Beginning this academic year, a new Boston University Dining Services program called Wholesome Roots will replace Make a Difference Monday, focusing again on environmentally responsible and nutrition-conscious meals throughout BU’s dining halls.

Sabrina Pashtan, sustainability coordinator for BU Dining, said the new program introduces variety to the menu, which many students did not see in Make a Difference Monday.

“Wholesome Roots has a revised menu which took into account a lot of feedback from Student Government representatives,” Pashtan said. “The menu is full of delicious recipes that use locally-grown, seasonal produce from farms in our region, as well as humanely-raised and antibiotic-free poultry, sustainable seafood, and more plant-based recipes.”

Pashtan said the program’s emphasis on food quality is a priority, to “contribute to a diet that is better for the environment and often, better for us.”

Wholesome Roots will be in the Fresh Food Company at Marciano Commons every Monday, the Fresh Food Company at Warren Towers every Tuesday and the Fresh Food Company at West Campus every Wednesday, a change from Make a Difference Mondays’ more basic titular schedule. Pashtan said she believes this new schedule will give students more opportunity to participate in the program as much as they like.

“We made the change as a result of a BU Student Government proposal,” she said. “We worked with them last semester and over the summer to create a revised program that more closely reflects what students want, more flexibility.”

Kim Barzola, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, the former president of the BU Vegetarian Society and SG’s vice president of finance, said the program’s schedule was a point of contention between student government and BU Dining officials.

“The program was supposed to be twice a week in each dining hall. The impact of the program would have been double what it currently is, and after many meetings and much negotiation, it was voted on and passed,” she said. “However, dining executives and directors didn’t think that students would like this program that much.”

Barzola said she considers the modified schedule a disappointment because it limits the program’s potential for a positive impact.

“The program hasn’t changed much impact-wise since it is only three days a week, which is the same in terms of purchasing to last year’s program,” she said. “I was disappointed especially after going through the whole process with Student Government, which is supposed to be representative of the student body.”

Barzola said SG’s emphasis was on students’ satisfaction when they set out in creating this revised program.

“We wanted this to go through Student Government so we could do this in a way students were involved,” she said. “Its original purpose was to be a pilot program, so if students were opposed to it, we could change it, but it turns out the directors weren’t willing to even try that.”

Barzola said she and the rest of Student Government are hopeful students will embrace the program’s goals and speak out to expand its impact.

“The biggest step we can take moving forward to increase the program are the roundtables coming up every month,” Barzola said. “There’s going to be increased communication to get students’ feedback on the program, so we can get a response.”

The first roundtable discussion will be held Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. in the George Sherman Union’s Academy Room and is open to the entire student body.

Several students are hopeful Wholesome Roots can deliver a variety of delicious food and accomplish its environmental goals, a balance they never felt from Make a Difference Monday.

Grace Pearson, a junior in the College of Communication, said Make a Difference Monday had the right intentions, but ultimately never offered satisfying options.

“I was never a fan of Make a Difference Monday … I feel bad saying this, because I know it was all good and all about sustainability, but I just felt every Monday had the same options and the food just wasn’t as tasty as it normally is,” she said. “I loved the cause, but the food was never as good as the normal options.”

Rachel Kortman, a sophomore in the College of General Studies, said she remembers Make a Difference Monday as unpopular with students and therefore not very impactful.

“I wasn’t a fan of Make a Difference Monday. I actually knew it as ‘let’s go out to eat Monday.’ It was always known the food was going to suck that day, the dishes were scrappier and less tasty,” she said. “Overall, I don’t think many people liked it, so most ignored it.”

Nicholas Turgiss, a freshman in CAS, said he thinks it is important for dining halls to not sacrifice sustainability in trying to provide for the student body.

“Because BU is such a big school, it’s easy for the dining halls to get caught up in the fact that they have to feed thousands of people every day,” Turgiss said. “It’s important for them to pay attention to the little things like organic, locally-grown food, food that’s healthy for everyone.”