Happy Holidays from Blugold Dining

With the semester coming to an end, we’re getting excited about the upcoming holidays! We’re celebrating throughout campus with some fun decorations and specials.

12 Days of Christmas
In the Marketplace food court in Davies Center we’re celebrating with the 12 Days of Christmas and giving away a gift each day. For every purchase you make, you will receive a drawing slip to enter the daily drawing. Then visit our Facebook page to see if you’ve won!


Holiday Drink Specials in Intermezzos Café

Our baristas at Intermezzos have come up with some fantastic holiday beverages. Stop by to try our Ho Ho Mint Hot Chocolate, Egg Nog Latte, Mint Freeze Mocha or a special Holiday Chai Tea. These will only be around for a limited time so swing on by to warm up!



Holiday Treats & Goodies

The famous Taco Bell wreath in the
Hilltop Food Court
(made with sauce packets).

Our baker has been busy creating all your favorites for the holiday season! Our famous spectacular holiday frosted cut-out cookies are available at our retail locations throughout campus. Other goodies include mint chocolate brownies, holiday candy and more!

Holiday Decorations

The Hilltop Center Food Court staff had a great time decorating this holiday season! Be sure to stop by and see their winter wonderland before they close up for winter break. Our Catering staff also always has a great time bring the holidays to each and every event during this wonderful time of year!

From our family to yours, Blugold Dining would like to wish you and your family all the best during the holiday season and the new year!

You’re invited to our annual festive Holiday Buffet!

Blugold Dining invites you and your family to join us at this year’s Holiday Buffet on Tuesday, December 13th, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Located in the Council Fire room in Davies Center, this year’s buffet will feature a number of delicious appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts.

Please click here for more details including our full menu and pricing. Also, reservations are strongly recommended but walk-ins are always welcome.

If you have any questions, or would like to make reservations, please call the Blugold Dining office at 715-836-5261.

Thank you and we look forward to celebrating with you this holiday season!

Another successful Helping Hands food drive!

Blugold Dining wishes to thank all UW-Eau Claire students, faculty and staff as well as members of the Eau Claire community for participating in our Helping Hands Across America food drive on Tuesday, November 15.

As a result of everyone’s effort, over 3,300 pounds of food and $140 in cash was donated to the Feed My People Food Bank in Eau Claire. The event was a huge success as this event is one of the largest food drive donations they receive!

A special thank you goes out to the 12 campus groups that participated and collected over 1,000 pounds of food! Congratulations to the top campus group which was University Communications.

We’d also like to thank our entire Sodexo Family and recognize Carol Horndorf, Deb Heinze, Steve Perry and Heather Higgins as receiving the Sodexo Experience customer service award for their hard work supporting this project, and dedication to creating exceptional student experiences.

For every dollar donated, Feed My People food Bank can obtain and distribute seven pounds of food worth more than $10. They distribute about 4,000,000 pounds of food each year to hunger relief agencies in 14 counties in west central Wisconsin.

More than 14,500 individuals each month rely on food received from programs supplied by Feed My People Food Bank with 39 percent of them being children. Over 850 children in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties alone rely on the food bank each Friday for a pack-out which will provide them food to make it through the weekend.

We look forward to another great Helping Hands Across America event next year to benefit our local community!

Annual Helping Hands Food Drive - Nov. 15

Blugold Dining cordially invites all members of the university community at the UW-Eau Claire to fight hunger and help those in need across the Chippewa Valley by taking part in our Helping Hands Across America food drive on Tuesday, November 15. Blugold Dining will sponsor the non-perishable food drive from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in all campus dining locations.

All of the food items collected on the UW-Eau Claire campus will help senior citizens, single parents, the working poor, the homeless, the mentally ill and others in need throughout the Chippewa Valley.

Last year more than 3,800 pounds of food was collected and donated to the Feed My People Food Bank in Eau Claire. Blugold Dining’s goal is to collect more than 5,000 pounds of food during this year's event and they need your help!

Faculty and staff members are encouraged to collect food as a department or class project. As a special incentive for group participation, the top department or organization donating the most food per person will receive $150 worth of Catering from Blugold Dining.

Donations from the community are also encouraged. Those wishing to contribute may drop off their donations in Marketplace on the lower level of Davies Center from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on November 15.

For questions, or to register your group, please pick up a registration packet at the Blugold Dining office (Davies 227) or contact Paula Stytz at stytzpm@uwec.edu or 836.3503.

