Food Safety: Not Just for Indoors

With the kick-off of cookout season, now is a good time to remind yourself and your family about food safety in your home, including your backyard.  There were 48 million cases of food-borne illnesses reported in the United States last year.  At least 128,000 people required hospitalization and died due to consuming tainted food. While everyone knows food safety is crucial in the food service industry, it is equally important in your home – whether you're cooking...

May 13-19 is Food Allergy Awareness Week

Scientists estimate that as many as 15 million people suffer from some type of food allergy. Of these, 6 million are children; and the numbers are rising. The most common food allergens are: Peanuts Tree Nuts Wheat Soy Milk Eggs Fish Shellfish At SAGE, we take food allergies seriously. Our varied and diverse menus allow all guests to dine safely while enjoying great-tasting foods. SAGE's food service directors and staff are trained on allergen avoidance and minimizing the risk of...

Media puts too much "weight" on dieting

Dana-Lynn Weiss's essay, "Weight Watchers," in the April 2012 issue of Vogue magazine shines a light on the disturbing truth about our society's fixation on weight and the unhealthy relationships it creates with food and body image. The article glorifies dieting instead of providing credible and useful information for parents seeking to better their child's health. There is much more to health than weight. Parents need to consider the safety and well-being of the child before imposing restrictive diets...

No 'Pink Slime' in Fresh Ground Beef

SAGE Dining Services® does not serve fresh ground beef made with lean, finely textured beef (LFTB), recently referred to as "pink slime." We banned LFTB in 2009, which is just one of the many things we do to provide the highest-quality foods to our customers. We buy fresh, wholesome ingredients which contain no trans fat and no MSG. We prepare foods from scratch, on-site daily which include house-roasted turkey breast and roast beef, and house-made salad dressings. Our milk...

Get Your Plate in Shape!

March is National Nutrition Month and a great time to take a look at your food and exercise habits and make some improvements. National Nutrition Month was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to bring attention to nutrition and the importance it plays in our lives. This year's theme, “Get Your Plate in Shape,” takes cues from the recently updated USDA Food Guidance System, which focuses on building a balanced plate. Take a look at your dinner...

Amazing Dining at Dawson!

The Right Media Message

"Children, even preschool children, are exposed to countless commercials and messages regarding weight loss, dieting products and beauty products. These messages, coupled with the anti-obesity campaign, promote the message that fat is bad," said Jennifer Harriger lead researcher at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. As adults, we have been exposed to these messages and understand the pressure from the media to be perfect. Yet as adults, we have the tools and the experience to process reality from celebrity. Young...

Turning Negative Talk into Positive Talk

You've heard the negative talk: I'm fat; I don't like how I look in these jeans; I wish I looked like the model on TV. It is all too common for young people to speak disparagingly about their bodies. Stop the cycle. Don't allow the of use negative language when describing physical characteristics. What seems like sometimes innocent talk can inspire destructive feelings and actions. Better yet, let's shift the focus away from appearances and put it towards more desirable...