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Focus on FSS: Healthy food for better Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashlin Federick
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The Patterson Dining Facility, which has been around since 1972, ensures that Airmen on Dover Air Force Base, Del., are provided with the healthiest foods to accomplish their mission.

The DFAC serves about 600-700 Airmen a day and has four different meal periods breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight meal. On the weekends they serve brunch, dinner and midnight meal. Airmen have the option to dine in or take out.

Airman 1st Class Kayla Russell, 9th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, said she thinks the dining facility is very convenient for people who live in the dorms.

"I think it is a great option to run in and get a something quick to eat," said Russell.

On April 30, 2012, the dining facility launched the "Go for Green" program to help Airmen get the most out of their meals.

The "Go for Green" program focuses on educating the customers of the DFAC on what foods are the most nutritious by using a color coded system that informs Airmen to make wiser choices as far as nutritional value. Red means the food has little nutritional value and should be eaten rarely. Yellow means the food is only marginally healthy, but is not as bad as the red category, and can be eaten more often. Green indicates food that should be eaten daily for a balanced diet.

The DFAC uses a guidance called the food preface that dictates what the facility serves as far as core items such as milk and bread. It also tells them they have to have six fruits out for breakfast and what types of cereal they need to offer.

"We are very in tune to make sure that we are not only meeting standards of the whole Air Force food program, but we also make sure that the Airmen we are serving are getting the best quality and quantity of food possible," said Master Sgt. Karen Stroud, 436th Force Support Squadron food service superintendent.

The DFAC does a lot of quarterly meals and events.

One quarterly meal they do is a Mongolian. This allows Airman to come in and order fresh vegetables and meats to be prepared in front of them.

An event that is held quarterly is the Iron Chef competition. This is geared to instill confidence in the chefs that work at the DFAC. They prepare a five course meal that is graded and judged by random people around the base.

Another event they hold quarterly is the garnishing competition. The chefs garnish a plate with any foods and vegetables the DFAC has in the back which is then judged by the customers.

"It shows customers what these guys are capable of doing," said Senior Airman Brian Sosa, 436th Force Support Squadron shift leader. "It shows them that chefs care about the quality of what they are putting out."

The DFAC does a lot of community support. Over Christmas they did they Furry Friends Tree. The DFAC partnered with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at Camden, Del. They gave them the neediest animals and the DFAC collected food and items that the animals needed.

Every year they also do the Salvation Army Tree. Last year they collected about $800 worth of gifts.

The DFAC also runs the flight kitchen in the passenger terminal which serves about 40 Airmen a day. In the summer it serves about 100 Airmen a day. It is open 24 hours a day.
They have ground support meals which allow active duty members on shift to come in and get a meal. It gives them the opportunity to eat when the DFAC is closed.

Staff Sgt. Benjamin Lambing, 436th Force Support Squadron store room manager, said food is morale.

"If it is good food, people are going to be happy and if food is bad, it will lead to a bad day," said Lambing.