Warm up with new specials at Intermezzos Café!

Well our weather has finally taken the plunge and is a true reflection of what we refer to as our typical Wisconsin weather. But there’s no need to wear your hats and mittens all day. Instead, stop by Intermezzos Café for some warm deliciousness!

The newest addition to the Café is our new autumn drink specials, and so far they are hittin’ the spot! Also, warm up first thing in the morning with our Oatmeal Bar from 7 am – 10 a.m. Build your perfect breakfast by topping your oatmeal with mix-ins including brown sugar, maple syrup, raisins and so much more!

So stop trying to type with your mittens on and swing by Intermezzos Café. Our staff is excited to make you something to keep you warm!

Blugold Dining makes special effort for international students

RELEASED: September 30 by UW-Eau Claire

EAU CLAIRE — Within a month of beginning their classes at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, international students have expressed their appreciation for a dining services program that makes a special effort to make them feel at home.

"In working with the staff of the university dining service, I have been so impressed with their willingness to accommodate both the dietary and culinary needs of our growing, and increasingly diverse, international student population," said Dr. Karl Markgraf, director of the Center for International Education. "Christian Wise, Blugold Dining's general manager and executive chef, has been very receptive to making changes to the menu to meet their needs. His expertise is not limited to serving the student population on campus — I know that he helps various student groups source different spices and ingredients not usually found in the average Eau Claire supermarket. Blugold Dining is very proactive in helping our international students dine better, even when they are off campus preparing their own meals, using ingredients from their home cuisines."

Through the Center for International Education and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Blugold Dining learned that the Chinese student population had increased substantially at UW-Eau Claire. Responding to a suggestion that cooked rice be offered at every meal in the board operation, Blugold Dining researched condiments that help make rice a complete meal. Heavy soy sauce, chili paste, sriracha, regular soy sauce, dried shrimp, sesame oil, rice vinegar, red vinegar, furikake, hot chili oil and fish sauce are available wherever rice is served. Asian students have been pleased, and all students are learning from the diverse menu.
"I like all kinds of food and that's why even being a junior and living off-campus I still go to the cafeteria," said Carlos Gorina of Spain, treasurer of the International Students Association. "It is healthy food and the environment is pretty chill."
"We want our international students to feel comfortable and welcome in their new home, and recognize how important food and their housing arrangements are in their transition to living in the United States," said Dr. Beth Hellwig, vice chancellor for student affairs.

Sodexo Operations LLC, has provided Blugold Dining service on the UW-Eau Claire campus since 2002. The Blugold Dining program is administered by the University Centers, a Student Affairs unit of UW-Eau Claire.

New Chicken Venue on Campus!

Blugold Dining is excited to announce the success of Squawkers! It is the newest addition to the Blugold Dining family and is located on upper campus in the Hilltop Center Food Court.

The menu features a wide variety of chicken wings (both boneless and traditional bone-in wings), fried chicken meals, our special Chik’n Gone Wild Wings with Wild Turkey Bourbon Sauce, Potato Wedges, Cheddar Rounds and so much more!

Another great thing about Squawkers is that they’re keepin’ it local! All of the chicken is processed by Brakebush which is a Wisconsin-based company. Brakebush is even the official chicken of the Milwaukee Brewers and the Green Bay Packers, as well as a proud partner of the Minnesota Wild.

One of our most popular menu items—the Tappers Beer Battered Wings—feature Point Amber Classic beer in the batter. This World Beer Cup Gold Award Winner is brewed in Wisconsin by the Stevens Point Brewery, a brewer of high quality, full bodied, yet drinkable craft beer with over 150 years of brewing history.

We invite you to visit the Hilltop Center Food Court to try out Squawkers for yourself! And after you do, please share with us what you think.

New Drink Specials at Intermezzos Cafe!

It feels good to be back in the swing of things here on campus. We hope you enjoyed your summer as much as we did. We spent most of it cookin’ up new ways to impress you this semester!

First on our list was to enjoy this beautiful weather as much as possible (before it’s long gone) with some cool summery beverages at Intermezzos Café. These will only be available for a limited time, so don’t wait! Check out the new specials and stop and see us!

Have a great semester!

Diners Club Bonus Day - This Friday

Welcome Back to Campus!

Blugold Dining is excited to announce that a University Diners Club Bonus Day is set for Friday, September 2, 2011!

Deposits can be made in person at the Blugold Card office or online!

