Bon Appétit offers many diverse and tasty options for those who enter in. However, recreating any healthy Caf creations outside the safe space often poses more challenges than rewards.

Minor Annoyances

Student workers testify to various minor annoyances in the meal system providing nutrition for Biola students. The cafeteria’s healthiest options, ranging from a daily salad bar to fruits and vegetables strewn throughout, remain consistent year by year, inhabiting the same stations and providing particularly pensive students options rather than monotony.

Caf worker and senior communication sciences and disorders major Emily Clark admits she has never considered recreating any meals from the Caf. From her own observations, students tend to gravitate toward more unhealthy options than anything, mainly french fries and tater tots served at the 6th Street Grill station.

“The healthiest options are probably the fruit, and we have noodles and salad. It’s different every day,” Clark said. “I just usually grab whatever is available.”

Consistent Selection

Caitlin Adams, freshman Christian ministries major, similarly has no desire to remake any creations she sees in the cafeteria. In regard to healthier options, the Caf tends only to offer a consistent selection of options every day.

“The Chef’s Table is usually pretty healthy, because there’s always a salad or a stir fry option,” Adams said. “[Students gravitate] toward the desserts, just because it’s so easy to grab … [Caf workers] just grab whatever there is.”

Jarvis Perkins, sophomore human biology major, has worked with Bon Appétit’s catering service for the past two semesters. Perkins also hesitates to attempt remaking any meal options or unique creations he has seen in the cafeteria as well as at event buffets.

“Low-key, no I wouldn’t. I like my mother’s cooking better,” Perkins said. “There’s always a good mix of the different styles of food. But for healthy options, I know they do give that, so among all the probably healthy options. People may not want to, but at least there’s a salad, or sandwiches that you can make from turkey.”

Perkins also serves as Biola’s off-campus community Collegium baker. His desserts have dazzled and invigorated taste buds far and wide around the Biola campus through the Collegium’s monthly birthday celebrations.

“I should be in charge of the bakery department,” Perkins said. “No, I’ve never seen anything and wondered how they make that. One thing, they don’t really make it, but one thing they have are the buñuelos and they taste beautiful. It’s like a churro chip, or a deep fried tortilla.”

In regard to eating healthy over the summer, Perkins reveals his lack of anxiety over gaining weight or feeling gross from eating fast food. As a commuter, a change in his routine remains unlikely.

“Because of my high metabolism, I don’t really care very much about the food I eat, at the same time I try to eat healthy. I do bored-eat, but I run it off so it’s okay,” Perkins said. “I plan on exercising to counteract that, I do that because it feels good and for obvious reasons I don’t have much concern for my physical appearance. I will eat a whole cake without any guilt. So it’s whatever floats my boat, or sinks it.”