Hey Loyola…..

Move in weekend is in one week… OMG. We have a ton of fun things happening in dining so keep your eyes open.

Also check out our website and face book for more details. www.loyno.edu/dining

First we have a terrific promotion “FILL MY FRIDGE” that is geared to help you fill up on snacks, drinks, and cleaning supplies to get your year started off right.

Next we are selling t-shirts with most proceeds going to the Gulf Oil Spill disaster. Look for these in The Market on August 23rd – through the Fall semester.

Last but not least, La Divina Gelateria is coming to campus! YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! The will be having a grand opening with a ton of specials and festivities on August 26th. La Divina will be in the bottom of Carrollton Hall. Come get you some .

Most importantly Dining is thrilled to have you all back on campus.

Happy Eating -

Can anyone believe that it is almost May?  I sure can’t…. I have no idea where my weeks / months have gone.  Dining has had a wonderful year planning fun filled events with the students.

We have partnered with Res. Life and Mission and Ministry for our final event of the year; a tradition on Loyola’s campus we like to call Mass and Pancakes.

This year Mass and Pancakes will be on Sunday, May 2nd.  Mass will be in the St. Charles Room  at 9pm and we will host breakfast, as well as a Cinco de Mayo inspired party in the OR, directly after mass.

Expect to see a LIVE Mariachi band, pinatas, games and lots of fun.  Two students will WIN Southwest Airline vouchers valued at $250.00.

Please come wrap up the year with us and celebrate!

Get ready for Mardi Gras… hydration and energy NEEDED!

The Market is selling Guayaki Yerba Mate for ONLY $2.29 as well as a new product, Vita Coco, coconut water for $2.99.  Both products are organic and all natural and offer amazing health benefits.
Mate is 100% organic energy fueled by vitamins and nutrients with higher antioxidant levels than even green tea.  While yerba mate has been used as a base for herbal medicines in South America for centuries, the plant’s benefits and therapeutic properties have recently been verified by a number of scientific studies. The chemical components of yerba mate are similar to those found in green tea; however, yerba mate is much more nutritious.

Each infusion of yerba mate contains:
• Vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex
• Minerals: Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium,
Phosphorus, Zinc
• Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols,
Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids.

Vita Coco – Coconut Water
Did you know that coconut water has 15 times more potassium than that found in sport drinks? It’s also naturally loaded with the five key electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium and calcium. It’s what you need to stay hydrated. On a diet? No sweat! Vita Coco is also fat and cholesterol free.
Sure, you may not be a marathon runner, a football player or Tour de France winner, but your every day life is hectic enough—you should be hydrated while you live it. Go ahead, get hydrated and remember that life is a sport!

Here is a list of other things coconut water can do for you:
Helps keep the body cool and at the proper temperature.
Translation: Now when you get noticed it’s not ’cause you’re sweaty and gross.
Promotes weight loss.
Translation: You still have to cut back on the fried chicken and hit the treadmill, but we’re there for you to enhance your diet program.
Helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells and boosts poor circulation.
Translation: See, everyone needs a boost from time to time.
Regulates the function of the intestine, helping promote smoother skin.
Translation: Doing something good for your insides can make you prettier outside! But you still need to wash your face properly, exfoliate and moisturize (don’t forget the SPF).
Helps replenish your body’s fluids after exercising.
Translation:Your body needs plenty of fluids after the gym. Fluids free of barley and hops. Go figure.
Helps detoxify your body and boost your immune system.
Translation: Keeps your immune system tough. Grr. And, yells at viruses to back off. “Back off viruses!”
Helps ease stomach pains.
Translation: Calms your stomach, unlike your in-laws’ chili cook-off.

Come check out these new items today in The Market!

Come try our newest SPECIAL in Satchmo’s, a FALAFEL PITA, $4.49!

Satchmo

Falafel is a fried ball or patty of spiced field beans or chickpeas, dating back to Biblical times and originating somewhere on the Indian subcontinent. Falafel is today eaten in India as well as in Pakistan and the Middle East.

Satchmo’s Pita is dressed with red peppers, hummus, lettuce and roma tomatoes and is served with a side of Tzatziki sauce.