Open a new account, or deposit $100 or more into your existing University Diners Club account on Friday, September 2 and get a 20% bonus—that’s double the regular 10% bonus!

    • Make a $100 deposit – Get a $20 Blugold Dining Gift Card!
    • Make a $250 deposit – Get a $50 Blugold Dining Gift Card!
    • Make a $500 deposit – Get a $100 Blugold Dining Gift Card!

Plus, University Diners Club members receive a 10% discount in The Terrace, Riverview Café and The Dulany, and they receive weekly members-only discounts! Also, deposits carry over semester-to-semester until you leave the University.

Remember, in order to get the 20% bonus, you must make your deposit on Friday, September 2 and bonus funds must be claimed within seven days of your deposit in the Blugold Dining Office—Davies Center, Room 227.

To receive your bonus gift card, bring either of the following to the Blugold Dining Office:

    • Your signed deposit voucher or receipt from the
       Blugold Card Office
    • A printed receipt of your online deposit showing the
       deposit amount and date

Questions?
Call the Blugold Card office at 836-4070 or Blugold Dining at 836-5261.

Sodexo Eases Move-In Day with Fill My Fridge™ Events

Families can enjoy the rite of passage instead of driving off campus for supplies!

During college move-in day, parents at Sodexo-served campuses will be able to shop for their students' favorite items from nutritious snacks to thirst quenching beverages without having to leave campus. Sodexo is offering its second Fill My Fridge™ event at more than half of the 650 campuses it serves from Hawaii to New England–including UW-Eau Claire!

"Move-in day can be chaotic and filled with mixed emotions," said Tom Post, president Sodexo Education – Campus. "Sodexo is offering Fill My Fridge™ events for the second consecutive year because it creates the kind of exceptional experience that makes move-in day a lot easier for parents and students alike." Post came up with the idea after experiencing a frustrating move-in day with his son, followed by an hour's drive to a box store to get dorm-fridge supplies.

During resident hall move-in day (and throughout the entire year), Blugold Dining's Hilltop Center Food Court is an area where parents can purchase goods to stock their students' small refrigerators with dry goods, refrigerated goods, beverages and more!

Sodexo researched favorite resident-hall food of 18-to 24-year-old students and worked with suppliers, which included engaging local farmers and produce companies to provide local fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and bread. Sodexo is working closely with its vendor partners to help stock the fridges in residents halls.

Partners Pepsi and Coke will both offer contests for campuses that host a Fill My Fridge™ event, including a grand prize of $4,000 in the Fix Up My Room contest from Coca-Cola and a Text to Win contest from PepsiCo.

Perfect Weather for a Picnic!

Take a break this summer to enjoy the beautiful Wisconsin weather! (Well at least most of the time, right?)

Marketplace is offering some great Picnic Special Combos where you can get a brat, hot dog or burger wrapped up and paired with a bag of chips and a bottled soda. Take your lunch outside on the mall, slip off your shoes, roll up your pants and enjoy the sunshine.

But don’t wait too long—these specials are only available through July 1st! Click on the image below for more details. We hope you’re enjoying the summer sunshine as much as we are!

Congratulations Susie!

The Student Development Council Recognition & Awards Celebration took place this morning and we’re proud to say one of our own received an award. Susie Deacon was surprised and honored to receive the Student Spirit Award.

Susie is the smiling face at the cashier stand who greets the university community as they enter the Terrace. She has been a part of the Blugold Dining team for over 37 years and is considered a “celebrity” among students.

This special recognition award was presented by Dylan Jambrek, President of the Student Senate, on behalf of the entire student body. He referred to Susie as an “unsung hero on our campus” and shared many stories about Susie that deomonstrated how she has a genuine connection with our students. Dylan went on to say that when alumni students come back to visit the campus, their priority isn’t to visit a past professor, but instead it’s to say hi to their favorite dining cashier—Susie.

The Blugold Dining management team is so proud of Susie and we would like to thank her for her hard work and dedication. Congratulations Susie, we are honored to have you as part our team!

Get FREE Taco Bell for Your Opinions!

Dear UWEC Students,

Today we are requesting your participation in an import market research study of the campus community with the goal of improving student services. In return for your valuable feedback, a coupon for a FREE Hard Shell Beef Taco from Taco Bell in the Hilltop Center Food Court will be available for you to print out at the end of the survey.

Please complete the survey as soon as possible! It should take about 7-9 minutes at the most to complete and will only be available through Sunday, May 1.

