Manasa Mahesh’27, Ahana Saluja’29
Did you notice a change in the dining hall this week? The usual aesthetic has been transformed into a carnival galore: the walls were decked out in red and white, balloons filled the space, and to top it all off, there was carnival-themed food, such as churros and fried pickles.
This fun event has been one of the many changes made to the dining hall and FLIK food since last year. In addition to hosting fun events for national days, like National Apple Day at the beginning of the year, FLIK has made changes to both the food and the layout of the dining hall.
One of the biggest changes was swapping the panini machine and the salad bar during lunch. The salad bar is now located in the small dining hall, adjacent to the stir-fry bar. The stir-fry bar, which offers a different option every lunch, is also transformed into unique food experiences, such as a nacho bar or an empanada tasting.
The panini machine is now open during lunch at the front of the dining room, next to the dessert of the day. The fillings for the paninis are placed in the old salad bar area, across from the pasta bar. Another change FLIK has implemented this year is a new pre-made pasta option, available alongside the plain pasta and red sauce.
Many of these changes have been beneficial, allowing students and faculty to have more choices in their meals. However, one thing still missing is a greater variety of options for students and faculty who do not eat meat.
For us, the changes have not been as beneficial, as consistently getting enough protein remains a challenge. We have found that FLIK struggles to offer a variety of vegetarian options. Sometimes, vegetarian meals are simply sides to the main meat dish and do not include protein. Other times, the main vegetarian dish is extremely repetitive and very similar throughout the week, while the meat dishes change regularly.
Tofu, a key source of protein and a common food for vegetarians, could be prepared better and served more frequently in the dining hall. There are many different ways tofu can be prepared, and it could also be offered more widely — for example, at the salad bar alongside the chicken. Having more tofu would allow vegetarians to enjoy greater variety in their diet, as we often find ourselves eating pizza and pasta for lunch and dinner, foods that offer little nutritional value beyond carbs. Even at the salad bar, there are no protein options.
And… this is why we have decided to launch the long-awaited Tofu Club. This club is open to anyone and everyone, regardless of their current interest in tofu. The main goal of this club is to raise awareness about tofu and, more broadly, vegetarian food. The Tofu Club also plans to work closely with FLIK to advocate for better vegetarian options — like tofu!
We greatly appreciate the FLIK staff and their efforts, and we hope to work with them to make the food even better.