UVM Dining

This week, UVM is launching a temporary food assistance program called Swipe Out Hunger across campus. The program provides students (including undergraduate, graduate, and medical students) facing financial difficulties up to 14 free meals per academic year until a more sustainable solution can be put in place. Students in need of swipes can stop by one of the partner offices across campus and sit down with a staff member to fill out the Swipe Out Hunger Meal Request form which gets sent to the UVM Meal Plan Office. For more information on where to apply and the partnered offices please visit the UVM Food Insecurity website. 

The goal of UVM’s pilot Swipe Out Hunger program is to help alleviate some of the food insecurity and hunger students face on campus during the school year. The program operates as a partnership between the Food Insecurity Working Group, UVM Dining, and UVM Division of Student Affairs, and the Swipe Out Hunger national campaign. Meal donation drives were hosted at the end of the fall semester were fellow students donated left over guest meals and raised 629 swipes!  The team is sincerely grateful for their generous donations that will help fully fund 45 students in need. In the event that there is a greater need than what this bank currently has the capacity to address, the Dean of Students Office will help fund additional students.

Student food insecurity is a growing topic of concern, not just on UVM’s campus, but across the nation as well as more students attend school and costs continue to rise. While academic studies exploring food insecurity on campus have been published for nearly a decade, a report published in October 2016 surveyed students across many institutions and found that students experience food insecurity at rates significantly higher than the national average.

Catalyzed by this and other concerns, a group at the University of Vermont, headed by the Center for Health and Wellbeing, was formed to explore experiences of food insecurity in the on-campus community and has been the driving force behind the implementation of the Swipe Out Hunger pilot and other food access initiatives on campus. The group, now called the Food Insecurity Working Group, is comprised of students, faculty, and staff from across campus offices.

Swipe Out Hunger and other anti-hunger initiatives on campus are based on data collected by the Food Insecurity Working Group and graduate students during the spring and fall of the 2017.  The Food Insecurity Working Group conducted a survey of undergraduate, graduate, and medical students as well as faculty and staff to determine base line levels of hunger on campus, and then re-surveyed campus in fall 2017. The surveys found that, in fact, the UVM community reported higher rates (19.6% in the spring and 15% in the fall) of food insecurity than the national and state average in 2016.

Students were the most insecure population among the campus community with one in four undergraduate students in spring 2017 and one in five students in fall 2017 reporting experiences of food insecurity. Off campus students had significantly higher rates of food insecurity at 27.1% in the spring and 21.0% in the fall demonstrating an “off-campus effect.”

By Emilie Riddle, UVM M.S. Dietetics Intern

Getting some protein with every meal provides fuel for your active student lifestyle, helps maintain strong muscles, and keeps you feeling satisfied until your next meal. Even if you are not following a vegetarian or vegan eating pattern, plant proteins are a way to add variety and help you stay fit and healthy.

In addition to amino acids (the building blocks of body proteins), plant proteins provide fiber and nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium and B vitamins, while being naturally low in cholesterol, sodium, and calories. Research shows a strong link between eating patterns based on plant proteins and a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Choosing plant proteins also helps the environment. Beef is the worst offender: if cows started their own country they would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind the U.S. and China! Cutting your consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs in half can reduce your environmental footprint by half.

Some plant proteins (soy, quinoa, and hemp) already contain all the amino acids your body cannot make for itself. For a full vegan diet, plan to include complete plant proteins or legumes every day to ensure a sufficient supply of the amino acid lysine, which is not found in high quantities in other plant proteins. Select a variety of plant proteins to ensure your body has everything it needs to build complete proteins. Even the vegetables you eat with your meal play a part, as a ½ cup serving of most vegetables has at least 2 grams of protein.

There are many plant proteins available at UVM Dining locations, including tofu, beans, seeds and sometimes nuts (at the salad bar), hummus, falafel, seitan, tempeh, peanut butter, lentils, and quinoa.

