Atkins, low carbohydrates and vegetarians are popular nowadays.

At Missouri Southern, Sodexho Campus Services offers meals to students who are either on a diet or vegetarians.

“We have the salad and fruit bar for those who eat lunch and dinner in the dining hall,” said Ron Cooksey, food service director, “and the salad bar, cheese pizza and cheese breadsticks for those who eat in the Lion’s Den.”

“There is not a wide variety for vegetarians,” said Misty Bradley, freshman physical therapy major. “If I was a vegetarian, I would be upset.”

“As much money as we pay, [Sodexho] can do better” said Jeffrey Walker, freshman graphic communication major.

Dustin Drake, senior criminal justice major, said Sodexho doesn’t offer any type of foods for those on specialty diets.

“Things are very limited,” Drake said.

Some students do think Sodexho provides for vegetarians and those on special diets.

“They do because they have the salad and fruit bars,” said Marquita Eberhart, freshman nursing major. “They have wide variety.”

Cooksey said students can request special accommodations.

“We are open to cater anyone with a special need if they ask,” Cooksey said. “As matter of fact this year we even have a vegan so we have to make special foods for her.”

He said Sodexho tries to provide students with sugar-free desserts and vegetarian lunches and dinners.

“We care much about what the students think,” Cooksey said. “We have comment cards; no matter how good or bad they are, we encourage students to please let us know. We are not perfect; we make mistakes.”

Cooksey also said the University and Sodexho are in the process of improving the look of the dining hall.

“We are trying to make the dining hall look up-to-date,” he said. “So if there are any students with eccentric ideals of how to improve the appearance or the quality of the food in the dinning hall or Lion’s Den, please let us know.”