A student walking into the South Congress Café at Ragsdale Center during the first week of school might have noticed something different. This year St. Edward’s University’s dining service Bon Appétit launched a “Simple 600 Meals” program set to provide more health- and proportion-conscious food options for students, faculty and staff.

“The purpose of Simple 600 is to provide a lower calorie, sodium and saturated fat option to our campus community,” said Elvin Lubrin, executive chef for Bon Appétit.

There are many options for students to choose from, but each meal is guaranteed to be no more than 600 calories, 20 grams of total fat and 5 grams of saturated fat. The cooks at Bon Appétit have a binder full of recipes that they must follow in order for the meals to hold to their 600-calorie criteria.

Eaters can choose a meal consisting of one protein and a whole grain with a side of fruit and vegetables depending on availability and popularity.

Foods from different regions of the world are featured each week, and most of the ingredients that go into the meals are grown on local farms.

In preparation for the launch of the Simple 600 program, Bon Appétit hosted a preview of the meals for selected students, faculty and staff. St. Edward’s is one of the first universities to debut the program.

“The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. I would say that our community has embraced the fact that Bon Appétit has added a healthy, nutritious and [flavorful] dining option,” Lubrin said.

The Simple 600 station can also promote an expansion on vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Allergen and ingredient information is available at both the South Congress Café and Hunt Hall Café for those who wish to see it.

“We try to make people happy. Something we’re trying to work on is pointing out things that are vegan and vegetarian,” Lubrin said.

Student reactions to the new program appear to vary by taste and lifestyle choice.

“I saw the ad for [Simple 600 Meals] and wanted to try it,” junior graphic design major Gaby Flores said. “I got the rice and stew bowl and it was delicious. And it was only four or five bucks.”