Choose Your Plant Protein

Legumes: lentils, beans, peas, peanuts/peanut butter

Soy: tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk

Grains: seitan, quinoa, amaranth, spelt, teff, buckwheat, oats, wheat berries, wild rice, sprouted breads

Nuts: pistachios, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts

Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, hemp, flax, chia

Other: nutritional yeast, spirulina

 Easy Protein Snacks

Try these simple snacks to add plant proteins to your eating pattern. Most of them are also great options to have on the go between classes and study sessions:

 ·       Nuts

·       Pumpkin or sunflower seeds

·       Roasted chickpeas or edamame

·       Trail Mix – make your own with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, dark chocolate

·       Apple, pear, carrots, or celery with peanut or other nut butter

·       Bean Salsa – mix beans with salsa and serve with tortilla chips

·       Toast with hummus or nut butter – try sprouted bread for extra protein

Microwave Popcorn with Nutritional Yeast

Cheaper than buying microwave popcorn bags, the nutritional yeast gives a “cheesy” flavor with a healthy dose of protein—2-6 grams per tablespoon, depending on the brand.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup popping corn

1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, to taste

Salt, to taste

Brown paper lunch bag

Directions:

On Monday, August 28th UVM Dining served up its first scoop of ice cream made with UVM milk since the closure of UVM’s Carrigan Hall, home to the original Dairy Bar from 1950-1995. In collaboration with UVM CREAM (Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management), St. Albans Cooperative Creamery, and Wilcox Ice Cream, the Davis Center is now home to a new ice cream vision.

How did we bring it back? We prioritized Vermont First. UVM Dining has committed to working with farmers, distributors, processors, and supply-chain players in Vermont before we look elsewhere. It’s all based in our pledge to bring farm to our institution. The UVM ice cream journey starts with the high-quality milk from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ very own CREAM program. Located at the Miller Research Educational Center on Spear Street in Burlington, Vermont, CREAM is a student operated dairy farm. With 34 Holstein and Jersey cows, this superior herd has plenty of milk to spare for our ice cream. Through the hard work of both cows and CREAM students, the milk continues its journey to St. Albans Coop Creamery in St. Albans, Vermont.

St. Albans Coop has been making dairy products for nearly a century. With the arrival of the milk from UVM CREAM, farmers create a delicious ice cream mix. That mix will soon find its way to Wilcox Premium Ice Cream in East Arlington, Vermont.

Why Wilcox? Howard Wilcox, ’66, Animal Science, first learned to make ice cream from his father. At UVM, Howard was one of the few students making ice cream in the original Carrigan Hall Dairy Bar. Today Wilcox Premium Ice Cream uses pieces of equipment from the original Dairy Bar in their operation. Howard, Christina, Craig and the rest of the Wilcox crew take the ice cream mix made with milk from UVM CREAM to create a variety of fantastic flavors. From “Sweet CREAM” to “Melody Mint Chocolate Chip” there’s a flavor for everyone. A portion of sales from the ice cream sold on campus even makes its way back in support of the CREAM program.

But that’s not all! This space is also home to a new smoothie selection. Made with organic fruit and utilizing Fair Trade bananas, we recognize ice cream isn’t for everyone. Whether you’re in the mood for Maple Blueberry (made with pure Vermont maple syrup from UVM’s Proctor Maple Research Center) or Triple Berry, stop by the Dairy Bar to fuel your day.  

With the arrival of spring, it's time to load up on yummy fruits and veggies that are in season!

The following recipes are delicious, refreshing and packed with nutrients!

CARROT, PEAR AND GINGER MUFFINS

1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp freshly grated ginger

¼ tsp nutmeg

2 cups carrots, peeled and grated

2 pears, peeled and diced

½ cup walnuts

½ cup raisins

⅓ cup coconut oil

¾ cup maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven at 425 ℃.

Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl and all wet ingredients in another bowl.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Line a muffin tin with muffin cups and place a ¼ of batter into each muffin cup.

Cook the muffins for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Carrots are a great immune booster due to their rich source of vitamin C and are an excellent source of vitamin A which helps with eyesight! Ginger is a great way to spice up a dish while boosting your immune system! Pears are an excellent source of fiber and are high in vitamin C and K and prevent cell damage.  

Recipe from: http://cookieandkate.com/2015/healthy-carrot-muffins-recipe/

SPINACH AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

Salad: assemble in a large bowl

12 oz fresh baby spinach leaves

1 grapefruit, peeled with segments cut out

1 avocado, peeled and diced

¼ cup toasted walnuts

¼ cut crumbled feta

Dressing:

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp mustard

1 Tbsp grapefruit juice

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake

Pour over salad, toss and serve!

Spinach is a power food, packed with vitamins A, C, E and K aiding in heart health and memory function. Grapefruit aids in heart health, good blood pressure, hydration, and a healthy complexion!

