What do a state-of-the-art exercise facility, healthful meal options in dining halls, and classes dedicated to smart eating habits say about a university? They say its students truly care about making the right decisions when it comes to health and wellness, and while Boston University goes to great lengths to ensure its students stay healthy, one basic issue remains ignored. When it comes to the food in the vending machines around campus, the university falls short in providing nutritious options and instead offers junk food that will do nothing beneficial for students’ brain function – or waistlines.
With final exams right around the corner, students may find themselves spending long hours in university buildings writing papers, reading articles, working on group projects and studying. When all of this hard work eventually leads to hunger pangs, students should have access to healthful snacks that will satisfy their hunger and fuel their minds. With BU’s current vending machine options, if students want to grab a quick snack right down the hall, they have no choice but to invite a sugar-high quickly followed by a brain crash, which is certainly not optimal for a study session.
In 2004, the Sargent Choice Nutrition Center at BU’s Sargent College took the first steps toward bringing more campus awareness to the importance of nutrition by introducing its signature whole grain peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe to a group of faculty and staff. Then, in 2005, the center teamed up with BU Dining Services to revamp the eating habits of all BU students with the goals of creating a healthier community and making smart eating on campus easy and accessible. The center now hosts events in the dining halls, offers recipes on its website and ensures its labeled products are in all of BU’s dining locations. So with such a strong presence on campus, why does the center overlook the fact that vending machines loaded with fat, sugar and artificial flavors still plague BU’s academic buildings?
As a BU student dedicated to a healthy lifestyle, I am constantly educating myself about nutrition and paying close attention to every bit of food I put into my body. I regularly read books and articles about nutrition, and I have gradually turned eating well into a favorite pastime. Needless to say, I was disappointed last week when I forgot to bring my own snack to a study session in one of BU’s academic buildings. Feeling desperately in need of sustenance, I decided to take a peek at the vending machine options and came face-to-face with a health-nut’s worst nightmare: a festival of high fructose corn syrup and other unrecognizable ingredients that have no place in an academic building where students must be at the top of their game. The only snack that resembled a healthy option was a trail mix, but with added sugars, salt, oil and preservatives, it could hardly be called brain food.
We all know junk food can lead to weight gain, heart disease and high cholesterol—and often times, it does not even satiate our appetite—but when hunger strikes and the oh-so-humiliating stomach-grumbles echo through the silent lecture halls, even students dedicated to health may be forced to settle on a sugary snack due to a lack of alternatives. Bringing a snack from home is always a safe way to avoid the temptation of junk food, but it is sometimes not feasible when you are late to class or have to go several hours without returning to your apartment, dorm or dining hall. If BU is willing to offer healthier alternatives in other locations around campus, it should not neglect perhaps the most important place for nutritious foods – the place where students need enough energy to diligently take notes, listen to others and effectively communicate their own thoughts, sometimes simultaneously.
To fuel BU’s hardworking students and keep the campus healthy, some of the candy, pastries and chips should be replaced with healthier options, such as raw nuts or whole grain crackers without any added sugars or salt. Even better, BU could consider investing in the refrigerated vending machines that are now popping up in offices and schools across the country, designed to dispense whole bananas, freshly chopped fruits, sliced vegetables, low-fat yogurt and string cheese. Then, students who want something sweet, savory or high in protein can satisfy their hunger with nutritious options that are right at their fingertips and will not be forced to take a break from their efforts to eat well.
As a top university, it is important for BU to keep up with new trends and technology, and “old school” vending machines with no healthful options is simply outdated. I’m not arguing BU’s campus should eliminate every last bit of junk food from its vending machines – we all need the occasional chocolate fix. I respect the choice of those who would still rather reach for the more “ooey-gooey” snacking option, but there should always be a nutritious alternative for those who are dedicated to keeping their healthy lifestyle on track. As finals creep closer and we all start to feel run down, it is important to remember that healthful foods lead to healthy students, and healthy students are happy students.
Molly Chase is a junior in COM. This post was originally titled, “Some (Healthful) Food For Thought: A Smart Campus Deserves Smarter Snacking.”
