If you have eaten at Sargent or Allison this quarter, you have probably used one of the new reusable purple OZZI O2GO containers. These meal containers are awesome and help make NU Dining a little more sustainable.
Cool Facts:
· OZZI containers are good for 1,000 washes through an industrial dishwasher like the ones we have in our dining commons. This means one container replaces 1,000 disposable containers!
· OZZI is also completely recyclable after the 1,000 use because it is made from polypropylene.
· By using the OZZI containers on campus this quarter, we are preventing an estimated 3,788 lbs. of disposable waste from ever being generated, which is about the same weight as 35,000 golf balls!
· OZZI is very durable. If you drop it by accident you won’t damage it.
· OZZI containers are also microwave safe.
· OZZI can be filled with either hot or chilled foods. Unlike other to-go boxes, the OZZI won’t melt from hot food, or break down if filled with liquids.
· Each OZZI container prevents 66 lbs. of waste over its lifetime
Tips on how to use OZZI:
· After you get your new, clean OZZI container, head over to Pure Eats first to see if you like something! Pure Eats is an allergen-friendly station, which avoids gluten and the top nine food allergens, and to prevent cross-contamination we can only serve food into clean OZZIs with no food already in it.
· Don’t worry about cleaning your OZZI, just exchange it for a clean one. We will take your dirty OZZI and clean it in our industrial dishwasher, so you don’t need to spend time cleaning it yourself!
· Have more than one OZZI? Don’t worry, you can bring all of them back no-questions-asked and get a new clean one in exchange.
How to use OZZI to choose a healthful diet:
Think of the OZZI container as an American version of the Japanese Bento Box, with plenty of room and flexibility for all size appetites. Here are some tips to use OZZI to your healthy advantage.
· The OZZI container becomes your plate, so look at it that way. In this case, the OZZI is a rectangular plate with one large compartment (which holds about 12 ounces), and two smaller compartments (each holds about 6 ounces or 3/4 cup)
· According to USDA’s MyPlate, fill the biggest rectangle compartment with veggies and fruits, and the two smaller compartments with proteins and starches. You could also put a mixed protein-starch-vegetable dish in the biggest slot.
· If you are a big person or a big eater, you are going to fill up the OZZI; if you are a smaller person or have a smaller appetite or are trying to manage your portions, your servings may be smaller.
· If you are managing your weight or wanting to choose a healthy diet, follow your mom’s advice: eat your vegetables. Fill the larger compartment first with veggies and salad (grab a fresh fruit for a snack), then the protein compartment (grilled chicken or vegetable protein, etc.), and the last smaller compartment with starches like rice, potatoes and pasta.
· Check out the menu on Dine on Campus ahead of time. That way you’ll know if you are going to start at Pure Eats, which always offers a protein, vegetable, starch, salad and cut fruit. Remember, because Pure Eats is an allergen friendly area, a culinary server will only fill your OZZI if you start with a clean empty Ozzi. Otherwise, they will need to serve your food in a separate disposable container, not so sustainable or kind to the earth. Most other food stations, including the Grill, Comfort and Rooted, all feature vegetables.
· You are probably not drinking milk at every meal, so if you do choose dairy (cheese or yogurt) consider it a protein. Use the MyPlate as a guide.
