Experience of a Lifetime

Hopefully, you were able to participate in Food Day events on Monday, Oct. 24!  Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life to advocate for healthy, affordable food that is produced in a sustainable, humane way.  For more information, check out http://foodday.org/.

UHDS, along with other campus partners including the MU Food Service, Student Sustainability Initiative, Human Services Resource Center/OSU Food Pantry and the Student Dietetic Association hosted information tables  in the Memorial Union Quad in celebration of Food Day. Each group shared information on services and resources that support healthy food.

In UHDS dining centers our goal is to keep healthy food accessible, affordable and from local sources, whenever possible. (See examples of healthy affordable food available in the dining centers in my previous blog).

UHDS is a member of the Food Alliance, an organization that promotes environmental and social responsibility for the food system, and demonstrates this commitment through partnerships with many local vendors.  UHDS is a proud partner with OSU’s Organic Growers Club/Oak Creek Farm.  Although harvest time is coming to an end, Cascadia Market in the new International Living and Learning Center still offers some selections such as tomatoes, hot peppers and bell peppers.  UHDS also supports many other local vendors. Here are just a few examples:

• Bob’s Red Mill
• Carlton Farms
• Country Natural Beef
• Dave’s Killer Bread
• The Higher Taste
• Franz Bakery
• Kenagy Family Farm
• Nearly Normal’s Gonzo Cuisine
• Pacific Coast Fruit Company
• Spring Valley Dairy
• Rain Sheep
• Red Hat Melons
• Riverwood Orchard & Farm
• Stahlbush Island Farms
• Stella Gelato
• Truitt Brothers
• Willamette Valley Cheese Company

Waste not, want not.  In UHDS dining centers, leftovers do not go to waste.  UHDS supports community-based emergency food programs by providing leftover, usable food to Linn-Benton Food Share .  Additionally, plate waste is composted at Allied Waste. At Arnold Dining Center, customers sort all compostable and recyclable products and at McNary Dining and Marketplace West, sorting is completed behind the scenes in our dish rooms.

To learn more about what UHDS is doing to support sustainable food systems, see the UHDS sustainability website.

Thanks and Be Well!

Tara Sanders, UHDS Dietician