op-ed More organic food needed at Middlebury

Author: Kay Tenney

I believe Middlebury College needs to dramatically expand the organic/sustainable food choices in the dining programs and to offer one, two and three meal-a-day plans, and thus, change the obligatory ruling to eat at the dining facilities. My daughter, a member of the Class of 2008, is quite frustrated with the fact that Middlebury dining offers very little sustainable and/or organic food choices.

Eating the processed food provided by the dining facilities makes her feel ill, unhealthy and unsatisfied. I am appalled at this archaic situation, especially based on the fact that Middlebury is considered to be one of the most sustainable colleges in the nation. I am quite positive that she is not alone in this predicament and that many other students are concerned as well.

Although there are obvious economic reasons for not investing in local and/or organic food, in today's world there are many more reasons to be focusing budgetary monies in this direction. Well-fed students have better immune systems and are less stressed. At the very least, Middlebury should be offering one, two or three meal-a-day plans for those who choose to cook food on their own and in order for the College to better plan the dining program economically. As it stands, my daughter has my permission to incur whatever extra food costs she needs.

This, you realize, means we are paying twice for her food, something we cannot afford and that just doesn't make sense. She cooks her own meals in the full kitchen that is (very ironically!) provided for her in the mod that she lives in on campus. As my daughter has noted, the wasted food money would serve a family in Madagascar (where she studied last spring) for a very long time.

I am certain that a progressive state like Vermont is filled with good food ideas. Two I know of are VermontFEED, a "community-based approach to school food," and Northeast Organic Farms. One model college for truly healthful and sustainable dining services is Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., although I am sure there are many, many colleges providing some yummy and healthy organic food choices these days. In my opinion, Middlebury has an obligation to make a conscious effort to feed its students well and to figure out an accommodating budget that benefits all.

I am sad to say that I have already encountered two current Middlebury students that are transferring, one of the reasons for each being the limited dining choices.

I have spoken with several Middlebury alumni that cringe at the memory of the food at Middlebury, and one that has suffered consequential eating disorders.

That being said, I know that Middlebury likes to do things right! What could be more important than letting a young adult make her own good choice about what to feed her body and how to help environmentally at the same time? Please stop robbing my daughter and others like her of this important decision.

Kay Tenney is the mother of a member of the Class of 2008 from Ketchum, Idaho.