Editor's note: This article was edited after a miscommunication between the contributing writer and The Collegian editors lead to improper accreditation.
After returning from Sydney, Australia, a city known for its nutritious foods and emphasis on clean eating, University of Richmond junior Sam O’Leary said she had found herself wanting to eat off campus more.
O’Leary said she had become accustomed to the fresh food that Sydney had to offer, and Richmond's campus didn’t offer the same healthy benefits.
“Wherever you went you could always get fluffy eggs, avocado toast and some type of smoothie.” O’Leary said. “I rarely eat at D-hall, I eat mostly at Lou’s because it’s the healthiest option on campus.”
O’Leary, who lives off-campus this semester, said she felt little need to stay on campus because there had not been many healthy eating choices.
In contrast, Mike Walrath, a Board of Trustee member and University of Richmond alum, said in an email that he thought the university had been, quite possibly, offering one of the best food programs in the nation.
Walrath’s wife, Michelle, owns a café called Organic Krush, located in New York. The café, which serves 100 percent organic food and juices, opened in 2015.
“Michelle and I are huge believers that the foundation for healthy living is what we put into our bodies,” Walrath said. “We have made it a huge part of our mission to help inform our communities about healthy living choices.”
Karen Hensley, a registered dietitian who works for UR, said that most food stations at the Heilman Dining Center offered healthy options.
The Latin bar offers chicken, a vegan option and a bean option, Hensley said.
Hensley said the dining-hall staff does take the students' comments and suggestions from the text-and-tells.
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This fall, the dining hall will bring some new changes, and students will see new ways the food is being cooked, Hensley said. Hensley said that UR was working on healthier options and more ways to inform students about nutrition.
“It is a choice to eat healthy or not, so we have both,” Hensley said.
Contact contributor Kate Breed at kate.breed@richmond.edu.
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