Hopkins dining program has come a long way
o begin this article, I would like to harken back and evoke the dining scene here at Hopkins just a few years ago. Taco Bell and Pizza Hut occupied Levering (talk about some healthy options, eh?); fried chicken and canned vegetables could be found daily at the FFC; Meals-in-a-Minute consisted of damp, soggy turkey sandwiches; and Nolan’s didn’t know how to spell "salad." Underclassmen do not recall when Aramark was our dining contractor, which was only two years ago (Bon Appétit is the current one). “We have a salad bar?” was the common reply to what was served for vegetarians or vegans. Having choices about what to eat on a nightly basis and not having to ask a manager about every dish has been a new experience for vegetarians and vegans on campus. Local food options included Pepsi (made right here in Maryland) and produce grown in North Carolina (not especially local). The dining program at Hopkins has seen a complete 180 in the past 10 years.