New healthy dining options available at bookstores

By: Anna Radinsky/Assistant News Director

 

New food products have arrived at the FIU Barnes and Noble bookstore to meet the growing demand for more fresh and healthy options at the University.

The Deliver Lean Grab GO menu features green and deli salads, sandwiches, bento boxes, fruit cups and yogurt.

Erica Garvey, the BBC Bookstore store manager, said that the motive behind introducing the new vendor in March was to bring in healthier options for students. As as a result of the new change, some customers have expressed that they noticed a difference in the quality of food being offered at the bookstore.

“One lady said to me that the food is so good and reminds her of the food she gets at Whole Foods,” Garvey said. “I told her that it [Deliver Lean] is the same company that sells to Whole Foods.”

No-meat food options, like the classic greek salad and the portobello sandwich, sell out by the end of the week because of the popularity they have with those with vegetarian diets, according to Garvey.

While the new menu offers vegetarian and vegan options, the menu is not kosher-certified, according to Garvey..

Madison Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in digital communication and media, is a vegetarian that recently cut out dairy from her diet. She has been waiting for new food to arrive at BBC for a long time.

“I don’t like anything in the food court,” said Rodriguez. “I don’t like Subway. I don’t like Moe’s. Grille Works probably doesn’t have anything for me. So I don’t even bother.”

Rodriguez lives on campus and relies on Postmates, a food delivery service, to have food delivered to her dorm. She said occasionally thinks about delivery fees as a consequence to satisfying a diet that is not catered to on campus. She recently started working at the bookstore and is enjoying the new options offered.

“I feel like this [the bookstore] is the only place where people can get food on campus,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t like to rely on any of the other stuff.”

Morgen Nudel, a senior majoring in English, believes that BBC students deserve better when it comes to food options on campus.

“People get tired of Moe’s, Grille Workers, and Subway,” Nudel said. “And obviously there’s Starbucks… but no one’s going to have Starbucks every day.”

Nudel expressed concern that the new menu options will be not be as popular because of their location.

“I feel like when people think of going to get food, nobody’s going to be like, ‘Oh, let me get a sandwich at the bookstore,’ but it’s still good that it’s there. I mean, I’ll try it,” Nudel said.

Deliver Lean exclusively delivers products to the bookstore and is not connected to other restaurants around the campus.

The new vendor will remain in the bookstore as long as student demand continues.

“Our mission is to provide the students we serve with everything they need to succeed in the school year – and that includes healthy dining options,” said Garvey in an email statement.

Anyone interested in trying out the new menu options will be able to access them at the BBC bookstore under the refrigerated Salads section. Students can also request items from the menu that are not in the bookstore.

 

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash