Conference rocks::weight_control

    Marion...
    
    We have yet to meet, but I am also am MIS person working at LMO
    (on MAXCIM no less...)..
    
    AND...
    
    The manager of the Cafeteria is very conscience about the problem.
    GO TALK TO HER...  She has all the Diet Workshop cookbooks, and
    does a lot of things baked now instead of fried.  
    
    Her problemis Tobians (sp?)... she doesn't have enough room to cook
    more than what she does.  The veggies are NOT cooked in butter,
    only water...  She is really trying VERY hard.  YOu know the whole
    meal place is VERY small.  Tell her what you want, and she'll do
    her darn-dist (hows' that for a wrod?) to help you out or explain
    why it can't be done.
    
    Gale  (BTW - Bill keeps telling me someday he'll get around to
    introducing you to me :-)....)

    Gale,
    
    Bill?  Bill???  Bill who????  Oh, you mean that guy behind the blurr
    that just rushed out the door.  You mean that fellow who hired me.
    I sort of remeber what he looks like.  *VERY* busy man!
    
    Well, I must admit that was a bad day for the folks in the Cafeteria.
    Since then the V-8 has shown up (I live on that stuff!), and they
    did have two boiled veggies on Monday.  I will talk to her about
    the butter, though.  It is usually used on the starch food items
    such as rice and spuds.  The thing is that margerine has the same
    number of calories, is cheeper, has no (or at least lower) cholesterol,
    and far fewer people have allergic reactions to it.  I would think
    that they would *want* to use it.  Thanks for the encouragement
    and I look forward to meeting you.
    
    Marion
           

Gee, I'd love to have a cafeteria in my building.  All we have is some
vending machines, yuck!

I was in Bedford for 2 weeks taking a class, and I loved the convenience of
having a sandwich (whole wheat pita, turkey, tuna, seafood salad) and a
wonderful fruit salad for lunch.  Even if the rest of my class teased me for
my healthy eating habits ("does Bill like it when you feed him like that?").

I've also enjoyed eating with Gale at LMO2. :-) :-)

Jill

    The MK cafeteria is famous for fried and sauced everything.  They
    DO carry WW bread most of the time, but that and the salad bar are
    the only things normally available to dieters or otherwise healthy
    eaters.  I've been tempted to say something instead of just fuming
    to myself  . .. . .  Maybe now I will try  . .. 

    RE:  .1                                 
    
    Well, after the cafeteria had only one vegetable today (but two
    greasy forms of potato!) I went to this "conscientious" person
    and asked her if we could set aside a few minutes to discuss the
    menu selections.  She said that we could but it would do no good.
    "I only cook what they send me".  I told her that I was sure that
    was true, but that change must start somewhere and we might draw
    up some sort of request to Tobin.  She said "It won't do any good.
    They only let me serve one vegetable a day".  I reminded her that
    the day before there had been three vegetables.  She said "That's
    because it was turkey day" (did I miss something there?).  I then
    asked her if she realized that this was the second time this week
    that two diferent forms of fried and/or greasy  potato
    (french fried spuds, and potatoe puffs) were served, but only one 
    form of  other more healthfull vegetable.  Her answer was "That's
    because the french frys are sold by weight (once more I think I
    have really missed something, but I'm not sure just what!) and anyhow
    what Digital wants.  That's what sells and that's what Digital wants".
    This is an outrage.  You should have seen the grease pit that place
    is today.  And on Wednesday at breakfast you had a selection of
    the "cholesterol special" from the grill, one of the six (yes I
    mean literally six) green oranges, or a donut (not even any muffins
    which are not overly good for you, but in that place they'd be
    considered a health food!).  I guess I only have one thing to say--
    
                 DIGITAL, YOU ARE KILLING YOUR EMPLOYEES!!!!!
    
    
    Don't give me that "you should be glad you have a cafeteria" stuff.
    With the food they served today, they would be doing everybody's
    cholesterol level a favor by shutting down.  If people were forced
    to go out for lunch, they'd at least have a fighting chance.  As
    for me - I just plain GIVE UP!
    
    Marion  (who_is_on_her_way_out_to_lunch)
                                                   

    A question from an innocent bystander:
    
    In facilities where there are cafeterias, are employees prohibited
    form leaving the facility at lunch?  I know it is easier to stay
    in and all that, I was just wondering if there is some obscure weird
    policy about it like in high school??
    
    Or are cafeterias provided because the facility is located away
    from things?
    
    One bad aspect of going out is that french fries are so darn easy
    to order at a drive through window and eat in the car driving back
    to work.  (Another bad aspect is now my posterior!)
   
    Terry (whose last straw was the number of fast-food bags stuffed
    under my front seat last time I went to the car wash!)

    No "weird policy" that I know of keeps anybody from going out to
    lunch.  In many cases, however, it is impractical.  I, for example,
    work on a project that is fairly rushed in nature.  As a result,
    I only take enough time at lunch to run down to the cafeteria to
    get the food.  I then bring it back to my desk and eat while I continue
    to work.  I am not the only one on the team that does that.  That
    only covers part of my objections, however.  How about the many
    other people at this plant who will usually eat whatever they serve
    in the hot lunch line that day.  They would be just as happy with
    broiled fish as the greasy batter dipped kind.  They would eat a
    baked or boiled potato rather than potato puffs of french frys.
    They might even be tempted to grab a piece of fruit to bring back
    to their desk for a snack if they looked half way decent.  Tobin
    and Digital would sell just as much food, the employees would just
    end up healthier.  In this day and age of the health concious, I
    just can't believe that I ran into the stone wall that I did!
                                                                 
    
    Marion

    A solution....Bring your own lunch....have a campaign to boycott
    the cafe until they decide that the employees health is just as
    important as the company's profits....
    
    I myself don't like Tobin or any other pre-process foods for hundreds
    of people...so I bring my own....I will bring a salad in tupperware
    bowl with a small tupperware(1/2oz) covered cup...or I bring a can
    of tuna in water, a boiled egg, some mayo, and some relish (the
    relish and mayo in the little covered cups separately and make my
    tuna...
    
    I know exactly what I am eating....I can either stay at my desk
    or go to the cafe...and since there is a fridge here my lunch doesn't
    spoil...nothing to fume at Tobins about....
    
    Now all I need to do is get the crock pot make a big pot of soup
    and put it in the freezer in those ziploc sandwich bags and there
    is another lunch....I sometimes make two dinners and bring one for
    lunch the next day...and if there is a special occasion that warrants
    going out to lunch I just leave my lunch in the fridge and take
    it home for dinner.....the pleasure of making your own...
    
    Now don't say you don't have time to do it....boil the egg while
    you are in the shower....if you have time to drive out after seeing
    the menu then you have a little time in the am to make a lunch before
    you see the menu...and if you happen to like what is on the menu
    then substitute your lunch for Tobin's....
    
    Remember you are the most important to you.....
    Loretta

    I've been bringing my own or going out for over 4 years now. When
    LTN 1 first opened, all the food was trucked in and I was disgusted
    by the food they served. Except for a few (can be counted on one
    hand) trips to the salad bar, and a stop in the morning for skim
    milk and coffee, I don't buy anything from our cafeteria. They've
    recently changed from Tobin to Mariott; I don't know if that has
    helped. 
    
    Lunch Ideas:
    
    No-fat, legume-based soups with tomato or cucumber sandwiches
    ( I love soup & sandwiches for lunch )
    
    Brown rice with vegetables
                    
    Curried Lentils on pita bread
    
    Stokely's has single-serving vegetables that go right in the
    microwave - they're wonderful!
    
    No-fat bean dip with raw veggies
    
    
    Note: I've been lucky enough to work in a facility with 
    a microwave. I'll post some of the above-mentioned recipes
    when I get a chance....

    RE: a few back...
    
    Sorry you had so much trouble... I even had a talk with her and
    told her you were coming to see her....  I'll see what I can do.
    
    However.... You know, you still can be on a diet in LMO2.  I know....
    The salad bar is WONDERFUL.... so there is only one vegetable a
    day... at least you have that.. some people don't (RE JILL)...
    and I did check into you saying it was cooked in butter... it is
    not... only water...
    
    There is a frig in the mail room... make a salad and bring it in...
    I eat in the caf at least several times a week.... try eating a
    turkey sandwich on wheat pita for a break over salad.  Try the baked
    fish when they have it. Just becasue its there DOESN'T mean you
    have to eat it.
    
    I'm on the EXACT same project you are.... I understand the having
    to eat at your desk.  However, you aren't so busy that you can still
    note in this conference.  Take that time and take a walk with Nancy
    at lunch time - she'd love the extra companion. 
    
    You are the solution to the problem... well, really your attitude
    is... if you WANT to be defeated, you will... if you want to suceed
    you will!... I know... 2 years ago I wore a size 26, now a wear
    a 14/16 (depending on styles)....  If you really don't care to make
    your own lunch in the morning, then stick to the salad bar. LMO2
    has the diet workshop.... join that and buy their meals and heat
    them up in one of the two microwaves in the caf... there are many
    solutions... If you don't like Diet Workshop, go to MRO and join
    WW.... 

    Complaining isn't the only way, especially if the caf is tied into
    a contract with Tobins.... A thought just dawned on me... maybe
    as dieters, when we go for job interviews, we should check out the
    caf also :-)...
    
    Time for bed....
    
