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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Diversity Food Services: Leading the Way on Socially and Environmentally responsible Campus Dining in Canada
- University of Winnipeg (MB)
The University of Winnipeg Campus Sustainability Office would like to nominate Diversity Food Services for an AASHE Campus Sustainability Achievement Award.
Diversity Food Services is a joint venture of the …
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
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TAMU Urban Farm United (TUFU) Campus Food Forest Serves Aggies in Need
- Texas A&M University (TX)
The TAMU Urban Farm, TUFU for short, is a new concept organization on the campus of Texas A&M University (TAMU), whose mission is “Grow to Serve”. The project was made …
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
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Addressing Food Insecurity on Campus
- Colorado State University (CO)
Approximately 10% of students at Colorado State University experience food insecurity. In the past five years, CSU has been aggressively tackling food insecurity through the creation of innovative programs under …
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
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Addressing food insecurity in Australia through education for sustainability
- Deakin University
Within Australia food insecurity affects an estimated 4 million people annually. Health promotion degrees traditionally prepare pre-service graduates to address food insecurity from a social determinants perspective, little consideration of …
- Posted May 13, 2020
- Publications
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Transitioning towards a sustainable food city
- Bournemouth University (Dorset)
This paper aims to provide a case study of a capacity building project and critical reflection in relation to transitioning to a sustainable food city.
- Posted May 13, 2020
- Publications
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The real meal deal: assessing student preferences for “real food” at Fort Lewis College
- Fort Lewis College (CO)
Fort Lewis College committed to purchasing 20% real food by 2020 as part of a national campaign called the Real Food Challenge, an initiative on college campuses that aims to …
- Posted May 11, 2020
- Publications
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The Working Farms Fund: Partnership to Build a Sustainable Local Food System
- Emory University (GA)
Emory University and The Conservation Fund have formed a new partnership to support next-generation farmers in Georgia and help build the local food supply across metro Atlanta with a first-of-its-kind …
- Posted May 11, 2020
- Case Studies
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Utilizing Freezers for Compost Collection at Holy Cross’ Student Apartments
- College of the Holy Cross (MA)
The College of the Holy Cross added compost collection for student food waste in two college-owned apartments, William Hall and Figge Hall. Instead of traditional indoor collection bins, small freezers …
- Posted May 4, 2020
- Case Studies
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The Real Food Database
- AASHE (MA)
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
What food products are Real? Which vendors are verified as fair, ecological, and/or humane? Now, institutions of higher education can find out through the Real Food Database! Compiled from years …
- Posted March 25, 2020
- Videos & Webinars
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The Healthfulness of Eateries at the University of Waterloo: A Comparison across 2 Time Points
- University of Waterloo (ON)
- Trillium Health Partners Institute for Better Health (ON)
Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the healthfulness of a sample of campus eateries at 2 time points, 2 years apart.
Methods: Five eateries at the University …
- Posted March 6, 2020
- Publications
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UVM's Food Values Campaign
- University of Vermont (VT)
The UVM Eco-Reps program consists of 20 students that are divided up into five community teams, with each team assigned to a specified residential area on campus. Each semester, Eco-Reps …
- Posted Feb. 27, 2020
- Case Studies
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Increasing Vegetable Intake by Emphasizing Tasty and Enjoyable Attributes: A Randomized Controlled Multi-site Intervention for Taste-Focused Labeling
- Stanford University (CA)
Healthy food labels tout health benefits, yet most people prioritize tastiness in the moment of food choice. In a preregistered intervention, we tested whether taste-focused labels compared with health-focused labels …
- Posted Feb. 7, 2020
- Publications
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Frederickson Court Trial Compost System
- Iowa State University (IA)
With a campus compost facility already in operation, Iowa State University’s Compost Team sought to utilize the facility in more places around campus. The team identified Frederickson (Freddy) Court, a …
- Posted Feb. 3, 2020
- Case Studies
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Can a Campus Become a Cornucopia?
