Big Changes in Food Services

I’ve been hearing a lot about FOOD lately!  And I’ve been pleased to hear so many positive comments about our food this summer.  We’ve made significant changes in our food services in the past year, including physical improvements to all three of our dining facilities (we’ve replaced windows, serving counters and seating in Stone Cafeteria, added a new dining patio at Pinecrest to handle our growing population of intermediate and junior girls, and made some serving station changes at Lochhaven). Two new chefs have been added to the staff and a new rotation of menus has been developed so we repeat entrees fewer times during the summer.  Interlochen participates in a regional sustainable farming initiative and we are using locally grown vegetables and meat (organic when possible) and fruit as it comes into season.  We bake most of our bread from scratch on-site, and are preparing many more selections, from soups to entrees, "fresh from scratch."  To support healthy eating and wellness goals, we have reduced or eliminated fat, reduced the frequency of fried foods and will bake foods instead of fry when possible, have significantly reduced sugar and caffeine, and we offer low/no sugar sodas and flavored waters, have four specialty lunch and dinner salad bars, and have increased our vegan/vegetarian offerings. We also are offering special "on display" theme meals on occasion. Spring came very late to Michigan so we eagerly anticipate our local summer vegetables and fruit. 

In addition to serving 7,000 meals a day for students and employees, our dining services staff also does all catering for Interlochen special events, donor events, events at the President’s home, and provides food for the crews that accompany guest artists.  Our dining staff also works with Health Services and parents in those situations where a student has special food needs.  While this is great progress and I’ve been pleased to hear so many positive comments about our new offerings this summer, it’s impossible to please everyone. "I hate healthy eating," said one of our students last week. Well, I guess that means we’ve been successful in our efforts!