Vanderbilt Dining has opened a new natural food store, Nectar, on the first floor of Vanderbilt-Barnard Hall as part of its larger Eat the World, Save the Earth campaign.
According to its Web site, The ETWSTE program is intended to enlighten students and other guests about the larger environmental, community and health impacts of their food options and choices. The program helps patrons access information about Dining’s numerous kitchen principles, which range from the promise that MSG is never used to the fact that bottled water is purchased through a local bottler.
“Our hope was to be able to provide more options to our students, to give them an opportunity to not only purchase products that are environmentally conscious but also to encourage them to learn about what is available and design meals based on their own personal preference,” said Suzanne Herron, who runs Nectar under the supervision of Varsity Market Manager Spiros Vergatos.
A dining advisory committee, nutrition calculator, staff-registered dietician and staff training are also a part of ETWSTE’s campus presence. Further, eating guides at dining locations indicate which products are organic, vegetarian, vegan, local, fair trade and recycled.
The Web site, www.vanderbilt.edu/dining/etwste, encourages the university community to engage in their dining experience, saying, “Food brings people together, creates a sense of place and a feeling of kinship. Food sustains not only our bodies but also our communities and environment.”
“What we’re trying to do is offer the opportunity to eat healthy with organic, natural foods. There was a real need for that on campus. A lot of people want to be healthier,” Herron said.
Nectar itself was the brainchild of Executive Chef and Associate Director of Dining Camp Howard.
“There were requests for a store like Nectar. We have focus groups, and we work with student organizations who continue to provide feedback and help develop this idea,” said Lida Horna, director of Dining Services.
Nectar has proven very successful thus far, drawing curious students new to the concept of organic food and die-hard health food fans alike.
Stephanie Baeza, a freshman who purchased several items at the store after browsing its many choices, said, “I think Nectar is great. I’ve never had access to an organic food store before.”
“This is what our students want, and we want to provide what our students want and need,” said Horna.
To add incentive for students to use the store, many food options can be combined to form a meal on the Vanderbilt Meal Plan, an option that visitors to Nectar have been trying.
Thelma Boyd, formerly stationed at the Varsity Marketplace chain, now works at Nectar. “We’re doing very good, better than we thought,” she said. “It’s good for the students.”
