Around Campus

Special days in January

January is a time for reflection and service on Martin Luther King Day (Jan. 20), followed by celebration and new beginnings on Lunar New Year (Jan. 29). January is also National Soup Month, and from the The Tudor Room to the residential dining halls, our chefs are serving up a variety of fresh, house made soups daily. Coming up: National Popcorn Day on Jan. 19 (IU celebrates Friday, Jan. 24), National Chocolate Cake Day Jan. 27, and National Hot Cocoa Day Jan. 31. Check @iudining on Instagram for details on a special popcorn event at Read Jan. 24 featuring a variety of flavors from the local business Popkorn!, owned by IU faculty member Virginia Githiri.

Rice so nice

IU’s Executive Chef, David Tallent, recently settled on a new rice for use across campus. Cahokia Rice has 53% more protein per serving than conventional rice and a glycemic index of 41—the lowest ever reported in a commercial rice. It is also non-GMO and heavy metal-free (with regular testing to ensure levels remain below detectable limits). The rice is locally grown at the family-owned and operated Cahokia Rice Farm, a wildlife habitat dedicated to protecting the environment for generations to come.

On Jan. 6, 2025, the FDA released new guidance on changes to the classification of tree nuts. Coconut is no longer on the list of tree nuts; nor are beech, butternut, chestnut, chinquapin, cola/kola, ginkgo, hickory, palm, pili, or shea.

The new official tree nut list includes:

• almond
• black walnut
• Brazil nut
• California walnut
• cashew
• filbert/hazelnut
• heartnut/Japanese walnut
• macadamia nut/Bush nut
• pecan
• pine nut/pinon nut
• pistachio
• English and Persian walnut

Among other changes, the egg category now includes additional varieties such as duck, geese, and quail, while milk varieties have been expanded to encompass sheep and goat milk.

A summary of the changes is available online. 

While our staff works to make the Free From IX station at McNutt operational once again, dishes that are free from the nine major allergens will be served out of Heartland. Follow @iudining on Instagram for updates and contact nutrinfo@iu.edu with any questions or concerns.