UMass Dining Exceeds “Real Food” Goal

Source: UMass News and Media

The award-winning UMass Dining program has surpassed a goal to make at least 20% of their offerings be “Real Food,” defined as food from local/community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane food sources. In the student-led 2020 Real Food Challenge (RFC), UMass Dining reported that 29% of its budgeted dining was “Real Food.” 

“UMass has been an enthusiastic supporter and the driving force for using the wonderful, fresh, local produce our area offers,” said Joe Czajkowski, one of UMass Dining’s local farm partners. “Their support helps my family farm and many other neighboring farms market everything from apples to zucchini. They really are sincere in buying local.”

Some of the achievements made along the way include:

• Over 100 farm partners
• 100% cage-free eggs
• 100% fair trade bananas 
• 74% of produce is local, fair trade, and/or organic
• 68% of the seafood is third-party certified
• 32% of the animal protein is local, grass-fed, pasture-raised
  

“UMass Dining’s commitment to providing healthy, sustainable food for our students and the campus community is just one example of how UMass strengthens the economy and supports a sustainable environment in the Pioneer Valley and beyond,” said Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy. “We are proud of our award-winning campus food, and it is great to know that by partnering with our students, UMass Dining is leading the way in the Real Food movement.”

UMass Dining has spent the last decade partnering with local, regional, and national food producers to prioritize Real Food and the relationships that make that possible. 

  “We are excited to be celebrating this accomplishment and will continue to push ourselves to be leaders in building and strengthening a resilient, sustainable food system,” said Ken Toong, executive director of UMass Auxiliary Enterprises.