Lunch-to-Go

For those of us without much time during the day to sit and dine in the OR, Satchmo's serves up a pretty good lunch with their OR to-go. With the swipe of your meal plan (or, 8 bucks), you can have a hot meal to eat on the run. However, this option can be extremely inconsistent when it comes to following Pollan's rules, or any health rules for that matter. If you are unconcerned with what you put in your body, then this option is perfect.

The meal includes a meat, usually chicken, rice, a vegetable, a dessert, and drink. It is usually satisfying and incredibly substantial. However, for health-and-environmentally-conscious-meat-and-dessert-avoiders, the meal quickly slims. I opt out of the chicken and am offered a double helping of rice-not the best choice (it's always white or yellow rice). Then, I pass on the dessert. Sometimes, I can persuade them to substitute it with a whole fruit, but the fruit is not always available. When it comes to the drink, the options are soft drinks in a recyclable aluminum can or bottled water. I have been avoiding the poison sodas, so that's a no. And, I already have a re-usable water bottle on me, so no drink and no substitutions. I give the company the same amount of money, but receive a less amount of food in return.

However, I have had good luck there in the past. Once, the server offered to substitute the meat for a delicious tomato/humus/lettuce sandwich that she was making. And once, she offered a double helping of carrots instead of rice. And once, I enjoyed a banana in place of the chocolate cake. Such flexibility seems to depend on who is working which day. Most of the time when I say "no chicken please," I get a stare like I'm crazy.

Eating healthily, or consciously, on campus is difficult. Eating "on-the-go" is even harder.