Freshman Genevieve Bregoli goes through the salad line in Café Q for her lunch. She puts on lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, black olives, and chicken. But one thing is missing: tomatoes.

“My salads just aren’t complete without the tomatoes,” Bregoli said.

The salad bar’s missing fruit (yes, fruit) is an issue for restaurants and distributors nationwide.

Leann Spalding, associate director of dining services, identified a national shortage and said there were only “poor quality” tomatoes available to Chartwells. While they are absent from the salad bar, she said there are still tomatoes served at Coyote Jack’s Grill and the deli in Café Q.

The missing tomatoes have to do with December and January’s freezing temperatures in the southern United States and Mexico, according to major produce distributor Fresh Point.

“Some fields in Central Florida are seeing virtually 100 percent losses,” read a Fresh Point release during the height of Florida’s cold temperatures in December.

Photo credit: Charlotte Greene