- College of Charleston (SC)
As an urban campus in a food desert, the College of Charleston (CofC), lacks accessible produce. The only grocery store within a mile of campus caters to a high-income area, …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Weigh the Waste: Assessing Food Waste at Winthrop University
- Winthrop University (SC)
Food waste makes up nearly half of all municipal solid waste produced in the United States. EPA estimates that 40% of all food produced for human consumption is wasted. The …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Raising Food Waste Awareness in Residential Halls - Michigan State University
- Michigan State University (MI)
A large factor in creating a more sustainable economy will come from changes in human behavior with an effort to live more sustainability. Part of this change will be individuals …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Clean Plates at State-Raising Food Waste Awareness in Residential Halls at Michigan State University
- Michigan State University (MI)
Clean Plates at State is a food waste audit conducted in all nine residential dining halls on Michigan State University's campus. This program helps to put environmental sustainability into perspective …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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University of Kentucky Organic Waste Composting Pilot Project: Growing Sustainability Partnerships
- University of Kentucky (KY)
In 2019, the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, UK Dining, Aramark, UK Physical Plant (Waste, Recycling, & Grounds), and UK Sustainability began a strategic partnership …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Don't Let it Go to Waste: Three Scrappy Strategies for Managing Food Waste and Organics in Kentucky
- University of Kentucky (KY)
- University of Louisville (KY)
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
- Aramark (PA)
Food waste is all too often seen as nothing more than 'trash.' Yet capturing food waste for positive transformation can and should be a key component of campus sustainability efforts. …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Closing the Loop: Connecting Education and Operations with a Food Waste Dehydrator Project
- Western Technical College (WI)
In October 2018, in order to meet our sustainability goals and provide relevant connections to coursework in several of our program areas, Western Technical College student government and the facilities …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Fighting Irish, Fighting Food Waste: Converting Food Waste into Energy at Notre Dame
- University of Notre Dame (IN)
Nearly 40% of all food in the United States goes uneaten, and 95% of all wasted food winds up in the landfill. At Notre Dame, food and hospitality is a …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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California State University Says Goodbye to Single-Use Plastics
- California State University, Chancellor's Office (CA)
- California State University, Long Beach (CA)
- California State University, Los Angeles (CA)
The California State University includes 23 campuses, 500,000 students and sustains more than 150,000 employees. A new system policy enacted in December establishes purchasing practices aimed at eliminating disposable plastic …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Sustainable and Local Food Diversity and Affordability: Successful Procurement Case Studies
- Aramark (PA)
- FarmLogix, LLC (IL)
Sustainable and local sourcing was once a movement of privilege used by high-end chefs to delight dining patrons. In this informative session, you will be taken into several case studies …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Food Waste to Energy: Partnering with Dining Halls for Waste Diversion and Electrical Production
- Central Connecticut State University (CT)
Central CT State University has partnered with our food service vendor to collect food waste from our dining halls. The waste is brought to nearby Quantum BioPower where it produces …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Food Insecurity, Recovery, and Redistribution: Sustainable Food Practices for Institutions
- Bemidji State University (MN)
Bemidji State University finds itself in a paradoxical struggle: many of our students struggle with food insecurity, but we are so overwhelmed by an excess of food that much of …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Closing the Loop on Food Waste: Leftovers From Catered Events Feed Hungry Students
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Food waste at catered events is an issue we see so often as most event planners tend to over order, while at the same time we see a growth in …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Menus of Change University Research Collaborative: Collaboration to Change the Food System
- Boston College (MA)
The MCURC is a working group of scholars and campus dining leaders from invited colleges and universities interested in accelerating efforts to move American consumers-and college/university students, scholars, and staff …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Turning Values Into Results: The Real Food Calculator and Real Food Procurement
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Through their purchasing power, institutions of higher education are in a position to create positive change in our food system that is currently dominated by industrial agriculture and exploitative, unsustainable …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Sustaining Local Producers Through University Purchasing
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
Universities have the opportunity to play a pivotal role in their local economies by buying local. Through their large purchasing power in food procurement, universities can support a local food …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Local, Sustainable, Grassfed and Delicious: Harvest Table North Carolina Case Study
- Wake Forest University (NC)
- Changing Tastes (MA)
- Harvest Table Culinary Group (PA)
More than two decades of work to promote local, sustainable and real food in colleges has transformed what it means to succeed in foodservice. It's raised awareness of the carbon …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Going Beyond Local to Build Just and Sustainable Rural Economies
- University of Missouri (MO)
- Aramark (PA)
- Farm Forward (OR)
- Niman Ranch (CO)
Historically, the phrase 'sustainable food' focused exclusively on environmental impacts of food production, but to build a truly sustainable food system we must broaden the aperture to consider how the …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Supporting a Sustainable Economy Through Partnership With Local Food Hubs
- Gonzaga University (WA)
- Sodexo USA (MD)
- Puget Sound Food Hub (WA)
- LINC Foods (WA)
