Food & Dining
Introduction
Modern industrial food production often has deleterious environmental and social impacts. Institutions can use their food purchases to support their local economies; encourage safe, environmentally friendly and humane farming methods; and help eliminate unsafe working conditions and alleviate poverty for farmers. These actions help reduce environmental impacts, preserve regional farmland, improve local food security, and support fair and resilient food systems. Dining services can also support sustainable food systems by preventing food waste and diverting food materials from the waste stream, by making low impact dining options available, and by educating its customers about more sustainable options and practices.
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Building a Bigger Table: Engaging Communities on Food Security
- College of Charleston (SC)
On our campus, and in the surrounding community, there appears to be a growing urge for increased engagement and 'silo-busting.' One of the largest focal points for this is food, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Closing the Food Loop
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
As a group of student from three different universities and a diverse range of interests, we all noticed that there were many problems with the current food system. To start, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Estimating Greenhouse Gas and Water Reduction Through Food Labeling at a University Dining Facility
- Villanova University (PA)
As one of the most basic requirements for survival, food plays a massive role in how humans interact, not merely with one another, but also with the environment. The diet …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Virginia Food Systems Leadership Institute
- George Mason University (VA)
This poster will provide an overview of the Virginia Food Systems Leadership Institute (VFSLI), an innovative collaboration involving four public research universities in Virginia and the Smithsonian Institution. Piloted successfully …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Leveraging Sustainability in Food Service Across Campus
- University of Houston (TX)
The University of Houston has undergone a physical and culture transformation with a different food service provider and new collaboration with our Office of Sustainability. In spring 2017 the Food …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Local Food Sourcing in Kentucky: A Case Study in Higher Ed Collaboration
- Aramark (PA)
The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville have a unique approach to sourcing local food. Hear from the Sustainability Managers from their dining services and the Executive Director …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Food Service Contracts and RFPs as Vehicle for Sourcing More Sustainable Food
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- University of Vermont (VT)
- Farm Forward (OR)
College and universities need new strategies to scale sustainable food procurement. Programs like STARS and the Real Food Challenge have institutionalized sustainable food purchasing targets and many campuses have made …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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UT Farm Stand: A Campus-Scale Model for Sustainable Food Production
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
At the University of Texas, UT Farm Stand offers an innovative campus-scale model for a sustainable food production system. This student-run program depicts the unique tale of farm to market …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Building a Meal Sharing Program
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
Johnson County Kansas has mirrored the increased food insecurity that has been prevalent at the national level. Johnson County Community College has tackled this issue by creating a meal share …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Changing Plates: How Aramark Partnered With HSUS to Lead Sustainable Change Through Food
- Aramark (PA)
- The Humane Society of the United States (MD)
Demand for more plant-based menus continues to grow as students become more knowledgeable about their food choices and the impact on the planet. As part of their continued relationship of …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Expanding the Mission of a CanstructionU Competition to Include Partnerships for Hunger Awareness
- Penn State Brandywine (PA)
As part of a year-long effort to develop community partnerships themed on sustainability, Penn State Brandywine connected with the local food bank for an academic and volunteer collaboration. In the …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Driving Food Reconnection at Arizona State University through Collaboration between USP and Aramark
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Aramark (PA)
Surveys conducted at Arizona State University dining locations indicate that the vast majority of customers care about using natural resources responsibly and make a conscious effort to only take what …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Closing the Loop: Building a Healthy and Sustainable Campus Food System
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) has made remarkable changes to its food landscape in the past few years. Our campus supports and hosts multiple organic food learning gardens as well …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Empowering Student Leaders to Create a Zero Waste Food Court
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
- Aramark (PA)
In order to divert 95% of solid waste from the landfill, UCI Hospitality & Dining (HDS) and Aramark collaborate with Social Ecology Field Study interns, Campus as a Living Lab …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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BYO[Solutions]: Reuse Programs in Campus Dining
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
College campuses are hubs of waste, from plastic bags to disposable food containers and single-use coffee cups. However, universities can use this opportunity to implement waste-reduction programs with the aim …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Real Food Challenge: Bringing Healthy and Local Food Options into Campus Dining Halls
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
Across the United States, college campuses are partaking in the Real Food Challenge, a national organization that promotes the development of local, fair, sustainable and humane food systems in college …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Encouraging Sustainable Food Purchasing Through Student Programs
- Skidmore College (NY)
