When I was first told by my suitemates that all of the Chobani was gone, I did not believe them. I thought that it was some joke that they decided to make. Little did I know that they were far from joking. When I entered the Lower dining hall (Corcoran Commons), I was faced with the utmost horror.
Where did all the Chobani go?!?!?!?!?!?
There had been no email. There was no letter. Nothing.
It was just gone.
Where was I going to get the protein that supplied my breakfast and my lunch? What was going to go with my banana and my cereal? What was going to keep me happy and satisfied?
I was at a loss. In place of the Chobani and the Yoplait (which is another travesty), the dining hall had provided a yogurt bar consisting of plain Greek yogurt and another yogurt (which is lumpy and pink if you’re wondering). Honey, brown sugar, coconut, and other accoutrements were placed alongside to compensate for the many Chobani flavors now lost. Fresh fruit was available to be added in replacement of the fruit-flavored Chobani and Yoplait yogurts.
While for many people not on the meal plan, this was not a problem. Chobani and Yoplait can be purchased using Dining Dollars, Eagle Bucks, or regular money at the new convenience stores located in a few locations on campus. However, for those people on the Meal Plan, the situation is a lot harder. The Meal Plan needs to be spent on items available in the dining hall; otherwise, the remaining money will just be taken by BC. Leftover Eagle Bucks are also forfeited ro Boston College. The difference is that students add those on when they run out, and a student is not required to buy them. However, Dining Dollars are 100% refunded if they are over $5.00 at the end of your senior year. Dining Dollars can be used in the dining hall, but they can be used for the vending machines and the new “On-the-Fly” markets. While they are required to be purchased if you have to live on the meal plan, their eventual return makes it less of a problem.
For students like me, who live in a suite, a meal plan is a requirement, even if the student wishes to decline it. While this was not a problem in the past, the loss of key foods in the dining hall has made it an issue. Living on the dining plan is less of a convenience and more of a problem.
The entire refrigerator full of vegan food is gone with no replacement. The containers of fruit, of sliced apples, and of carrots and celery are gone in favor of the fruit and salad bars. Certain cereals (like most of the Kashi) have been eliminated, and the prepackaged cereals have been replaced with dispensers. Containers of peanut butter, jars of jelly, and the loaves of bread are gone with no replacement. Honest Tea has even been switched for Gold Peak Tea.
While it may cut the budget for the dining hall, it is actually hurting the health of students. Instead of grabbing veggies, students are stuck with chips. Instead of a PB and J sandwich, they are stuck with a heavy, high calorie sandwich from the dining hall. Instead of a Chobani or Yoplait, they now have to take an unhealthy parfait.
For students, who are trying to lose weight, this is a problem. By eliminating choices for the student on the go, it is actually harming students. With the nation’s obesity rate getting higher and higher, BC should be more concerned with their student’s health. With Chobani and Yoplait, there was at least portion control. You knew what ingredients were in the yogurts, and you knew how many calories that you were consuming. With the yogurt bar, you have absolutely no idea.
While I know that I may seem like a student with a chip on her shoulder and a lot of repressed anger and aggravation, all I am asking is a simple return to the way things were. I like the Boston College Dining halls. The people are really nice, and I happen to be friends with some of them. As it is, I’m writing this article currently in the Rat (Lyons Dining Hall) drinking coffee. I am grateful for what I have, but what I am asking for is a simple request, to bring back what is now lost.
I am not the only one, who seems to want this. I have talked to other students on the meal plan, and they have the same sentiments. I have read articles in The Heights and the BC Observer, and they have commented on the situation. None of the students seem particularly happy.
There are several different ways the situation could be remedied. The yogurt bar could remain, and Chobani and Yoplait yogurts brought back as an addition. The cereal dispensers and packages of cereal could be available in conjunction with each other. Many of the changes made in the dining hall can remain as long as they are tempered with the items needed by the students.
While I know that this article probably will not change anything, I hope to at least reach out to my fellow students and let them know they are not alone in their dissatisfaction. Until the food is returned, all we can do is wait and hope that the nearby grocery stores continue to carry the foods that we always crave.
Sources:
http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/offices/dining/mealplan/residential.html
http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/offices/id/customer_faq.html
Images:
http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/offices/dining/siteconfig/jcr:content/leftn…
http://www.shespeaks.com/pages/img/review/winit0625_chobani_061720102150…
http://moneysavingmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/honest-tea.jpg