This session will showcase how to effectively collaborate with local producers to build a more sustainable economy through increased purchases of local products and to raise awareness about food systems …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Meatless to Mindful Monday: The Progression of Promoting Less and Better Meat at UNC Asheville
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
In this presentation, we will review the evolution of one school's efforts to promote less and better meat eating on campus. In 2015, UNC Asheville Dining Services began hosting monthly …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Combating Food Insecurity Through Sustainable Student-Led Initiatives
- Baldwin Wallace University (OH)
This case study will include information on the efforts of staff, faculty, and students to eliminate food insecurity among students on Baldwin Wallace's campus. The project began about three years …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Campus Farmers Networking Meeting
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
- University of Utah (UT)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Join other campus farmers and food system advocates in creating a robust, interdisciplinary network of campus-based growers and partners. Find someone in your region or across the nation to share …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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The Pursuit of Delicious, Carbon-Friendly Food
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
This year, with customer health and the environment in mind, Cal Dining defined their vision statement as 'serving delicious food that happens to be nutritious and sustainable', understanding that serving …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Implementing Experiential Education to Change Food Culture in Non-Land Grant Universities
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
This presentation will cover lessons learned in creating and adapting an experiential sustainable agriculture program as it applies to a non-land grant university, without a dedicated agriculture program. Indiana University …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Big Red Eats Green: Empowering Students to Engage in their University Food System
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
This presentation will share the details of an established, multi-year endeavor that focuses on the relationship between students and the university food system. An event that celebrates and showcases that …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Food as a Conduit: A Toolkit for Leading Institutional Change
- Boston College (MA)
Change is hard. This interactive session will explore how non-academic campus services like dining, auxiliary and facilities can inspire a culture of sustainability and collaboration across campus and beyond. Boston …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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We Have POWER: Building a Movement for Food Justice on Campus
- Western Washington University (WA)
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Our food system is in crisis. From the fields to the factories, people who work in the food chain face low wages, sexual harassment, and dangerous working conditions. Food insecurity …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Training Future Food System Leaders Using Campus Food Economies
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
- University of Utah (UT)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
This session is guided by two principle questions: 1. What are all the aspects of a campus food economy and how are students engaged? 2. What structures are in place …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Gonzaga's Journey to Create a Sustainable Food Culture on Campus
- Gonzaga University (WA)
Real Food Club has been working to shift purchasing in our dining facilities to 'Real food' (meaning local, humane, fair-trade, or ecologically sound) since 2013. We are nearing upon the …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Harvard University's Holistic Approach and Model for a Sustainable Food System
- Harvard University (MA)
The Harvard Office for Sustainability (OFS) convened a multi-disciplinary committee of world-renowned faculty to translate their research into action on campus to create a more sustainable food system that contributes …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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The Future of Real Food
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
The past ten years have seen a dramatic shift in real food purchasing on college and university campuses. Local food and sustainability are now common conversations in campus dining. Values …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Fair Trade Campus Advocacy for a Sustainable Economy
- Gonzaga University (WA)
- Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the U.S. Our Fair Trade Colleges & …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Leveraging the Power of Institutional Purchasing to Create a Sustainable Economy through Fair Trade
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
- Aramark (PA)
- Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the U.S. Our Fair Trade Colleges & …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Food Systems Down Under: Lessons from the Australian Context and The Fair Food Challenge
- University of Melbourne (Victoria)
This presentation will look at action in campus food systems in Australian universities. Australia has been slow to adopt action in campus foodscape transformation and there have been recent advancements …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Bring More Plant-Based Options to Your Campus
- Balanced.org (KS)
In this session, attendees will learn how to work with their university's food service department to increase the amount of plant-based foods on dining hall menus. They'll learn how to …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
- Conference Presentations
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Creating a Student-Led Campaign for a Self-Operated Dining System: How to get Started at Your School
- Western Washington University (WA)
At Western Washington University, students have been leading a multi-year effort to implement a self-operated dining system after the decade long contract with Aramark expires in 2021. Currently, WWU is …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Lessons Learned from a Campus Food Pantry: Sustainability, Social Justice, and Campus Partnerships
- University of Denver (CO)
Hunger and food insecurity are growing problems on college campuses. The rising cost of a college education and the increasing number of nontraditional students mean that more students are struggling …
- Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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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.