5 things: Major League ballpark engages master sommelier to help wine and dine fans

In this edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments affecting onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

1.    Major League ballpark engages master sommelier to wine and dine fans

The San Francisco Giants were the first major league baseball team to serve wine at games beginning in 1977 at their former home in Candlestick Park, and now they’re the first sports organization to have their own sommelier, and not just any sommelier but Evan Goldstein, who is one of just 273 master sommeliers worldwide. “I don’t want people to think wine is just for those who are sitting in luxury and corporate suites,” Goldstein said. “We’ll find opportunities where people can bring wine into their world, from the (less-expensive seating) 415 section to the promenade level to the upper deck.”

Read more: Giants’ history-making sommelier Evan Goldstein is out to bring wine culture to Oracle Park

2.    Dairy Association pledges sugar reduction in flavored milk for schools

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has announced the establishment of the Healthy School Milk Commitment, a pledge to reduce calories and added sugars in flavored milk. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, IDFA’s 37 school milk processors representing more than 90% of the school milk volume in the United States commit to provide school milk options with no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8 fluid ounce serving, which is fully consistent with the latest federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans and ahead of current school meal nutrition guidelines established by the USDA.

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Read more: IDFA Announces ‘Healthy School Milk Commitment’ to Provide Nutritious Milk with Less Added Sugar for Students in Public Schools, Surpassing USDA Standards

3.    American University alters meal plan options in response to student feedback

For the first time in nearly 20 years, American University’s meal plan options are changing to include new features, including dining dollars and mobile ordering credits. Beginning in fall 2023, AU will offer meal plans with unlimited access to Terrace Dining Room and limited access to other campus dining locations. Ann Marie Powell, senior director of dining and auxiliary services, said these changes reflect student feedback on the current meal plans.

Read more: AU launches new meal plans based on student feedback

4.    DC healthy food program sees 96% student satisfaction rating

A $275,000 UnitedHealthcare grant is helping nonprofit DC Central Kitchen empower children to make healthy in Washington DC schools through nutrition education, food awareness and locally-sourced ingredients. In what they call a “vegetable democracy,” students can get key, nutrient-dense foods on their school lunch menus by voting on its preparation. The result has been a 96% student satisfaction rating for its farm-to-school meals.

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Read more: From Farm to Cafeteria: Grant Helps DC Students Enjoy Nutritious Choices

5.    Xanterra to put local, grass-fed beef on Yellowstone Park restaurant menus

A plan to put tasty, locally produced, grass-fed beef on the menu in Yellowstone National Park is now kicking into high gear after years of hard work as Xanterra Travel Collection has joined forces with the Western Sustainability Exchange with the goal of sourcing the majority of their cuisine for their restaurants from local and sustainable producers. Xanterra serves about 17,000 meals a day at peak season, said Dylan Hoffman, director of sustainability for Xanterra’s Yellowstone National Park lodges. It is a major purchaser of meat and produce, giving it a fairly unique opportunity to make a significant impact if it reaches its goals.

Read more: Park concessionaire chooses local grass-fed beef to meet net-zero footprint goal

Bonus: FM’s Menu Madness 2023: Slam-dunking, bracket-busting college eats

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]