Ferrum College - The Ferrum Newsstand

    Students at Ferrum College are noticing a difference in their cafeteria meals, they’re healthier, and there are more options. “We’re trying to keep food as fresh as possible, and as healthy as possible,” says Executive Chef Timothy (Bo) Bernard.

     In support of a growing national trend, Chef “Bo” has decided to cut trans fats from many of the foods he serves at the cafeteria. Now, all deep-fried foods will be cooked in trans-fat free oil. Trans fat, or trans fatty acids, is a specific type of fat formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. Trans fat behaves like saturated fat by raising LDL or “bad” cholesterol and lower the levels of HDL, or “healthy” cholesterol. Many companies are voluntarily cutting the trans fat, or trans fatty acids from their foods after the Food and Drug Administration required food manufacturers to list trans fat on Nutrition Facts and some Supplement Facts panels.

     Students also may have noticed more variety in what is being offered at the cafeteria. Chef “Bo” says they are not only selecting leaner meats for their meals, but are now offering a full 7-item vegetarian bar, as an alternative to students. This option is offered seven days a week, year round. “We are not compromising quality, everything we serve to students has to meet our high standards,” says Bernard.

     Chef “Bo” says he has also entered into a partnership with Rose Acre Farms and is now serving only free-roaming, cage-free eggs. Free-roaming eggs come from chickens that are kept in an open, cage-free hen house. The chickens also feed on a completely, all natural diet. After a lengthy campaign by the Humane Society of the United States, many colleges and universities have eliminated, or reduced their use of eggs from battery-caged hens. “The quality of life of a cage-free hen is so much better than the quality of life of a battery-cage hen that this campaign is meant to move the industry in that direction,” says Paul Shapiro of the Humane Society. In conventional egg production, hens live in small cages with several hens to a cage. Many of those cages are stacked one on top of the other.

    “Our focus is becoming not only more healthy, but also more ecology based,” says Bernard. He says he is looking into as many ways to become more environmentally friendly; including using recycled beverage napkins, plates and cups to replace the Styrofoam material they have been using. There are also plans to start an organic garden, where lettuce and other produce would be grown not only for use in the cafeteria, but also to be used in the curriculum for certain classes offered at Ferrum College.

    For more information about nutrition information at Ferrum College, contact Chef “Bo” at bbernard@ferrum.edu or via phone at (540) 365-4362.

    Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges. For more information on Ferrum, visit www.ferrum.edu.

Ferrum College’s Certified Executive Chef Is Cooking Up Healthier Meals
For immediate release: June 1, 2007	Contact: Natalie Faunce, (540) 365-4301 nfaunce@ferrum.edu
Students at Ferrum College are noticing a difference in their cafeteria meals, they’re healthier, and there are more options. “We’re trying to keep food as fresh as possible, and as healthy as possible,” says Executive Chef Timothy (Bo) Bernard. In support of a growing national trend, Chef “Bo” has decided to cut trans fats from many of the foods he serves at the cafeteria. Now, all deep-fried foods will be cooked in trans-fat free oil. Trans fat, or trans fatty acids, is a specific type of fat formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. Trans fat behaves like saturated fat by raising LDL or “bad” cholesterol and lower the levels of HDL, or “healthy” cholesterol. Many companies are voluntarily cutting the trans fat, or trans fatty acids from their foods after the Food and Drug Administration required food manufacturers to list trans fat on Nutrition Facts and some Supplement Facts panels. Students also may have noticed more variety in what is being offered at the cafeteria. Chef “Bo” says they are not only selecting leaner meats for their meals, but are now offering a full 7-item vegetarian bar, as an alternative to students. This option is offered seven days a week, year round. “We are not compromising quality, everything we serve to students has to meet our high standards,” says Bernard. Chef “Bo” says he has also entered into a partnership with Rose Acre Farms and is now serving only free-roaming, cage-free eggs. Free-roaming eggs come from chickens that are kept in an open, cage-free hen house. The chickens also feed on a completely, all natural diet. After a lengthy campaign by the Humane Society of the United States, many colleges and universities have eliminated, or reduced their use of eggs from battery-caged hens. “The quality of life of a cage-free hen is so much better than the quality of life of a battery-cage hen that this campaign is meant to move the industry in that direction,” says Paul Shapiro of the Humane Society. In conventional egg production, hens live in small cages with several hens to a cage. Many of those cages are stacked one on top of the other. “Our focus is becoming not only more healthy, but also more ecology based,” says Bernard. He says he is looking into as many ways to become more environmentally friendly; including using recycled beverage napkins, plates and cups to replace the Styrofoam material they have been using. There are also plans to start an organic garden, where lettuce and other produce would be grown not only for use in the cafeteria, but also to be used in the curriculum for certain classes offered at Ferrum College. For more information about nutrition information at Ferrum College, contact Chef “Bo” at bbernard@ferrum.edu or via phone at (540) 365-4362. Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges. For more information on Ferrum, visit www.ferrum.edu.
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