This weekend, the 35th annual NOFA- VT Winter Conference will be taking place at UVM. The theme for this year is, “Beyond Borders: Our Role in the Global Food System.” The NOFA-VT Conferences focus on the local food system on an individual to state scale, but with the theme this year, we can expect see workshops and discussions pushing conference guests to take lessons from a global scale.

A few sessions stand out as a link between Vermont and the global food system. On Saturday, the workshop “The Milk with Dignity Program: Worker-Driven Social Responsibility” will give insight into the work being done in Vermont to ensure protected rights for farmers and farm workers in the dairy industry. Representatives from Migrant Justice and the Milk with Dignity Standards Council will be speaking to this. On Sunday, the workshop “Global Food, Local Food: Stories and Crops from Vermont Resettled Refugee Farmers” will share some stories of Refugees who have started farming since moving to Vermont. These are just a few of the many perspectives to be shared. 

To explore more of the global food system, two distinguished guests will be presenting as Keynote speakers, Dr. Fernando Funes Monzote and Dr. Vandana Shiva. From Cuba and India respectively, Monzote and Shiva will be speaking about their work in sustainable agriculture. Linked above are their conference bio’s, illustrating some of their groundbreaking work.

As always, the NOFA conference provides a space for those interested in organic food and a thriving local food system to come together and share ideas. The weekend will be filled with workshops, roundtable discussions and presentations that celebrate the work of organic producers and consumers.

Eva Sherman, UVM Dining Sustainability Intern

Strengthen your immune system, boost your energy and improve your complexion by eating more fruits and veggies!

Vitamin A: supports good vision, a strong immune system, and helps the heart, lungs and kidneys function properly. Vitamin A can be found in beef, salmon, green leafy vegetables, cantaloupe, apricots, mangoes, dairy products and fortified breakfast cereals.

Vitamin B1: also known as thiamin, helps turn the food you eat into energy. It helps with the growth, development and function of cells. Thiamin can be found in whole grains, and fortified bread, cereal, pasta, and rice, meat, such as pork and fish, and legumes, nuts and seeds.

Vitamin B6: aids in metabolic functions, and helps with brain development during pregnancy and infancy as well as maintain a healthy immune system. Vitamin B6 is found in fish and organ meats, potatoes, starchy vegetables, and fruit.

Vitamin B12: keeps nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA. Prevents anemia (that causes tiredness and weakness). Vitamin B12 can be found in beef liver, clams, fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, fortified cereals and nutritional yeast.

Vitamin C: is an antioxidant that our bodies need to make collagen, a protein required to help our wounds heal. It also helps with the absorption of iron from plant based foods, and helps support the immune system. Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, red and green peppers, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, baked potatoes, and tomatoes.

Vitamin D: absorbs calcium from other foods to maintain strong bones. Muscles need it to move, nerves need it to send messages between the body and the brain, and it maintains the immune system by fighting off bacteria and viruses. Vitamin D can be found in salmon, tuna, mackerel, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, mushrooms, fortified milk, cereals, orange juice, and yogurt.

Vitamin E: acts as an antioxidant and immune system booster to protect the body from cell damage, bacteria and viruses. It widens blood vessels to prevent clotting, and helps cells interact with each other to carry out bodily functions. Vitamin E can be found in sunflower and safflower oils, green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, and fortified breakfast cereals, and fruit juices.

Vitamin K: helps the blood clot to prevent excessive bleeding. Vitamin K can be found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, lettuce and broccoli, vegetable oils, blueberries, figs, meat, cheese, eggs and soy beans.

Frozen fruits and veggies: frozen fruits and veggies can be just as high in vitamins and antioxidants as fresh fruits and veggies. Produce that is sold fresh may have been in storage for a month before being sold and may deteriorate in storage. Frozen fruits and veggies retain their vitamin and antioxidant content when they are frozen fresh and are a great winter snack!

By Katie Horner, UVM Food Systems Graduate Fellow

In the world of energy bars, there are countless options, and many of those options contain bizarre ingredients that most of us can’t even pronounce. Fortunately, those in need of an energy boost here in the Green Mountain State can ignore the overly abundant, mass-produced products and simply reach for a Garuka Bar. These locally-made, small-batch bars feature raw Vermont honey in a recipe designed to provide the ideal pre-exercise combination of natural carbohydrates and healthy, plant-based fats.