Many institutions endeavor to serve local and sustainable food within its dining services, but the complex and often opaque food system presents significant challenges to identifying and sourcing responsibly-produced products. …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Campus Advocacy for Global Impact: Fair Trade and the United Nations SDGs
- Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and communities across the U.S. We are part of a global …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Fair Trade and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- University of North Carolina, Charlotte (NC)
- Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and communities across the U.S. We are part of a global …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Student Funded Initiatives & the Intersections of Social Justice & Sustainability
- Portland Community College (OR)
This is going to address clear and tangible ways students can have agency and autonomy over some of their Student Activity Fees in order to create more than just a …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Decolonizing a College's Farm-to-Table Dinner
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
This interactive workshop will explore how Whiteness and other form of dominant social power structures can be inadvertently reproduced within farm-to-table events when embedded assumptions in regards to the program, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Power of Process: Thoughtful Engagement for Successful Projects
- Brown University (RI)
- GreenerU (MA)
You probably know best practices in, say, composting. Maybe you have researched the best compost haulers, how composting food can reduce GHG emissions, and how it saves water and energy. …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability Goal Setting at Universities: A Nitrogen Action Plan at the University of Virginia
- University of Virginia (VA)
A nitrogen (N) footprint is the amount of reactive N released to the environment as a result of an entities' resource use. In 2010, the University of Virginia (UVA) became …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Projection and Scenario Analysis for Climate and Nitrogen Action Planning
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- University of Virginia (VA)
Campuses are now calculating their carbon and nitrogen footprints together in SIMAP, a web-based platform launched in fall 2017. Once you have calculated your campus' footprints, how might you use …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Building and Supporting Social Movements for Institutional Change and Beyond
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Even as the campus sustainability movement has grown, the issues in our food system have continued to deepen. The average age of farmers in the U.S. is over 65, farmworkers …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Student Funded Initiatives & the Intersections of Social Justice & Sustainability
- Portland Community College (OR)
This is going to address clear and tangible ways students can have agency and autonomy over some of their Student Activity Fees in order to create more than just a …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Synergies in Sustainable Food Systems for Students, by Students
- College of Charleston (SC)
In 2017, students, faculty, and staff at the College of Charleston were compelled by Charleston YOUth Count's data administered by the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities. It …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Urban green spaces connecting people and place
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The following concept is a new project designed for the Arizona State University Polytechnic campus; the development and implementation of an urban green space titled The Lot @ ASU, that …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Campus Kitchens Project: Connecting the Campus and the Community
- The Campus Kitchens Project (DC)
For more than 15 years The Campus Kitchens Project has been empowering students around the country to recover and transform would-be-wasted food into meals to feed members of their community …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Fighting Food Waste on College Campuses
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Aramark (PA)
BACKGROUND: An estimated 40% of food produced in the US goes uneaten, yet 1 in 8 Americans struggle with hunger. And that number may be even higher on college campuses, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Grassroots: Connecting Diverse Louisville Communities Through Sustainable Initiatives
- University of Louisville (KY)
The environmental threat of food waste looms over the United States alongside the imminent threat of hunger. Watching food on campus being thrown away or composted, Erin and Henny believed …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Improving Inclusivity at Campus Farmers Market and Garden
- University of Utah (UT)
The University of Utah Sustainability Office coordinates an on-campus farmers market and two edible garden sites that provide students, faculty, staff, and community members with local, healthy, and sustainable food. …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Meeting the food waste challenge in higher education
- Montana State University (MT)
Food waste represents a major sustainability challenge with environmental, economic, social and health implications. Institutions of higher education contribute to generating food waste while serving as models in championing sustainability …
- Posted Oct. 23, 2018
- Publications
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Making the Shift to Climate-Friendly Food Service
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- AASHE (MA)
- Friends of the Earth (DC)
The webinar will provide information covering broad menu-based strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of dining service. Friends of the Earth’s Food & Agriculture program consultant will introduce the topic …
- Posted Oct. 18, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Campus Food Pantries: Insights From a National Survey
- Temple University (PA)
- College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA) (MI)
Food insecurity is widespread on American college campuses. Students do not have enough food to feed themselves and sometimes their families as well. We created the College and University Food …
- Posted Oct. 10, 2018
- Publications
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In planting campus gardens, university students root themselves in the larger world
- George Washington University (DC)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (IL)
- AASHE (MA)
- The Washington Post (DC)
Campus gardens allow students an opportunity to tackle food deserts and take action on climate concerns they may have.
