Eating My Words

In a posting from the other week, I froze with trepidation in my building's cafeteria due to a lack of Au Naturale offerings.  While the cafeteria has many healthy options, per se, I wasn't sure that I could trust that things were organic, house-made, free from HFCS, etc.

Yesterday I went down to grab a quick salad and stopped by the display table- you know, the table they set up with sample plates of all the weekly specials, such as the wrap/burger/sandwich/burrito of the week, and the daily hot selection.  What was new there, however, was a big sign with the food service provider's "mission" and "best practices".  I was pleasantly surprised to read some of the commitments they make in their food service, including:

• some burgers (such as the black bean I ate in the last post) and all sauces and marinades are made from scratch in-house
• all dairy products come from rBGH-free cows and farms
• they locally source products whenever possible and feature local Chicago-made products on the shelves
• they cure their own deli meats in-house

and some others that I don't remember now.  Sorry, no wierd sketchy random photos like I took in the bread aisle.

While they don't mention anything organic, or using pasture-raised meat, or even specify the ingredient lists of their sauces, therefore making me still question the Au Naturale-ness of their offerings, I'm still impressed that this provider is taking steps to keep their services from being fully "manufactured".  I think it goes a long way to demonstrate that going back to the way we all should be eating is a trend (even though I'm loathe to use that word) that is spreading even among big business, albeit slowly.  The fact that they also would advertise their practices goes to show that more consumers are caring about where our food comes from, too-- why bother bragging about your food standards if it's not at the forefront of people's minds?

We still have a long ways to go, but I am pleased and give a salute to my cafeteria.  I shouldn't freeze up with fear quite as much anymore when the cold compels me to dine down there.