In addition to being a delicious way to fuel up and stave off hunger during a workout or hike, Garuka Bars are also helping stave off hunger for a number of Vermont families this holiday season. For the third year in a row, Garuka donated one meal to the Vermont Foodbank for every one of their bars purchased during the week leading up to Thanksgiving; an additional meal was donated for every customer who posted their bar purchase on social media using the hashtag #VTBizCares. This year, the company donated 1,616 holiday meals, an almost 300% increase from the 600 or so meals they were able to donate in 2015. While impressive even out of context, these meal donations become even more important when you consider that an estimated 153,000 Vermonters need to access food shelves and meal service programs each year.

While for many individuals and businesses this kind of philanthropic giving is limited to the holiday season, for Garuka it is a central tenet of the business’ mission. Since its inception in 2011, Garuka has focused on a unique hybrid of local and global social responsibility. While the company focuses on supporting innovative local producers here in Vermont, it also donates 1% of profits to support gorilla conservation efforts in Rwanda. The name of the company translates to ‘return well’ in the national Rwandan language of Kinyarwanda. This concept pervades the company’s social endeavors, such as their partnership with the Vermont Foodbank. For a small business, Garuka has a big impact.

If you ask company founder Mike Rosenberg, this is in part thanks to the support Garuka received from Sodexo over the past five years. Garuka bars are sold at almost every Vermont institution served by Sodexo and at some of the food service provider’s accounts in New Hampshire and Maine. The relationship operates as a two-way street: not only does Sodexo provide a large market for the local energy bars, the bars also align with the goals of Vermont First and the Real Food Challenge, two initiatives that represent core values of many Sodexo accounts in the state. In this way, Garuka exemplifies how local businesses benefit from increased institutional demand for local products.

This begs the question, what is the relationship between local business and addressing hunger in Vermont? According to the Vermont Foodbank website, of 51 donor businesses, about 75% are Vermont-based. When one considers the significant impact that local businesses have on addressing dire problems, like hunger, that affect Vermonters, the mission of Vermont First takes on another dimension. In promoting local products like Garuka Bars, not only is Vermont First fostering the local Vermont economy; it is also promoting a network of businesses that together are working to help Vermonters in need. So it seems appropriate, at this time of year, to remember the impact we can all have by supporting Vermont businesses, and therefore Vermonters, first.

If you are ever passing through any of the UVM Dining retail locations or Redstone dining hall, you might stumble upon Vermont Kosher as an excellent hot entrée or prepackaged to-go food option. Their wide variety of salads (both green and grain) , wraps and desserts have many prepared choices that are vegetarian, gluten free, and vegan. Vermont Kosher food is prepared by founder Rachel Jacobs who now runs her small kosher company out of Redstone Dining. As a successful local kosher business, Rachel was approached by UVM Dining to be their certified kosher kitchen on campus to meet the needs of students following kosher diets.

We asked Rachel what inspired her to start Vermont Kosher, she said that many people started to ask her to make meals for events after having eaten dinner at her house for Shabbat. Rachel, who is from Israel, said what makes her food unique, is that she prepares Middle Eastern and Mediterranean meals that we don’t get exposed to here in Vermont because her recipes and preparation techniques are authentic Mediterranean.

When buying their food, Vermont Kosher carefully selects their sources for produce and meat so that they meet Jewish dietary laws of kosher, which in Hebrew kosher means “fit” or “proper” and is the optimal diet for spiritual health. When following a kosher diet, the way meat is prepared and killed must be in accordance to Jewish law in order to be acceptable to eat. Considering qualified and healthy kosher food, they buy grass fed, organic meat from New York that follows Jewish law and produce from several local farms.

According to their 2015-2016 audit, Vermont Kosher serves approximately 10.9% Real Food. Most of that percentage is represented in the ecologically sound category. UVM Dining serves 19% Real Food. The business buys most of the produce from UVM’ Catamount Farm, Digger’s Mirth and Black River Produce. Rachael states that 90 percent of the produce is organic, including vegetables such as beets, cabbage, and kale are options they order from UVM farm.  Vermont Kosher’s main produce supplier is Black River produce who sources conventional and local farms to fulfill their year round needs. Cost is a barrier for Vermont Kosher in increasing their Real Food percentages and Vermont First qualified purchases. Rachel states that kosher food is typically four times more expensive than the typical conventional food and with seasonal limitations, it can be hard to always buy a low budget. Rachel tries her best to find a balance between good food and ingredients while providing lost cost options for her customers.