Dining, Pizza and Hours of Operation:

Dining Services strives to give the students, faculty and staff of Loyola University consistency and variety in food options. Last semester we designed a food operation in for Carrolton Hall. After much discussion with the dining SGA senators, as well as other focus groups, the decision was made to put a pizza concept in the space. The next step was to pick a fun and exciting local vendor. We have been in negotiation with several local restaurants but have not come to terms as yet. Our latest interest, Mellow Mushroom has decided at the eleventh hours that our space is not a fit with their concept. We are looking to alternatives and this has obviously delayed the project from opening in January.

In anticipation of a late night pizza café Dining Services decided to reduce the hours of operation for Flambeaux’s. Now, three weeks later, we are delayed and understand that dining is not meeting the needs of the students and will re-open Flambeaux’s until a relationship with a pizza vendor can be established.

Dining understands the frustration this is causing students, faculty and staff and is doing everything possible to meet the needs of everyone, as well as negotiate the best new dining operation for the campus.

with love,

Dining Services

With January past the mid-mark… I’m wondering, how many of you have kept your new year’s resolution? Now that we are all back and settled, it is time to re-focus, well at least for me, and to realize what is actually achievable.

Dining Services, due to many requests, has decided to start a new station in the Orleans Room called “Well Balanced Choice”.  This program is our departments resolution – to offer the Loyola community well balanced meals that are healthy and nutritious – as well as UNDER 500 calories per serving.  Look out for the meal because it will rotate among the many stations to offer as much variety as possible.   Changing your eating lifestyle is difficult, especially if there is no variety!

The new program will begin January 25th and as always, visit our website www.loyno.edu/dining for other tools and tips about health and wellness. This can be found by clicking the section titled “Eat Well” – Balance Mind Body and Soul.

Happy New Year -

There seems to be confusion among both Loyola and Tulane students with regards to eating on both campuses so I wanted to clearly explain the purpose of Uptown Campus Dining.

UPTOWN CAMPUS DINING is a partnership between Loyola University and Tulane University created to provide convenience to students, faculty and staff. UPTOWN CAMPUS DINING allows any person with a Loyola or Tulane ID AS WELL AS a declining balance meal plan (wolf bucks, wave bucks, pelican dollars and green bucks) the opportunity to eat on either campus thus giving variety and excitement to daily meals. UPTOWN CAMPUS DINING can be used at most locations on both campuses, but for your expediency we have listed the operations on our website at www.uptowncampusdining.com. Full menus are listed so the participant can see exactly what each university offers.  Sodexo and both universities have worked hard to design a dining program guaranteed to meet your individual needs.

Loyola students seem to be upset because this semester there is an influx of Tulane students in the Orleans Room.  Even though it is hard to understand it is VERY important that the Tulane students come to Loyola and eat in the OR and our retail areas because with out the participation of Tulane the program is not viable and will be terminated.  For some statistics… Last year 6-8000 Loyola students ate at Tulane every week, while only 50 Tulane students ate at Loyola.  To keep Uptown Campus Dining a strong program it was important to increase the number of Tulane students visiting Loyola.

This year approximately 1000 students visit Loyola weekly to eat at our facilities while about 6-8000 Loyola students visit Tulane.  The numbers still aren’t even but they are better than last year.  The universities want to work as partners and as dining services on Loyola’s campus evolves and more variety occurs, I believe the students will be happy with all the choices on both campuses. 

Lastly, this year the Orleans Room seats approximately 400 students which is an increase of 150 over last year’s capacity.  This as well as expanding hours of operation should help the diffuse the crowding of the Loyola dining areas. Dining has also created O.R. To Go, which is a program designed for Loyola students on the go who still want to use their meal swipes. Because of the crowds, we are now offering O.R. To Go in Satchmo’s. This should increase the speed and service of the program.

Many of you have requested variety in Flambeaux’s and Dining Services has heard you loud and clear.   Coming Soon ….

1. Wheat and White Buns
2. Weekly Specials (Meatball Po’boys, Chicken Patty, Italian Sausage) just to name a few…
3. Mozzarella Sticks and other nightly specials

It is most important to serve you consistently and in the shortest amount of time.  We understand the need for variety and there are many ideas that will be implemented in January 2010.

Thank you ALL for your continued comments and suggestions.  With out you we would not be here!

Caitlin

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately regarding the baked potatoes in Satchmo’s. Well we are bringing them back, so look for them daily downstairs in Satchmo’s. We are working hard every day to plan and adapt for the new likes and dislikes of campus dining. We have dedicated space on our Web site to keep you updated, and this blog will allow us an even more efficient way to share information as we know it.

All the best,
Caitlin