TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- When it comes to New Year resolutions, eating right and living a healthier life is a common theme. To accommodate these goals, Tyndall Air Force Base's Berg-Lilies dining facility and Raptor Quick Turn Flight Kitchen give Airmen and other patrons options.
"All of our recipes follow United States Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines," said Staff Sgt. Theron Hann, 325th Force Support Squadron Berg-Liles DFAC assistant manager. "If you have ever seen the food pyramid when you were growing up that is now called 'My Plate', and can be found at:
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups. The dining facility is required to offer food items from every category for every meal period."
Ethnic, Mongolian BBQs, holiday specialty and birthday meals are also offered at the DFAC, Hann added.
"Our 'Go For Green' healthy menu options are offered daily for every meal," said Hann. "They are identified with the color green on our menu tags posted in front of the serving line as well as advertised on our menu boards. These items identify the healthiest menu items that we serve. Vegetarian meals are offered periodically through-out our 14 day cyclical menu."
Both dining facilities incorporate this process to give customers a variety of food options. But health goals can't be accomplished with diet alone.
"Your body composition and metabolic rate determine which foods you should be eating; diet plays a pivotal role," said Hann." Whatever your fitness goals are, you cannot achieve them without the proper diet."
In addition to this, the DFAC staff has a system to better educate customers on foods nutritional value; including the Fitness Center and Fitness Assessment Center. The FAC is a facility used to assist Airmen and civilians in developing healthier lifestyles.
"I would say first go to the FAC inside the Fitness Center and speak to a dietician about your metabolic rate, your body composition and your fitness goals," said Hann. "They can help you put together a tailored diet that will help you choose what you should be eating to help accomplish those goals. The Dining Facility offers enough options to help accommodate your goals."
The dining facilities also allow customers to provide feedback and suggest food items with comment cards, Essential Station Messing forum that is held quarterly here, the Berg-Liles Dining Facility Facebook Page or you can go online to
https://ice.disa.mil and rate products and services provided by DOD offices and facilities worldwide online.
"We offer comment cards for the customers to make suggestions on how to improve the facility; with the comment cards, the customers can provide feedback whether it's regarding the food or facility," said Senior Airman RayShon Louden, 325th FSS services apprentice.