SUSTAINABLE DINING
HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE EATING
Vegan Stations & Plant-forward Recipes
All three UD dining halls have dedicated vegan stations. Also, there are 100+ plant forward recipes on our menus for the fall semester.
Sustainable Fish Fridays
Since 2015, UD’s Caesar Rodney Fresh Food Company has featured sustainable seafood every Friday in partnership with Seafood Watch and the Monterey Bay Association.
Hydroponics Partnerships
The Hydroponics Club and UD Dining Services have partnered to provide students with sustainable, organic, and fresh produce grown right on campus through hydroponic towers. You will find Microfarm stations in Caesar Rodney Fresh Food Company and Pencader Dining.
REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT WHILE DINING
Cool Foods
The Coolfood Meals badge identifies climate friendly dishes which have a low carbon footprint. Using an ingredients list, World Resources Institute calculates and certifies a dish’s carbon footprint by analyzing the agricultural supply chain and land used to produce the meal. UD assures two CoolFood meals are available each meal period.
Local & Responsible Sourcing
When available, we use locally sourced and seasonal ingredients grown, raised, or caught within 250 miles, to support the local economy and strengthen community-based suppliers. Some of our local vendors we use are Hypoint Dairy (Wilmington, DE), UDairy Creamery (Newark, DE), Bing’s Bakery (Newark, DE), Herr’s (Nottingham, PA), Utz Quality Foods (Hanover, PA).
Supporting Local Buisness
We have local restaurants rotate in our Local Restaurant Row stations at Perkins and Trabant Student Centers and at the Global Station on Wednesdays and Thursdays at Pencader Dining Hall; as well as local food trucks at Perkins every Wednesday and Friday. Also look for local artisan food vendors at our POD Markets.
Monthly Farmers Markets
Held monthly at Mentor’s Circle, UD DIning puts on a monthly Farmer’s Market featuring local produce, flowers, chef’s tables, local vendors, and more. Check out dining’s social media for updates throughout the semester!
REDUCE WASTE
Reusable To Go Program
The Reuse Pass Program aims to reduce single-use plastic waste and promote sustainable practices among our students. Reusable to-go containers are available in the dining halls, Greens to Go, and Ecogrounds via the “ReusePass” shop in GrubHub app. Students will return containers within 3 days to get fresh containers for your next to-go meal.
Composting Food Waste
UD partners with Natural Upcycling to collect all food waste from our dining halls and student centers and delivers it to an anaerobic digester 20 miles away that will convert the waste into biogas and fertilizer and keep it out of the landfill.
Oscar AI Recycling Bins
Use Oscar AI recycling bins at the dining halls and students centers to help you sort your trash in the right bins! Play and learn!
REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY
Swipe Out Hunger
Dining Services partners with the Office of Student Life to put on multiple Swipe Out Hunger drives (a national nonprofit on >80 campuses) where Blue Hens can donate guest meals and flex to other students facing food insecurity.
Food Recovery Network
Join the student-run RSO UD chapter of the Food Recovery Network to collect surplus food from the dining halls to donate to the empowerment center of Newark United Methodist Church.
Fill the Pantry
At the end of every semester, the UD Community can buy a bag of nonperishable items from Harrington and Pencader POD Markets to donate. Dining Services will transport and match donations to local food pantries.
Community Food Donations
UD Dining makes regular donations to local food banks like the on campus food pantry, Blue Hen Bounty as well as the Food Bank of Delaware.
Dining Services Information:
@DiningUD on Facebook & Instagram (best way for students to stay connected)
www.udel.edu/dining/sustainability
diningservices@udel.edu, 302-831-6761
