Nutritionist cooks up healthy Dining

For students concerned about the nutritional value of food at Dining Services, rest assured -- nutritionist Marion Birdsall has undertaken a barrage of efforts to improve the nutritional content and variety of meals on campus. Since she was appointed last March, Birdsall has been responsible for updating the nutritional breakdown of the thousands of food items offered in University dining halls. Throughout the semester, Birdsall has hosted weekly "Nutrition Corner" discussions at different dining halls, during which students can pick up brochures about nutrition needs and talk with Birdsall about their nutritional concerns. Focusing on issues such as weight fluctuation and vegetarian and sports nutrition, Birdsall has made it her goal to inform students about the food Dining Services offers them. "Nutrition is really important because so many students eat in the dining halls on campus," she said. "We should do everything we can to make food fun and delicious, but still nutritious." In an effort to offer healthier food this year, Birdsall said the dining halls now offer more fish entrees and have expanded their vegetarian selections. Low-fat desserts and prepared salads are also available, although they are not currently labeled as low-fat. "We need to focus on making students more aware of these choices," she explained. "Many students think that all of our desserts are fairly high in fat." Birdsall is available for personal consultations and has met with many students to offer nutritional guidance. "Although I do not work in a medical setting, I have met with some students who have had minor eating disorders," she said. "If they are having serious problems, I usually refer them to health services that can offer medical and psychological guidance." Birdsall hopes to put more emphasis on nutrition for kosher meals offered through Hillel's dining service this year. "It is our philosophy to meet the needs of all students by offering kosher and ethnic foods, but some of these foods are less nutritious than others," she explained. Birdsall will also begin work on updating the menu of foods prepared at the University's dining halls. "I will advocate the continued addition of a variety of nutritious food items, but there are many factors to be considered, including staffing, costs and equipment," she said. In addition to menus posted at the various dining halls that list the caloric and fat content of prepared meals, Birdsall has posted "Healthy Samples" sheets. "These list examples of combinations of healthy foods that students can prepare," she said. "The selections give students ideas of what constitutes a fairly balanced meal, given their targeted caloric intake." Engineering and Wharton sophomore Michael Bressler said he thinks it is possible to eat a nutritious meal at the dining halls. "There are plenty of foods offered for health-conscious individuals," he said. "But many students aren't very aware of their choices."