Nelson Dining Hall, located centrally on the University of Denver’s

(DU) campus, feeds hundreds of students

each day.

Serving hot and prepared meals that are provided

by Sodexo, students have a variety of eating

options, but not all of them are healthy.

Sodexo, DU’s food provider, has recently made strides in their food sourcing and dining options, even signing the “Real Food Challenge”, which shows Sodexo and DU’s commitment to more sustainable and

healthy food options on campus.

According to the Real Food

Challenge, “real food” is food that

nourishes producers, consumers,

communities and the earth.

DU and Sodexo’s goal is to provide

12% “real food” on campus by the end

of 2016.

Nagel Dining Hall, another location for DU students to eat on campus, opened a

new dining option for students in 2015.

“Simple Servings” is the first of its kind on DU’s

campus, focusing on serving healthy meals and meals that can be eaten by students with allergies or

intolerances.

“Salsa Rico”, which is located next to “Simple Servings”, is the most frequented food station in Nagel Dining Hall.

Cases of baked goods and sugary treats line the wall opposite of “Simple Servings” in Nagel Dining Hall, tantalizing student’s

taste buds.

Walking through DU’s campus,

students can find advertisements for unhealthy treats and sweets, but it

is nearly impossible to find a piece of fresh fruit on campus.

“The C-Stores are much less healthy than the dining halls. In the dining halls, for the most part, things are house-made. But in the C-

Stores, everything is packaged,” said DU freshman Ali Brehm.

C-Stores, or campus convenience stores, only sell packaged food and unhealthy snacks, making it difficult for students to make healthy

choices when they are on the go.

According to an article written by NBC News in

2007, 95% of college-aged men and 70% of college-aged

women consume too much sodium, which is attributed

to high consumption of processed foods.

At one of DU’s two C-Store locations, chips and

processed food line the walls, limiting the choices

students have if they want to find something to eat that’s

healthy.

The most popular breakfast station and breakfast food option in Nelson Dining Hall, the “Omelet Bar”, gives students a healthier

alternative to processed cereals and syrupy pancakes.

In Nelson Dining Hall, Denver students have access to sugary cereals at any hour of the day, which serves as an unhealthy, yet go to snack

for many.

A DU student considered this plate to be his “balanced meal of the day”, which included French fries with a side of salad.

During lunch hours at Nelson Dining Hall, the salad bar is a common option for many students, but foods like pizza and mac and cheese are

never far.

“I think that things have been changing and that we are on the right course of action in regards to food in our dining halls, but I also think there could be additional venues added that provide very

healthy options for our students,” said DU senior Jaser Alsharhan.

Recently, Sodexo has been trying to increase healthy eating options, stating that they are “dedicated to preparing food you [DU students] can feel good

about.”

“I just wish I could run into a dining hall or a C-Store at any time of the day and grab a piece of fruit. That’s really

all I want,” said DU junior Amanda Kriss.