Centralight

"In my house, we always drink milk with our meals, and I always make a vegetable," she says. "Eating together provides the opportunity to make healthy choices. At home you're in complete control." In fact, a study published in the Archives of Family Medicine found that family dinners were associated with healthful dietary intake patterns, including more fruits and vegetables, less fried food and soda, less saturated and trans fat, and more fi ber. Most says the key for nutritious family togetherness is to have a schedule for meals and plan ahead. "In general, families who don't eat meals together tend to be more snacking grazers," she says. "When you're in a hurry, you're really not thinking about eating healthy." When Most visits the CMU residential restaurants, she notices groups of friends arriving together. And she says students who live off -campus sometimes plan family-style meals with their roommates. "It's a good thing to hear them say maybe we should plan more meals together," Most says. • Ken Cherry, a marketing and hospitality services administration faculty member, dines with students in one of today's residential restaurants. Students who eat in today's residential restaurants enjoy the benefi ts of a greater emphasis on hospitality than their predecessors saw – all in the name of providing an inviting, comfortable dining atmosphere. Dining then and now Modern Campus Dining facilities feature intimate lighting, cozy seating areas and an ambiance focused on diners' comfort. Monthly "spirit lifter" celebrations for birthdays and special themed dinners all add to the family feel. "Making the atmosphere inviting means the students slow down, relax and make good food choices," says Brenda Marquardt, director of residential dining. "They need to have quality nourishment, and it couldn't be easier for students to make healthy, nutritious choices today." Colorful icons identify options such as "under 500 calories," "low carb" and "vegetarian." Online menus off er detailed nutritional information, and nutrition kiosks are located at the entrances of the restaurants. Ron Souva, '89, washed dishes and served food for two years as a student in the 1980s. He's now food service director at the Real Food on Campus location inside Carey Hall. Above, students get bread and butter in a CMU dining hall in 1976. At right, "Everything has changed so much since I was a student here," he says. "It was more institutionalized then. You went in, grabbed your food and ate as fast as you could. There was one line and two entree choices, and everyone waited in the same line. Now the choices are just mind-blowing." Souva says Generation Y students take into account the entire dining experience – food quality, knowledge of staff , menu variety, hours and customer service – and Campus Dining relies on survey results and student suggestions when designing facilities or making changes. "We want CMU to have the best living experience possible in order to attract prospective students and retain our current students," Souva says. "Our restaurants are not only for eating but also are a fun place to socialize." And the welcoming atmosphere works. Residence hall staff conduct fl oor meetings, faculty join students for lunch, and groups of friends fi nd each other regularly in the same section. "It's kind of like going to your favorite restaurant and getting your favorite table," Souva says. "By creating such environments and pairing them with our delicious and nutritious food, our restaurants are destination places for our campus community." • centralight spring '10 15

• Cover