her oncampus meals at the co-op and beams about the TLT sandwich. Balkam
believes that the student union should offer healthier selections in the food
Food Co-op worker Stephen Leas enjoys
working at the worker-owned venue
and providing students with healthy
and organic alternatives.
Photo by Emilie Berman

court as well.
Panda Express, McDonalds, and Taco Bell all
contain many additives in their food which does not

support college students who should be fueling themselves with food to keep
them healthy for their best performances, said
Balkam.

Needed improvements in the dining halls

Sophomore public health major, Hyunjae Kim
also presented her concerns about dining at the on-campus dining halls.

The diner does a good job of showing what is good for you, but
doesnt discuss the negative consequences of bad food as much as it could,
Junior Hyunjae Kim eats at all-youcan-eat buffet-style dining hall,
251, in hopes of adding some
variety to her weekly diet.

Kim said.
Students readily hear the term freshman

Photo taken by Emilie Berman.

15 and fear the weight gain that is associated the college experience. Kim
believes that with the help of dining services and other campus
organizations, however, the university can continue to offer nutritionally
sound alternatives for students and can promote healthy lifestyle choices.

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