You may remember a lunch lady scooping food onto your tray when you were in college. Campus dining is different these days and a whole lot greener.
Iowa State University Freshman Collin Moratz says, "I'm having a waffle and donut right now." Moratz gets his grub at Seasons Marketplace. The new dining facility opened this summer in the center of Maple-Willow-Larch residence halls with a fresh outlook on food.
ISU Dining Director Nancy Levandowski says, "When I started in this business 33 years ago. Your food came through the line, it sat in the warmer box. People put it on the line, a lady scooped it up. She put it on a tray for you and handed it to you."
Levandowski says the lunch lady has been replaced by chefs who cook your meal in front of you. People can choose from seven stations that feature foods from around the world made with products right here from home. She says, "There's a trend also to eat more local, to know where it's from, and people are asking for that."
Levandowski says 10% of the dining facility's food is grown locally or organic, like apples from the Farm to ISU program. She says the goal is to reach 35%. She says, "It does cost a little bit more money, but we did go to the students when we looked at this program and said does this have value to you, and they said yes."
You won't see any trays in the dining hall. Students voted to go trayless in the new facility. Levandowski says it's cut down on waste. She says, "Because we have another facility that isn't trayless, we actually have students doing a study, what the difference is between the two in pre and post consumer waste." Levandowski says the students found diners at the Seasons Marketplace waste half as much food as people at Union Marketplace, another dining facility on campus.
Levandowski says a group of students are now trying to figure out how much money the facility is saving from skipping the trays. She says the savings should be considerable. "They use less soap because we're washing less. Those trays when they're going through are also wasting a great deal of water because it's a flat surface."
Students like Moratz say they like the facility's green features. But, he says it's the food that keeps him coming back. He says, "I might go back for some scrambled eggs in a little bit."
Another green feature is the facility doesn't let the food waste go to waste. Crews send it to the university's compost facility next to the ISU Dairy Farm. The compost is used around campus.
Iowa State University Freshman Collin Moratz says, "I'm having a waffle and donut right now." Moratz gets his grub at Seasons Marketplace. The new dining facility opened this summer in the center of Maple-Willow-Larch residence halls with a fresh outlook on food.
ISU Dining Director Nancy Levandowski says, "When I started in this business 33 years ago. Your food came through the line, it sat in the warmer box. People put it on the line, a lady scooped it up. She put it on a tray for you and handed it to you."
Levandowski says the lunch lady has been replaced by chefs who cook your meal in front of you. People can choose from seven stations that feature foods from around the world made with products right here from home. She says, "There's a trend also to eat more local, to know where it's from, and people are asking for that."
Levandowski says 10% of the dining facility's food is grown locally or organic, like apples from the Farm to ISU program. She says the goal is to reach 35%. She says, "It does cost a little bit more money, but we did go to the students when we looked at this program and said does this have value to you, and they said yes."
You won't see any trays in the dining hall. Students voted to go trayless in the new facility. Levandowski says it's cut down on waste. She says, "Because we have another facility that isn't trayless, we actually have students doing a study, what the difference is between the two in pre and post consumer waste." Levandowski says the students found diners at the Seasons Marketplace waste half as much food as people at Union Marketplace, another dining facility on campus.
Levandowski says a group of students are now trying to figure out how much money the facility is saving from skipping the trays. She says the savings should be considerable. "They use less soap because we're washing less. Those trays when they're going through are also wasting a great deal of water because it's a flat surface."
Students like Moratz say they like the facility's green features. But, he says it's the food that keeps him coming back. He says, "I might go back for some scrambled eggs in a little bit."
Another green feature is the facility doesn't let the food waste go to waste. Crews send it to the university's compost facility next to the ISU Dairy Farm. The compost is used around campus.
