UMD's Very Own Sweet Pea - Did you know UMD offeres a Sustainability Certificate??

Dedication to getting the word out about UMD's Sustainability Certificate!

ADORABLE :)

Earlier this month UMD celebrated Food Day with tours, talks by those who work on the UMD farm and best of all veggies served at the dining locations grown at the farm. It's a great time to mention another way departments at UMD are working to broaden our opportunities for education around our food and food systems.  You may know that UMD offers both undergraduate and masters degrees in sustainability, but are you aware that Continuing Education offers a go at your own pace five-module  Sustainable Food Systems Certificate. Click here to check it out the details!

By the way...  - The UMD farm veggies served on UMD's Food Day were fantastic!
The corn was so tasty it needed no butter or seasoning!
Thanks SAP!

Sushi Mondays! WOO HOO!

If you haven't been up in the food court on a Monday for lunch... I highly recommend swinging on by with an appetite for Sushi.

Zen Roll

The ZEN HOUSE steps in and takes over the DAILY SPECIAL and makes sushi on site here at UMD right in front of you at the Daily Special.


The menu last Monday...
California roll
-Crab Surimi, avocado and cucumber

Zen Roll
-smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado

NOT A SUSHI FAN! They have you covered!
Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl
(Soy sauce has gluten for those who need to be aware of that)

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

This is brand new yet they already have visions to evolve and expand. Tom, UMD.s Executive Chef, says that there are plans in a few months to have sushi in the Grab and Go on additional days. For now, we have Mondays to look forward to. Keep an eye out for new things to come as this delicious collaboration gets under way.  

A great tasting, exciting and welcome addition!

California Roll

Daily Special in sushi making action

May Food Trends Survey – Surprising Insights.

If you were part of the UMD Health Services UMD Food Trend Survey last May you may recall that there was a question collecting details on vegetarian eating at UMD.

Here is how the percentages broke down for the 818 who took the survey
Six percent of those who responded said they would consider themselves a vegetarian

We broke that down even further to have a more detailed understanding

OF the 6% (46 respondents)
Flexitarain – 34 %  (usually eat veg but occasionally have meat)
Lacto-ovo -  28 %  (will eat eggs and dairy)
Pescatarian  - 21 %  (no animal eat, will eat fish)
Vegan – 6 %  (No meat fish eggs or dairy)
Pollo  - 4 %  (will eat poultry and some fish)
Ovo – 2 %  (include eggs no dairy)
Raw – 2 %  (eat unprocessed foods and all foods not cooked over 115 degrees)

We had zero responses saying they were lacto vegetarians, (those that eat dairy and no eggs) and zero on the macrobiotic diet (consists of grains, fruits, veg. no meat and some fish)

What was surprising you might be asking.
For me it was looking at the numbers above alongside the numbers of people with food sensitivities and allergies.

Almost 17% (128 respondents) said they have a food sensitivity or allergy.

On a VERY quick and not complete count of those with food sensitivities 51 people said they have a dairy allergy or sensitivity.  That is 5 more people than are vegetarian of any type.  It is worth mentioning that there may be some overlap of those with dairy sensitivity and those who classify themselves as vegetarians; however it does not necessary follow to be the case. There are many who do not eat dairy due to an allergy or sensitivity who do not consider themselves a vegetarian. They just don’t eat diary due to a physical reaction.

Dairy and gluten were the most common allergen or sensitivity that I saw mentioned on the list . Again, in a quick look, 28 people say they have an allergy or sensitivity to gluten/wheat. 

This was eye opening data for me for sure. I expected the numbers of vegetarian and the numbers with food sensitivities and allergies to have much less of a gap in percentages. I actually thought the vegetarian numbers would be higher than they were. In my experience of working with many who have a food allergy or sensitivity there is the feeling that pretty much anywhere we go it seems easier to find vegetarian options labeled and available, than it is to find foods or find out what is in food so we can avoid the options that make us sick or threaten our lives. Thank goodness this is something that is changing all over.

Judy Breuer