HUDS Serves New Late Night Snacks

Brain Break began its fall late-night snack service on Tuesday in House dining halls and in Annenberg Hall, but the heavily promoted improvements left some students unimpressed.

As one of the few Harvard programs receiving a budget increase in spite of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ $143 million budget shortfall, Brain Break was expected to feature “enhanced” choices—including healthier food options and greater variety.

But the Tuesday night debut, featuring vanilla and chocolate cupcakes—along with traditional items such as bagels and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—struck many undergraduates as nothing special.

“I don’t feel like the variety has changed, but I feel like the quantity has doubled,” said Tri D. Chiem ’10 as he finished his apple in Quincy House. “I was hoping there would be something unique, but there wasn’t.”

HUDS spokeswoman Crista Martin said that the service was modified to improve uniformity across dining halls and increase day-to-day variety in food offerings.

“It’s enhanced in that there are daily specials,” said Martin. “It also ensures that there is consistency House-to-House in everyday staples.”

Brain Break is now on a schedule that repeats every two weeks. Offerings include cheese and crackers tonight, pita and hummus on Monday, and a brownie bar next Thursday.

Basics like beverages, breads, condiments, fruit, and cereal will also be guaranteed in every dining hall.

Still, this has not prevented some Houses from featuring special Brain Break events. Last night, Lowell House had an ice cream sundae bar as part of what the House Newsletter called a “Study Card Signing Event.”

Many students have said that the enhanced Brain Break does not make up for the loss of hot breakfast, which was a casualty of the $77 million budget cuts FAS announced in May.

“I am a huge fan of hot breakfast, and the fact that they took it away was very, very sad,” said Chris J. Loney ’11.

In light of last night’s service, though, Emily M. Orlins ’11 said she was satisfied with the healthier offerings.

“The last couple of days have been great,” she said. “Veggies are a high.”

—Staff writer Naveen N. Srivatsa can be reached at srivatsa@fas.harvard.edu.