Does your stomach churn after eating that unsure hotdog at D-hall? If you answered yes, then you’re a part of a large portion of the student body that feels the exact same way. Recently, however, Dorrill Dining Hall at Longwood University has been stepping up their game. I’ve noticed the quality of the food has improved as well as the cleanliness of the cafeteria.
Now, on the drink machines and around the food stations I’ve noticed there have been signs listing the number of calories that are in the foods we are consuming. For example, the sandwich station now has a sign next to it which shows all the different types of meats, cheeses, and veggies you can get on a sandwich and next to these are the number of calories in each item.
This shows that D-hall is starting to care about our dietary health as well as noticing that we students do care about the food we put in our bodies. D-hall has also added a variety of new items to the menu that have caught many students’ eyes and as well as their stomachs.
Now there are waters diffused with different types of fruit that are very popular, but also the new desserts that D-hall have been dishing out are getting lots of attention. These fancy decadent desserts have been hitting a home run with students. Not only do they taste great but look great.
D-hall has also put plastic containers around their pre-made bake goods to protect them throughout the day. In the past, these desserts have looked unappetizing and had the potential to find an unwanted hair on your dessert due to the prior lack of protection of these baked goods.
These changes in our dining experience could have been impacted by the survey sent out to the parents of Longwood students sent on Feb. 23, 2017 from Ashley Jones, Dining marketing assistant here on campus. Jones was inquiring about the quality of our dining hall; while these changes are small, at least they are steps in the right direction.
The changes that D-hall has been making are evidence they are trying to step up their game. I think these changes have made eating in D-hall a more pleasurable dining experience as well as a heathier one too.