Written by: Regina Tran
The cafeteria will be adding various new lunch options such as barbeque items, sushi, Teriyaki Chicken Bowls and noodles to their menu this semester. According to Student Nutrition Services Field Supervisor Veronica Arias, these new additions will be prepared fresh with organic ingredients. “Now we are looking into what we can prepare fresh, and [students] love it. [Students] say that now they are going out with the best food ever,” Arias said.
Teriyaki Chicken Bowls have been offered at the cafeteria twice in March and due to the popularity of the item, the cafeteria is planning to make it a permanent option on the menu on Mondays. The bowls will consist of organic chicken breast with teriyaki sauce, broccoli, onions, tofu, red, green, and yellow peppers and a choice of brown or fried rice.
According to Nutrition Services Director Alva Spence, the cafeteria is also thinking of implementing a barbeque-style format on Fridays. There will be a variety of items available such as Honey BBQ chicken breast, chicken skewers with vegetables, pineapple and brown rice and hamburgers with either regular or sweet potato fries. They will also be offering Spicy Black Bean Patties for those who are Vegetarians.
The food will also be cooked fresh on a grill outside the cafeteria to attract students. “We wanted to tackle two things that have been asked for with this new format-cooking from scratch for students so that the entrees are freshly prepared and the ability for students to see, and smell the products cooking,” Spence said.
In April students will be able to purchase noodles such as Pho, Vietnamese noodles, along with sushi as well. “We will be preparing the sushi in house with the Student Nutrition Services crew preparing,” Spence said. “We already have the rice cookers in place and Nori sheets and ingredients are arriving this week for us to practice this week.”