“Hopefully the new menus will help with the monotony that students feel after the holidays,” Mayer said, adding that HUDS will start serving the heartier fare of the winter menu in the beginning of December.

The new menus should also save HUDS money, as buying from local venues in season reduces transportation costs.

“We’ve been focusing on buying food better,” said Raymond Cross, HUDS director of finance. “If we buy local products when they’re in season the supply is greater and you tend to get a better price.”

Also in response to student feedback, HUDS now offers waffles every day, George Foreman grills, and more beans, grains, and sauces.

Despite the changes, HUDS hopes to continue its festive meals—for their educational purpose, if nothing else.

In addition to ethnic cuisines on Friday nights (French and Greek are coming up) HUDS featured an apple spread in the fall and will offer an assortment of local squashes next week.

“We’re trying to do some food education with these spotlights,” McNitt said.

“The foods will be picked at the peak of freshness and there will be information on where they come from in addition to nutritive information.”

—Staff writer Wendy D. Widman can be reached at widman@fas.harvard.edu.