TCU students can participate in a variety of wellness events as part of the school’s Healthy Frog program. | Photo courtesy of Texas Christian University
The coronavirus has shaken the world in countless and lasting ways. Its effects on both body and mind have raised existential questions about whole-person health. What exactly does “genki” mean?
This is a particularly heavy question for C&U food service operators, whose diners are also residents. But Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth is dedicated to meeting that challenge by providing holistic health to students through revamped wellness programs, intentional menu planning, special events, and more. Masu.
“We’re always reminding ourselves that this is a second home for our students, and with that comes responsibility,” says Food Services Director Kyle Hollingsworth. “They’re dealing with a lot on a daily basis, whether it’s social stressors, exams, family events, whatever they’re going through. We want to make it as homey and comfortable as possible.”
At the center of this effort is TCU. Healthy Frog Programlaunched in 2020 by campus nutritionist Maddie Jacobs in response to student surveys. Newly relaunched this year, “Healthy Frogs” is a holistic wellness initiative centered around education on how to prepare healthy meals, nutrition for student-athletes and how food choices impact mental health.
The Healthy Frogs program was previously student-run, but this year it will be more comprehensive and led by Jacobs, who frequently partners with other TCU offices such as the Mental Health Center and Recreation Center. Ta.
“It’s not just about saying, ‘Eat this healthy thing,’ it’s about eating a balanced diet that has all the major nutrients, which can be a more complicated thing,” says Hollingsworth. “These days, there’s more information and more attention to different aspects of health, but that can also add to the confusion.”
Jacobs and her team are working hard to eliminate complexity and connect with students, he added. We also provide individual nutrition consultations with students upon request. Healthy Frog social media accounts Share recipes, meal prep plans, mini educational primers, and more “Vitamin D101” Debunking misconceptions about food marketing terminology.
Special events are also planned. To kick off the new school year, the Healthy Frogs program held an on-campus wellness fair to showcase approximately a dozen on-campus departments and community organizations focused on this area. The concept was to create a one-stop shop for both new and returning TCU students and spread awareness of all the wellness resources available to help them.
Large-scale events continue throughout the year. A late-night breakfast during finals week gives busy students time to catch up with friends and recharge. A Dry January-inspired event was held earlier this year. Mocktail to boost immunity From drinks like the Nojito with blueberries to the Moscow Mock Mule with cranberry, the more than 100 student participants took home a card with a note from Jacobs and a link to a digital mocktail recipe book with information on immune-boosting foods.
“Events give us an opportunity to think outside the box and get students excited about what excites them,” Hollingsworth says. “What can we do to make the day a little more special for them? It’s human nature to have fun and do things that are out of the ordinary.”
TCU hosted a mocktail event, offering immune-boosting mocktails such as blueberry-flavored nojitos.
Health through food
The twin drivers of excitement and health are also key to menu planning, says Michael Smith, director of culinary operations.
Smith is a chef with an artist’s heart and uses vivid metaphors to describe his students’ passion for nutrition.
“My job is to express food by fusing art and music,” Smith says of his work. “When we combine flavors, we’re really asking: Are these notes in harmony? Are these chords creating dissonance or resonance?”
Smith encourages his team to harness the creativity of their artists. Don’t just serve turkey, serve brined smoked turkey with strawberry mojito. Serve something more than the simple grilled cheese you can get anywhere, like a juicy lobster mac and cheese version. Rather than a ready-made curry bowl, we offer a customizable bar where students can choose from multiple grilled lean proteins, a variety of sauces, and heaps of vegetables.
But importantly, this creativity must first be aimed at delivering results for students.
“Good chefs sometimes want to throw in all these fancy trinkets to show off how creatively good they are,” says Smith. “But the real question is how does it move them? Do the students like it? It’s like great art, judged by how well a technique is executed.” They are judged by how much they move their listeners.”
In Smith’s estimation, this level of care is key to improving student health outcomes. It’s not just about food, it’s about respecting and caring for each student as a human being, deserving of joy, wonder, and nourishment.
“What we want to say with our menu is that you’re more than just a student to us,” Smith says. “We want our diners to think, ‘I’m so glad I chose to go to school here.’ They respect me and celebrate me.” This is the beginning of our menu development. How can I leave the store feeling good in every sense of the word?”
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Get to know Texas Christian University’s Kyle Hollingsworth
Let’s take a look at what happens in Hollingsworth’s surgery, which is named. F.S.D.‘s Food Service Operations of the Month for May.
Q: What makes your practice great?
I hope it’s not too cliché, but it’s passion. Throughout my career, I’ve been told that “work is work, it’s not personal.” But in this field, I believe that work is personal. If you have the right people and they care about what you do, it’s very personal.
We want to do well. we want to be successful. And it’s not just for ourselves, but for our customers. Of course, we appreciate congratulations and encouragement, but we are here for our students. So for me, it’s very personal. We believe one of the reasons we stand out is because we surround ourselves with a team where everyone has a personal passion.
Kyle Hollingsworth
Q: What are your operational goals for next year?
Of course, we have corporate goals and financial goals. But that’s not necessarily what I’m focused on. If we do the right things and surround ourselves with the right people, they will all come true. So that’s what I’m focused on. We want to continue to build a team of passionate people who care about what we do here — the right people. That will help us grow our programs, whether that’s new dining spots, partnerships with student organizations, unique events, etc. It all comes down to serving students and giving them what they want.
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