Food service provider Aramark has answered students’ call for a healthier dining option, an Aramark official said.
The grand opening of Extreme Pita today in the University Center is a result of combination of campuswide surveys and student-based focus groups that illustrated a desire for quick, healthy meals.
"We listen to (students and faculty) and take their feedback seriously," Sevelia Johnson, UH Dining Services marketing program manager, said.
A spring 2008 survey conducted electronically among students, faculty and staff showed that when asked what best described the healthiness of foods, 25 percent of them replied that it was most about fresh ingredients. Nearly 24 percent reported that it was more about how the food was prepared, 14 percent responded that it was in the quality of the food, 11 percent deemed low-fat foods as the most healthy while 10 percent said low-calorie foods were what they considered the healthiest.
Extreme Pita will offer 14 different pita sandwiches – each with 5 grams of fat or fewer – to be made fresh for customers.
When Aramark began the search for a healthier food choice, vegetarians came to mind, and freshness and a variety of produce were the qualities most similar to what Aramark representatives wanted to bring to campus, Johnson said.
"Vegetarianism was very important to us when we were flavor profiling," Johnson said.
Students can choose from fresh meats and vegetables in addition to more than 10 vegetable toppings, three cheeses and a range of spreads and sauces.
SGA Sen. Norma Islam said the new dining option, taking the place of Kapeesh, a venue that served a variety of pasta, would diversify UH’s food options.
"I liked Kapeesh. I didn’t think that it was all that unhealthy, but I think it’s great that they have this pita place because it offers more food diversity on campus," Islam said.
The pitas will be individually wrapped in a spill-proof, perforated lining.
"A pita is easy to carry around when you are walking or headed out to class," Islam said.
The selection of small vegetables, sauteed in any of the 20 sauces, will be available with customers’ choice of meat, chicken, steak, falafel, ham or tuna.
Aramark services approximately 500 colleges and universities in the U.S.
"We encourage students and faculty to give us input from surveys," Johnson said.
Extreme Pita’s grand opening ceremony will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. today in the University Center food court.
