Choosing more nutritious food items will be a little easier at UM-Flint and UM-Dearborn starting this fall. 

Both campus communities will start seeing a colorful five-sliced citrus icon on campus vending machines and at eateries. The more slices filled in, the more nutritious. The new labeling system was launched on the Ann Arbor campus and Michigan Medicine last fall. 

MHealthy and its university partners created the icon to help show the nutrient density of select foods and beverages. Nutrient dense foods include more fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains and fiber. They also have less saturated fats, added sugars and sodium. 

A list of food items, along with how many slices each received, are available on the MHealthy website.

Participating locations at UM-Dearborn include the bookstore, McKinley Cafe, Mug Life Cafe and all campus vending machines. At UM-Flint, the bookstore, Blue Bistro, Clint’s Cafe, Picasso at UCEN Cafe, and all campus vending machines are included. 

“Many foods are not simply ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Instead they tend to fall along a spectrum of healthfulness,” says Erica Owen, MHealthy’s nutrition program manager and a registered dietitian. “This information will help you make more informed food choices when dining at U-M.” 

The new labeling system was developed using benchmarking data, current literature, community feedback, and intuitive eating principles. 

University partners include Michigan Medicine Retail Food Services; U-M School of Public Health Nutrition Services; Michigan Dining; MHealthy; Michigan Medicine Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes; Michigan Medicine Patient Food & Nutrition Services; and Michigan Medicine Preventive Cardiology.

For more information and to view food lists for food items, visit the MHealthy vending and dining program web page to learn more and view the food label lists.