Sprouting up on campus are new buildings, and in those buildings are a new variety of dining places for students, faculty and visitors to enjoy.
When the new Student Center on campus opened in August 2008, students got the opportunity to experience new food on campus. The Village Dining Hall that opened this fall offers even more variety.
Auburn offers 23 places for students to get coffee, meals or hang out and meet with friends.
"I think it's social because of all the tables, but it's always crowded even if people aren't eating,"said Emily Westerhouse, sophomore in pre-nursing.
The new dining places around campus called for a new dining plan for students. The plan, innacted in fall 2008, requires students to purchase meal plans. On campus students pay $1,000 per semester, and off campus
students pay $300.
"For me personally, I don't enjoy having to pay for it because I live off campus, so it's a waste of money," said Lauren Wilson, sophomore in communication disorders. "But for some people, especially the ones living on campus, it's probably nice to have."
The planning committee for the new dining venues and meal plan wanted to give students a voice in the matter.
"We wanted to be able to provide students with the facilities they asked for," said David Robinson, head of Auxiliarty Services.
One of the main focuses with the new restaurants offered is nutritional value of the food, per request of the students.
Signs outside the restaurants in the Village Dining Hall inform students the meals they serve are less than 500 calories or come with a serving of vegetables.
"I usually eat in The Village at the salad bar or sandwich bar," said Katherine Llyod, senior in nutrition science, "One of the biggest reasons is because I don't like a lot foods high in fat. I choose them because of the nutritional value."
The nutritional value of the food attracts other students also.
"I think we're finally offering a bunch of food with nutritional
value,"Llyod said. "We are making an effort, but you can't prevent people from eating what they want."
Although AU Salads and Rye of the Tiger offer the healthy foods students asked for, other restaurants tempt students with other less healthy alternatives.
"Most of the new stuff seems to be pretty good for you," Wilson said.
"They have some flatbread sandwiches and the salad bar, but they have some unhealthy things like huge pieces of greasy pizza."
From a nutrition standpoint, Lloyd said a lot of places spike blood sugar and you will be hungry in a few hours. These foods include potatoes and breads.
"We offer too many of those things on campus, but as a whole the United States does also,"Lloyd said.
Westerhouse lived on campus last year and had the $1,000 meal plan.
"I gained weight last year with all that money, and this year I'm regular with my weight," Westerhouse said. "Even if you got to The Village, they give you big portions and you get fried chicken at Chick-fil-A, and the Chef's table is home cooked with a lot of butter."
Auburn is making an effort to get healthier foods on campus. The school will continue to provide students with more options as dining places open in Foy Center.
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