New Year, New Bon

Illustration by Breanna Newburn

Article by Jayden Forsyth

Bon Appetit, commonly referred to as “The Bon,” is making changes in meal variety.

NEWBERG, Ore. - Students have noticed the repetition of the pasta bar and are sometimes eating unconventional alternatives like cereals and beverage mixtures to supplement what they feel they’re missing.

A handful of students have experimented with a concoction known as “filk,” a mixture of Fanta and milk. This creativity could imply that there also aren’t enough beverage options.

These shifts in meal variety earn mixed reviews. “I don’t love the Bon’s food changes because there is less protein at dinner, and pasta is less than optimal every night,” said Abby McClain, a sophomore and track athlete at George Fox University (GFU). “The quality of the food has improved slightly but there is always too much oil.”

“I am personally not aware of [why such food options are present], but I can infer that this is due to all the feedback received last year,” said Aurora Magness, Bon Appetit employee and GFU sophomore. “They [Bon Appetit] do take feedback into consideration.”

This community investment isn’t the only positive course of action Bon Appetit has taken this year. “Everyone, no matter how long they’ve been working in the Bon, was required to take a training [course], in addition to acquiring a food handler’s permit, like usual,” said Magness.

According to Magness, the training was a monitored, hour-long period where employees watched educational videos about kitchen and food handling expectations. Employees were told to “sign a document saying that [they] understood…agreed to the conditions.”

This mandatory reinforcement of kitchen and health safety guidelines is likely a response to Bon Appetit’s struggles last year, as students often became ill from consuming their food. This seems like a step in the right direction. 

Although their recent food variety hasn’t gained the most favor from students, it is possible that The Bon is simply trying to do what has been requested of them by students.