To log-in now and participate in this online survey, please click on the link below and enter the following 5-digit Log-in ID to begin the survey.

www.synovate.net/YourCampusDiningSurvey

Log-in ID: 84956

Alternatively, you may copy and paste the entire URL link into the address line of your Internet browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, etc.).

Your anonymous responses to the research survey will be combined with the answers of other students in order to make improvements based on your feedback.

Thank you, in advance, for your participation and valuable feedback. We look forward to serving you!

Cordially,

Christian Wise, General Manager

Coca-Cola's New PlantBottle on Shelves Now!

Just in time for Earth Month, Odwalla is saying goodbye to its old packaging and saying hello to a new PlantBottle packaging—the first-ever fully recyclable plastic beverage bottle produced using plants.

PlantBottle packaging is available for both Odwalla and DASANI brands. Single-serve Odwalla packages are made from up to 100 percent plant-based materials and DASANI packages are made with up to 30 percent plant-based materials. This new packaging was designed to make a difference by offering a better designed package for a more sustainable future.

PlantBottle packaging used for Odwalla is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic which is derived from 100 percent renewable sugarcane-based ethanol. It is the first nationally distributed beverage brand to make this transition and it represents a significant step in their brand’s ongoing efforts to protect the planet.

To date, PlantBottle packaging is estimated to have eliminated the equivalent of 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or three million gallons of gasoline used to produce PET plastic bottles. Currently, The Coca-Cola Company is working to further technology so other plant materials can be used in future PlantBottle packaging. According to them, “The ultimate long-term goal is to turn waste into a resource, resulting in a carbon neutral, 100 percent renewable, responsibly sourced bottle that is fully recyclable.”

The new packaging is beginning to be introduced into the market and our campus. It is currently available in the Hilltop Food Court on upper campus and will be available soon in Intermezzos Café and the Green Bean. Stop by to see this new innovation that’s a step in the right, sustainable direction!

New Cheesy Double Decker at Taco Bell!

Taco Bell up in the Hilltop Food Court is excited to announce its new item—a Cheesy Double Decker Taco! It’s twice the taco for only 89¢.

For a limited time only, enjoy a warm, soft flour tortilla, filled with beans and nacho cheese sauce, wrapped around their classic crunchy taco filled with seasoned beef, real cheddar cheese and crisp shredded lettuce.

If you want to try something new but still enjoy your favorite, try the Combo Meal Deal with the Cheesy Double Decker Taco, two Tacos and a 32oz fountain drink for only $3.99!

Once you try it out, let us know what you think!

Join us for Soup & Bread Night!

Tuesday, April 12 from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. in Riverview Cafe (with late-night dinner following at 8:00 p.m.)

Students have selected soups, breads and beverages to replace the usual evening meal. The meal will be served by volunteers from a number of student organizations, and members of the Blugold Dining Committee. All Savings in labor and food costs will be donated to Feed My Starving Children and The Community Table.

Soup Selections:

• Broccoli Cheese


• Chicken Dumpling


• Red Sauce Chili


• Tomato Basil

Due to the charitable nature of this event, we can only accept: Declining Balance, Blugold Dollars, University Diners Club, and Cash.

**Unlimited entry via the All Access Meal Plan & Blugold Preferred Meal Plan will not be accepted**

Blugold Dining Supports Local Charities

Last October, Blugold Dining implemented a new employee program called Jeans Day for Charity. Every Friday our employees are invited to help out a local charity by donating $1 to the fund in order to wear jeans while working. They are then given a sticker to wear acknowledging their charitable donation.

Every three months the proceeds will be donated to a different local charity. When the program first began, all funds raised went toward purchasing additional gifts for the two families Blugold Dining adopted over the holiday season. We recently presented the Eau Claire and Chippewa County Humane Associations with a total of $364 which was collected from Jeans Day participants February through March.

The Blugold Dining team is proud to support non-profit organizations within our local community. We look forward to helping The Community Table next as they were built and are supported solely by the community.

Try New Flavors for Free!

Blugold Dining is excited to host a Tasting featuring some new Pepsi flavors on Wednesday, March 30 from 5 – 7 p.m. in the Hilltop Food Court. Two of the new flavors are part of the newest Mountain Dew fan vote and the other two are Pepsi’s new Citrus Blast and Diet Citrus Blast which are very similar to Squirt.

