Reviving Healthy Habits on Campus
There’s a new badger market on campus and it’s not your run-of-the-mill cafe. Home to the School of Nursing, the new badger market “Revive” focuses on healthy eating habits and lifestyles. Thanks to the joined forces of the School of Nursing and the Wisconsin Union Dining Services staff, Revive was brought to life fueled by the mission to promote overall health and wellness on campus.
Revive sets itself apart from other badger markets by getting the best insight from the School of Nursing on what is needed in a health-oriented market. According to School of Nursing’s Kim Nolet, two years ago a group of volunteers, faculty, staff and students of the School of Nursing came together to form a healthy environment work group on campus. They focused on issues ranging from recycling to bringing healthier foods in university buildings.
Revive Badger Market inside the UW-Madison School of Nursing
When the Wisconsin Union became involved, Carl Korz, Assistant Director of the Wisconsin Union Dining Services, and other Union staff worked directly with nutrition professors and a subgroup of the healthy environment committee to find the best menu items that will both provide sales and provide customers with healthier options. Comprised of about eight nursing students and other nursing staff, the group met monthly to bring suggestions to the Union about the best ways to improve eating and lifestyle habits. “The idea behind it is that if people are going to choose something that we sell, let’s make it healthy,” says Carl.
The team had deciding factors to choose the menu including the product, ingredients, portion size, overall nutrition of the product and whether or not the product contributes to the overall goal of health and wellness. Kim says the committee wanted to start by having less sugar-sweetened beverages, more salad options and overall smaller portion sizes. One step to reducing the portion sizes was cutting the rice krispie treats that usually are around three to four servings in other markets in half.
Local companies have been involved in the process as well. Batch Bakehouse, which supplies various baked goods for the Union, provides healthy treats for Revive. Another partner Revive is excited about is the Johnson Brothers Coffee shop. Carl describes it as a premier independent coffee shop featuring a variety of high-end coffee blends. Revive is hiring trained baristas that go through an extensive training program at the Johnson Brothers location to ensure that customers are getting the best brew. “We’re excited about having some locally produced options and that we have a lot of variety for such a small cafe,” says Kim.
The next step? Kim, Carl and the rest of the team are eager to use Revive as a trial run to explore the possibilities of expanding these healthy options to badger markets around campus. Smaller portions and healthier options at one market are hopefully just the first move towards a healthier campus overall.
Are you excited about the health and wellness initiative with this market? Please share your thoughts and comments below!
