At Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Nutrition Services Director Kris Reed says customers are willing to pay almost twice as much at the Corner Cafe for the same chili that is served in the cafeteria because of the different ambience the cafe provides.

“Keep the menu fresh and interesting and keep changing it, especially the beverages, because beverage preferences change constantly,” advises Gayle Musulin, director of nutrition & food service at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

She also advises, “Don't be afraid of higher-ticket items, like $4 and $5 specialty lattes and iced coffees. We sell upscale Jones Soda, which has funky flavors, such as watermelon and root beer float. Another advantage of a kiosk is it is easy to change the menu. You can do something on the spur of the moment in a smaller servery.”

Dave Parsonage, Western Region district manager for Aramark, suggests a wide range of price points. His operation offers everything from mini-ciabbatti sandwiches to overstuffed six-inch subs to fruit cups and upscale salads.

Musulin suggests that “you shouldn't be afraid to charge upscale prices for upscale items, pricing them comparable to outside operations. We found that professional staff and visitors were looking for those items.”

But Robert Rizzuto, director of dining services at New York Institute of Technology in Westbury, Long Island, likes to price his items a bit lower “so we're not just offering the convenience but also a better price. The price becomes an incentive to break the morning habit of buying it out on the street.”

At Eastern Maine Medical Center's Riverview Café, the emphasis is on healthy items. All pastries are made from scratch and are high in fiber and low in fat. A variety of yogurts, fresh and dried fruit, and specialty juices, including wild blueberry juice, are also offered.

Duke University Dining Services Director Jim Wulfhorst says the menu for a small servery should be designed with two ideas in mind: “you can't be everything to everybody” and “distance is your enemy.” He recommends offering a very limited menu of the most popular items — four burritos, five salads. “You want to be able to prepare everything by turning right or left but not moving more than one foot.”

Nutrition Education on Wheels

The entire 24 Carrots nutrition education outreach program of Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center, in Gainesville, FL, is contained within a single mobile kiosk that was introduced one year ago. The program was created to reach out to veterans and family members waiting for medical services and consultations. It is also designed to influence their food choices and their household menus.

THE CARROT LADY. The 24 Carrots kiosk is open for nutritional education and cooking demonstrations featuring quick, easy, inexpensive recipes.

“There is a long tradition of consuming coffee and donuts while waiting for medical appointments,” says Shannon Bloodworth, R.D., wellness dietitian at the medical center. Marion Korzec, chief of the center's nutrition and food service department, wanted to offset the “donut diet” approach with information and demonstrations of more healthful food and cooking techniques.

The answer was 24 Carrots. Measuring 60 inches long by 32 inches wide by 36 inches high, it is equipped with a two-burner induction cooktop, refrigerated ingredient bin, an overhead demonstration mirror and convection/microwave oven. It is moved to different outpatient clinics throughout the day and week and also used at health fairs and various educational sessions. A single recipe is selected and preparation and production completed at the kiosk within 15 minutes, with free samples of the prepared food distributed to the approximately 40 to 45 people in attendance. Bloodworth is available for questions and discussion for another 45 minutes.

The kiosk was instantly popular and is recognized throughout the medical center, according to Bloodworth, who is now known as “The Carrot Lady.” The focus of the demonstrations is on easy, quick, healthy and inexpensive recipes targeting a specific nutrient, such as carbohydrates, or a specific disease, such as diabetes.

One early presentation was a response to the “I don't have time for breakfast” argument and featured a demonstration of vanilla cherry oatmeal. A session on lowering saturated fat featured apricot-glazed pork medallions. Occasionally, the kiosk hands out free samples of healthier items being introduced in the medical center's cafeteria. One veteran who takes frequent trips in an RV was delighted to see Bloodworth prepare an entire meal in one pot.