You may remember DEWmocracy which was the online campaign to vote for the next Mountain Dew. Well, FanDEWmonium is the new, diet version. The competition is between Diet Mountain Dew Supernova with a strawberry melon flavor and Diet Mountain Dew Voltage with its raspberry citrus blend.

We will have all flavors for you to test and we encourage you to go online and vote for your favorite Diet Dew. You can either visit http://www.fandewmonium.com/ or www.facebook.com/dietdew. Voting ends April 3rd at 8 p.m.

“Two Flavors. One Winner. You pick the next Diet Mountain Dew.”

Happy Spring Break!

Well it sure doesn’t feel like Spring with this chilly wintery weather, does it? Well, we’re doing what we can to keep you toasty warm! Marketplace will be open this week with our cooks in Blu Plate Diner and sandwich artists in SubConnection ready to serve you!

Since the halls are scarce and classrooms empty, we will have limited hours all week. With the exception of the furlough day on Friday, we’ll be open each day from 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. in Marketplace.

We look forward to you keeping us company during this not-so-springy, Spring Break!

New Compostable “To-Go” Policy

Due to the high cost of our disposable compostable containers, Blugold Dining will begin charging $1.00 for a compostable “to-go” container on Monday, March 28. These disposable compostable containers are only available in the Terrace on lower campus.

However, keep in mind that there is an alternative option—our reusable “to-go” containers! This option requires a $5 deposit for a large container and $3 deposit for a soup cup; but the best part is that your deposit is fully refunded when you return the containers making this option essentially free!

Our compostable program conforms to the goals of the strategic plan of the University to become more green and sustainable, and we are proud to be a part of it and offer two environmentally friendly options!

Toasted Cuban Subs Coming Soon!

We’re very excited to announce our new specialty sub in SubConnection—a Toasted Cuban Sub! You’re going to love this delicious sub and we hope you will add it to your existing list of favorites.

The Cuban Sub will make its UWEC debut Monday, March 7th. It includes roasted chicken, hickory smoked ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and a to-die-for Cuban spread. Stop by either SubConnection location—either Marketplace or Hilltop Center Food Court. Since it’s only available for a limited time, don’t hesitate; we don’t want you to miss out!

Blugold Dining will be Freezin' For a Reason

This weekend our Blugold Dining team will be Freezin' for a Reason when we take the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Wisconsin. The Polar Plunge is a cool event where supporters raise donations and jump into frozen bodies of water.

Special Olympics provides sports training and competition for nearly 10,000 athletes with cognitive disabilities in 18 different sports year-round.

But Special Olympics is about so much more than the joy of sports. According to a recent study, 80% of families in the United States say they have seen improvements in their family member's self esteem, self confidence, social skills, friendships and health thanks to their participation in Special Olympics*.

For more information or to support our team, click here. Or, you can accept our challenge and join us in taking the Polar Plunge and be Freezin' for a Reason!

*Facts from A Comprehensive National Study of Special Olympics Programs in the United States by Special Olympics Inc.

Looking for something to spice up your meetings?

Try one of our “Tastes of the Season” catering specials!

Our imaginative catering specialists have created menus rich in flavor and tradition, all featuring only the finest ingredients the season has to offer. We would like to take this opportunity to share some of the new items we have available in our catering department this semester.

We are pleased to present our Winter Catering Specials menu. There are many tempting dishes to try and some very unique menu items.

Please give us a call at 715-836-2632 or email knudtstl@uwec.edu if you would like to feature some of these seasonal dishes at your next meeting or gathering.

Give us your opinion and get FREE fries!

Dear students, faculty and staff,

Today we are requesting your participation in an important online survey about your recent dining experiences on campus. In return for your participation, a coupon for a FREE order of French Fries from Blu Plate Diner in Marketplace will be available for you to print out at the end of the survey.

Please complete the survey as soon as possible! It should take about 7-9 minutes at the most to complete and will only be available for a limited time.

To log-in now and participate in this online survey, please click on the link below and enter the following 5-digit Log-in ID to begin the survey.

http://www.synovate.net/dining
Log-in ID: 84956

Alternatively, you may copy and paste the entire URL link into the address line of your Internet browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, etc.).

Should you exit the survey unexpectedly or accidentally close your internet browser, clicking on the link above will allow you to re-enter the survey and continue where you left off.

Thank you, in advance, for your participation and valuable feedback. We look forward to serving you!

Cordially,

Christian Wise, General Manager