The University Record, October 15, 1997
Eat smart. M-Smart, that is
By Tiffany Matthews
News and Information Services
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Residence halls began serving M-Smart foods with an eye to increasing nutrition and lowering calorie and fat content. On the M-Smart menu last week in the Betsey Barbour dining area were chicken quesadillas and manicotti. Photo by Rebecca A. Doyle |
The 10,000 students living in residence halls now have an even wider range of healthy cafeteria foods from which to choose. A new M-Smart Healthy Dining program is available to U-M students, faculty, and staff.
University Housing’s Residence Hall Dining Services developed the program as part of its commitment to serving students’ health needs by providing more nutritional food items. The foods are marked with the M-Smart logo.
Faculty and staff can eat in cafeterias by purchasing a meal ticket at residence hall front desks.
In addition, all recipes and menus have been analyzed and improved to guarantee that healthy choices remain available to students. According to Jean Casey, director of dining services, “The M-Smart logo indicates a special criteria for the extra nutri ents that our college-age population requires, specifically for protein, vitamin and mineral content.”
Some students, such as athletes, want the more calorie-intense cheeseburger, deep-fried chicken nuggets and pizza. Those choices remain available. However, the M-Smart foods provide a lighter alternative that is requested by an increasing number of health-conscious students.
Paula Herzog, nutrition specialist and registered dietitian for dining services, says, “We are especially proud that our health insignia, M-Smart, means ‘nutrient intense’ as well as ‘low calorie and low fat.'”
A dining services nutritionist is regularly available in the residence halls to answer questions and to offer healthy dietary suggestions.
For more information about M-Smart, contact Herzog, 764-1152.