- Posted Sept. 7, 2018
- Publications
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FishChoice
- Food Alliance (OR)
- Monterey Bay Aquarium (CA)
- Marine Stewardship Council (WA)
- FishChoice Inc. (CO)
The FishChoice platform offers purchasers and STARS participants the ability to run seafood sustainability assessments and find products that meet sustainability standards such as Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, Fair …
- Posted Aug. 29, 2018
- Tools
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Food Recovery At UIC
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
At the University of Illinois at Chicago's (UIC) dining facilities, there is much food that is prepared but not eaten. It goes to the landfill, but it could be instead …
- Posted Aug. 10, 2018
- Case Studies
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Meeting the food waste challenge in higher education
- Montana State University (MT)
Purpose: Food waste represents a major sustainability challenge with environmental, economic, social and health implications. Institutions of higher education contribute to generating food waste while serving as models in championing …
- Posted Aug. 10, 2018
- Publications
- View more
Princeton University Vertical Farming Project
- Princeton University (NJ)
The Princeton University Vertical Farming Project, led by Dr. Paul Gauthier, uses a hydroponic and artificial lighting growing system to study the viability of feeding a rapidly growing world population …
- Posted Aug. 6, 2018
- Photographs
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No food for thought: Food insecurity is related to poor mental health and lower academic performance among students in California’s public university system
- University of South Carolina (SC)
- University of Michigan (MI)
This study examined the relationships between food insecurity, mental health, and academic performance among college students in a California public university system (N = 8705). Structural equation modeling was performed …
- Posted Aug. 6, 2018
- Publications
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Free Food Planters at University of New Brunswick
- University of New Brunswick, Fredericton (NB)
To engage its campus community in personal and social change through sustainable urban agriculture, the University of New Brunswick Sustainability Office has established sustainable, self-watering, free food planters around the …
- Posted Aug. 1, 2018
- Photographs
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Real Food Standards 2.1
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
The Real Food Standards are a set of criteria and certifications that define Real Food. The purpose of these Standards is to incentivize purchasing from food producers who reflect the …
- Posted Aug. 1, 2018
- Tools
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Emory University supports local community project and skilled job training with commitment to purchase lettuce
- Emory University (GA)
Emory University and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta partnered on a project to create green jobs in a low-income area of Atlanta and help Emory achieve its 75% local …
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Emerson College Food Cam
- Emerson College (MA)
The Emerson College Food Cam is a counter with camera mount that allows members of the campus community to share leftover food with others. Often used by campus catering, donors …
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Anabel’s grocery “for students, by students"
- Cornell University (NY)
We love our Cornell University community so much! Thank you for all your encouragement and support this past week--it means the world to us. We worked tirelessly to make Anabel's …
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Anabel’s grocery is “for students, by students
- Cornell University (NY)
Come celebrate the end of the semester with Anabel's Grocery in Stocking Hall. Come relax and prepare for quick cheap meals you can make when you're busy studying for finals! …
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Anabel’s grocery is a low cost grocery “for students, by students”.
- Cornell University (NY)
Anabel’s grocery is a low cost grocery provider on Cornell’s central campus that is “for students, by students”.
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Anabel's Grocery
- Cornell University (NY)
Anabel's Grocery student run grocery sells quality food.
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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ZipGrow Towers at Missouri State University
- Missouri State University (MO)
In summer 2016, a basement storage room at Missouri State University was repurposed into a hydroponic growing room for the ZipGrow vertical growing towers program. Chartwells and MSU Dining Services …
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
- Percent of sustainably or ethically produced food and beverage expenditures
- Percent of plant-based food expenditures
- Sustainable food and beverage purchasing inventory
- Description of the sustainable food and beverage purchasing program
- Website URL - Sustainable food and beverage purchasing
OP 8: Sustainable Dining
- Description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project
- Description of the sustainability-themed food outlet
- Description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs
- Description of low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options
- Description of the vegan dining program
- Description of sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls
- Description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system
- Description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program
- Description of the food donation program
- Description of the food materials diversion program
- Description of the pre-consumer composting program
- Description of the post-consumer composting program
- Description of the reusable serviceware program
- Description of the compostable materials and serviceware program
- Description of the reusable container discount or incentives program
- Website URL - Sustainable dining programs
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.