THE NEWS

• Salad bars will lack staples like green beans and peppers in coming weeks as Yale Dining works to reconfigure its menus in light of a national produce shortage. Due to unusual freezing and flooding of crop fields across the United States and Mexico, there have been severe shortages of items such as squash, zucchini and eggplant across North America. Silliman Chef Stu Comens, who is also the interim executive chef for Yale Dining, said he went through all the upcoming recipes, finding substitute ingredients for unavailable vegetables or changing menus altogether. No matter what they do, though, dining officials said they cannot change the inferior quality of the ingredients currently available.
• Homer Simpson once famously said that one cannot win friends with salad.But since Feb. 4, two New Haven public schools have been trying to prove him wrong. The schools’ effort is part of the “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” program, a new nationwide initiative aimed at lowering child obesity rates that started last November, that is helping to raise funds so that participating schools can offer salad bars in addition to standard lunchtime cafeteria fare. Administrators hope this move will stimulate student interest in healthy, sustainable eating, said Timothy Cipriano, the executive director of food services for New Haven Public Schools.
• The Economics Department may offer fewer slots for students to research alongside professors this summer.

  The Undergraduate Research Opportunity in Economics has less funding to operate the 2011 program than in previous years due to the financial crisis. The summer research opportunity began in 1998 and has paid for nine to 13 students to assist Yale professors in advanced economics research projects in each of the past six years. Economics Department Chair Benjamin Polak said fewer stipends may be awarded this year since the program’s endowment took a hit beginning in 2008.

THE WEATHER

High of 28 degrees, low of 10 degrees, blustery.

THE FOOD

In the colleges

Breakfast: Waffle Bar, Assorted Danish

Lunch: Chicken Gumbo Soup, Vegan Yellow Split Pea Soup, Corn & Scallion Tart, Cornmeal Fried Catfish, Sausage & Pepper Grinder, Orzo With Sundried Tomatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Lime, Herbed Green Beans, Mesclun, Cauliflower & Cheddar, White Bean Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette, Combination Salad, Salt Caramel Icing Devils Food Cupcakes, Cinnamon Sugar Cookie

Dinner: Chef’s Choice Whole Roasted Chicken, Kung Pow Seitan, Pork Burgers, Leek & Potato Galette, Roasted Herbed Potatoes, Bourbon Glazed Fresh Carrots, Bourbon Glazed Fresh Carrots, White Bean Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette, Combination Salad, Cherry Pie

In Commons

Breakfast: Waffle Bar, Omelets To-Order, Cage-Free Scrambled Eggs, Cage-Free Scrambled Egg, Pain Perdu, Sausage Links, Shredded Potatoes, Assorted Danish

Lunch: Southwest Black Bean Soup, Vegan Yellow Split Pea Soup, Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Cornmeal Fried Catfish, Buffalo Chicken Wings with Celery & Dip, California Turkey Burger Sandwich, French Fries, Pepperoni Pizza, Chef’s Choice Pizza, Cheese Pizza, Organic Tomato Sauce, Vietnamese Garlic Noodles, Greens & Tofu, Italian Deli Zep, Southern Style Collard Greens, Collard Greens & Ham Hocks, White Bean Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette, Curried Corn & Farro Salad, Cinnamon Sugar Cookie

Dinner: Vegan Yellow Split Pea Soup, Stir-Fried Chicken & Broccoli, Pasta Fagioli, Three Cheese Baked Ziti, Meatballs In Tomato Sauce, Sweet & Smokey Roast Pork, Sage Aioli, Pepperoni Pizza, Chef’s Choice Pizza, Cheese Pizza, Organic Tomato Sauce, Italian Deli Zep, Cilantro Rice, Broccoli With Lemon, Olive Oil & Garlic, White Bean Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette, Curried Corn & Farro Salad, Cherry Pie