MENU THE WAY GEN Z EATS, THINKS AND FEELS INFORMS NEW WELLNESS SERIES AT UPENN
Birria Mushroom tacos were a hit at the Dine Well, Eat Smart plant-based taco bar.
the "Good Food, Good Mood" event, a mood-elevating "performance bowl" framework was given to each chef, and they all ran with it. “We included an implementa- tion guide with culinary guidelines: At least two leafy greens, two whole grains, three to five veggies, lean pro- tein and healthy toppings like sunflow- er seeds,” Goff says. “When they’re done, I go through their menus. It was a lot of fun to see every café do their own thing and you could re- ally see each chef’s point of view.” Many of the menu items have el- ements of “build your own,” further driving home the customization factor. BE HERE NOW The “Mindfulness” theme centered around intentional eating, and as was held during the winter, what better fo- cus than hot chocolate? “This one was a fun one and a little bit different,” Goff says. “We did a separate table in the cafes and did a hot and spicy hot choc- olate and a sweet one, using Mexican chocolate, not too much sugar and a mug giveaway. It was something flavor- ful and fun where they’d pay attention
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The students keep asking for healthy options and it’s not that we don’t have them, but students don’t know how to be creative around them. They’re looking for us to help them find creative ways to eat healthy.” - Barbara Lea-Kruger
new wellness-focused recipe. The win- ning dish was Indian-inspired eggplant sliders, dosas and three types of chut- ney (there’s that customization again). Looking to the future and bigger picture, Lea-Kruger hopes to foster cre- ativity with food choices for students. “The students keep asking for healthy options and it’s not that we don’t have them, but students don’t know how to be creative around them. They’re look- ing for us to help them find creative ways to eat healthy.”
while drinking the beverage.” Cocktail napkins with the phrase “Pause, taste, tune in, enjoy” helped spell out the message even further. Other monthly themes in the series have focused on eating sustainably (with locally sourced choose-your- own bento box compartments) and plant-forward street food, featuring a plant-based build-your-own taco bar. For the “Sustainable Eats” takeover, the series turned competitive with a “Well- ness Cup” for the chef with the best
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