La Voz

It's official: The De Anza College Foodstore is closed until fall.

Of course its closing is not the end of the world. But the Foodstore is more than a place that served food; it played a significant role on campus.

One value the Foodstore provided was convenience.

"Students don't always have time to go out for meals. Some just don't have transportation," said William Halcrow, a sophomore real estate major.

Indeed, its easy accessibility and low prices made it a popular venue.

There are campus vendor trailers that offer a diverse range of food including Mexican, kebab, teriyaki chicken rice bowl and sweet and sour pork, yet there is something lacking.

"People need nutritious food," said Estella Leung, a child development major graduating this summer.

"The Foodstore kitchen provided not only fast food, but healthy food like fresh salad."

There is one trailer that offers vegetarian burgers and burritos, but the other trailers offer mostly greasy meats and noodles. There are few choices for vegetarian food and none for fresh fruits and vegetables.

"Some of them are junk," said Licia Johnson, De Anza's health educator. "The obesity rate is high, and college students need to eat right. One burger can be your whole meal for the rest of the day."

Even the veggie burger may not be as low fat as most people think. "It depends on how it is prepared," Johnson said.

"If they fry it and add a lot of trans fat to it, it can be just as unhealthy as any beef burger."

But it's not just about food-the Foodstore was a place for social gathering. With the surroundings of food and drinks, the atmosphere was warm and pleasant.

"It was a place to hang out with friends after class or to go over homework," said Champheareak Chim, a third year accounting major.

There are still tables and chairs in the Foodstore, yet the empty refrigerators, piles of trays, and the cold, metallic counters make what used to be a busy, lively place look quiet and unwelcoming.

Donna Jones-Dulin, director of College Services, said that the newly renovated cafeteria will be ready in fall and recognizes that "students want the operation back to normal."

In the meantime, perhaps De Anza administrators could bring back a salad bar to the Foodstore since it could be easily prepared and requires no cooking.

The impact caused by the closing of the Foodstore kitchen, especially the lack of nutritious and vegetarian food, must not be taken lightly and should be dealt with immediately.

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