    Gale

    re:  last few
    
    You seem to have missed my point.  I have not said that I cannot
    diet because of the food selections in the cafeteria.  I have not
    said that I will go hungry at lunch because of the food selections
    in the cafeteria.  What I _have_ said is that the cafeteria does
    not always offer the Digital worker the option of eating in a healthful
    way.  There are many Digital workers that will eat whatever the
    cafeteria has to offer.  This, to me, implys that the food service
    has the responsibility to offer at least one fully healthful meal
    selection.  This is not always done.
    
    I have expressed my frustration in trying to bring this to the
    attention of cafeteria management.  When I approached the cafeteria
    manager and tried to set up a meeting with her to talk about it,
    her exact words were "Yes we can, but it won't do any good".  I
    was not the one being negative in this case.  I guess I am not much
    of a crusader.  I don't have the extra time or energy to invest in
    the matter.  I just give up.
    
    In so far as my specific case is concerned, I am a strict vegetarian.
    Not being able to depend on cafeteria food for lunch is the least
    of the inconveniences created by my chosen eating style.  Being
    more aware of the impact of a poorly balanced diet than most, I
    felt that bringing the food selection (or lack there of) to the
    attention of the cafeteria staff was the least that I could do for
    my fellow workers.  In the process of doing so, I was appalled at
    the lack of openness shown by the cafeteria management.  That is
    the long and the short of it.  As far as I am concerned I have done 
    my part.  Case closed.
    
    Marion
          

Marion,

I apologize for my comment about "at least you have a cafeteria" without
regard for someone else's needs.

Having been at DEC (off and on) for six years, I have never ordered any main
meal from the cafeteria other than a sandwich (or sandwich filling) and/or
salad bar.  Having seen what was being served, I just discounted it totally
as a possibility.  This sufficed for me, especially since I've never had a
non-vending-machine cafeteria in my building, so I had to either bring lunch
myself (not too feasible in my situation, but I'm not complaining) or go out
somewhere (either another DEC cafeteria or out to a restaurant).  So, my
"definition" of going to the cafeteria for lunch is different from someone
else's, and for me, having a chance to eat a sandwich of my choice and a
salad bar-style salad (maybe even the luxury of a fruit bar) is miles above
what I can run to if I'm too busy at work to go out.

On the other hand, I agree completely that we shouldn't have to discount the
cafeteria's hot meals completely because they are unhealthy.  Yes, we should
somehow let Digital know that we are unhappy with the quality of the main
meals that are served.  But, since we're apparently in such a minority, or
they'd be out of business, we have to make do with what we have.  sigh...

And, speaking of the Turkey Day Special and their two or three veggies:
Bill ordered the special, but only wanted one of the veggies.  He had to
pay for the entire meal a la carte (cost 10 cents more!) because he didn't
have the REQUIRED two veggies!!

Jill

    After reading the replies to this note, I have to conclude I have
    it lucky here at ZKO as far as the caf is concerned.
    
    I've never had breakfast there, so I can't comment on that.  But
    at lunch, they'll offer at least two different main dishes, and
    at least two different veggies.  They'll also offer what they call
    a "Hot Gulliver" (why they call it that, I don't know), which is
    some kind of quick-and-easy serve yourself hot item (like pizza
    slices, or quiche slices, or something like that).  Plus, there's
    an extensive salad bar, a sandwich bar with all kinds of breads
    and fillings (including Syrian bread), a fresh fruit bar, and a
    grill. 
    
    It's not "Mom's home cooking", but it compares very favorably to
    cafeterias at other companies that I've worked at.  I usually have
    no trouble finding something that's both on program and something
    I enjoy eating.                                             
    
    
    Paul

    I too have been feeling grateful for the ZKO cafeteria.  Things
    are usually fresh and tasty, and the facility is big enough to support
    many choices.
    
    My favorites are breakfast (cheese omelets), the fruit and cottage
    cheese bar, many flavors of yogurt, the sandwich bar (9 kinds of
    meat, I think), and a huge salad bar.
    
    Maybe you should send some of the other cafeteria managers up here
    for lunch!  It can be done well, and i think it could be done on
    a smaller scale in another facility.

    Related question -- in the Coke machines in ZKO3, I've noticed a
    selection labeled "Sparkling Water No-Cal".  Anyone know exactly
    what this stuff is?
    
    Just curious...
    
    
    py

I have no idea (never seen it) but it sounds like they just don't put the
syrup into the carbonated water :-)

Jill

    re .17:
    
    Just to satisfy my curiousity, I tried a cup of the "low-cal sparkling
    water".  It was exactly what you said -- the fizzy water without
    any syrup, any calories, or any flavor.  YUK!  For the same money,
    I can get a one liter bottle of the Polar flavored seltzer...
    
    py