tonight Matt and I ventured out to the Davis Dining Commons – the very same one I frequented as a college freshman oh so many years ago! Dang was it GOOD. I’m so impressed at how they integrate healthy options (quinoa burgers) and sustainability (Getting most of thier produce from the local campus growers). I wrote about it for Davis Life Magazine (Check me out on Monday in “mindful moments”!) but thought I’d share the post with you too, as it won’t be up for a couple of days on DLM.
This reminds me of how tasty the food was at Willamette Univ in Salem too. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who thought so because Rachel Ray even stopped by on her $40/day TV show back in the day. So maybe this will inspire you to seek out some uncommon dining options in your neck of the woods.
Pop quiz: Where in Davis can you get two freshly prepared dinners that include burgers on whole grain buns, customized salads, curried fish pasta, drinks and dessert of your choosing for $12 a person?
You scored an “A” if you said the Segundo Dining Commons on the UC Davis campus, and that is the very grade I’d give them too.
While dining there tonight (btw: I had the quinoa vegan burger, baked fries, salad and hot chocolate), I caught up with manager Mike Baldocchi to ask about the emphasis on health and sustainability at the DC. Simple strategies like switching to baked fries, reducing the oil usage, offering a huge salad bar with lean protein and local veggies, eliminating trays at each station (to avoid overloading the tray with food), and offering a Farmer’s Market meal every 2 weeks are just a few of the ways that the DC helps its patrons enjoy a healthy, mindful eating experience.
Most impressive were the Vegan food sections, Gluten free breads, creative dishes, such as Chicken Afritata and Tabouleh, and the colorful presentation. This is not your typical dorm food. Portions were perfectly sized (about 8 oz/plate) and you have to walk all the way to the back of the DC to grab a soda (time to question, do I really need that?).
I especially enjoyed loading up on fresh spinach, garbanzos, beets, chopped egg and turkey meat during my trip to the salad bar, and was delighted to see 8 oz coffee cups (as opposed to 12 oz or bigger!) when I treated myself to hot chocolate at the end of my meal. This place just screams balanced eating! To be sure, there are your typical DC treats – pizza, regular burgers, cakes and cookies, but it’s nicely mixed with other options. Even better, the DC get’s as much of their food as possible from local growers (even on campus) and they encourage patrons to be mindful of wasting food and napkins to support sustainability.
Oh, and most importantly the food is really good! Seriously. Go see for yourself!
Off White Living 