With ample amounts of enticing holiday food, it is hard to differentiate between appetite and hunger during the holiday season. The holidays are filled with cheer and reconnecting with family and it can be hard to regulate a healthy diet. Finding a balance between socializing, exercising, and eating delicious and nutritious foods is important. With these following tips, you can make your holiday not only happy, but also healthy!

Get outside! Although the weather is cooling off, it is still a gorgeous time of year to to go on a walk or hike. After a long morning preparing food for a family gathering, take a break and get some fresh air. The American Academy of Sports Nutrition suggests getting 30 minutes of physical activity per day. The benefits? A reduced risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. Take the dogs out for a walk and enjoy a winter wonderland while improving your health!

Holiday Treats Contrary to popular belief, the average American gains an average of 1 pound during the holiday season. Preparing delicious food and indulging in snacks is part of the holiday spirit, but it is important to be mindful of what you are eating, and to eat in moderation. Before attending a holiday party, eat a snack that will keep you satisfied. Prepare a bowl of yogurt with granola, apple slices with peanut butter, or carrots with hummus. This will help you snack in moderation when you arrive due to a healthy and filling snack before the party!

Healthy Recipes: Holiday recipes can be just as delicious when prepared in a healthier manner. Take your favorite recipe and substitute some of the not so healthy ingredients for a more mindful choice. Instead of making mashed potatoes with a stick of butter and heavy cream, try roasting root vegetables with olive oil, herbs and salt. When preparing horderves, set out a platter of veggie treats instead of a bowl of chips. Last but not least, prepare a dessert that is healthy, energizing and delicious!

Roasted Root Veggies:

Ingredients: 2 Parsnips 3 Sweet potatoes 4 Carrots 2 Beets 4 Potatoes 1⁄3 cup Olive oil 1⁄2 Tsp salt Choice of a variation of herbs: thyme, basil, pepper, or sage 3 Cloves crushed garlic

Preparation:

Preheat oven at 425 degrees.

Peel vegetables. Chop parsnips and carrots into bite size pieces. Chop sweet potatoes and potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Slice beets into 1⁄4 inch thick semicircles.

Toss all the vegetables with olive oil, salt, herbs, and crushed garlic.

Place in a glass 9x13 glass baking dish, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender.

Serve hot alongside a lean protein, and a hearty green salad!

Veggies and Healthy Dip:

Ingredients: 4 Carrots 4 Sticks celery 2 Cups Cauli<lower 2 Cups Broccoli 2 Red bell peppers

Dip: 1 Cup low fat greek yogurt 2 Tbsp Tahini 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice 1⁄2 tsp Cumin 1⁄2 tsp Salt A handful of chopped chives or cilantro 1 Clove minced garlic 1 tsp honey (optional)

Preparation:

Cut carrots, celery, and bell peppers into matchsticks. Chop the broccoli and cauliflower into 2 inch cubes.

For the dip: combine all ingredients for the dip in a bowl and mix until combined. Add chives or cilantro to garnish.

Arrange vegetables on a platter and place dip in a bowl in the center. Serve and enjoy!

Mini Date-Nut Snowballs:

A great way to make a healthy dessert with just the right amount of natural sweetener. Each snowball provides a boost of energy in a delicious and healthy way!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut                                                        1/2 cups pitted dried dates 15 raw almonds 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon Pinch of kosher salt

Preparation: 

Place dates, almonds,cinnamon and salt in a food processor and process until ingredients is finely chopped.

Place the shredded coconut in a bowl.

Form rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls of the mixture into spheres and roll in coconut flakes, pressing to coat.

Serve and enjoy!

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/the-many-bene<its-of-walking-30-m inutes-a-day/2015/10/19/cf12c938-71e1-11e5-9cbb-790369643cf9_story.html 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy/photos/healthy-holiday-baking.html 

https://bewell.stanford.edu/avoiding-holiday-weight-gain%20

We are excited to announce our new Food Recovery Network verification, recognizing our efforts to feed people, not landfills! 

We ramped up our food recovery program in March 2015 by creating systems for each kitchen to donate directly to our neighborhood food shelf on a regular basis. The “kitchen” line in this graph indicates all back of house organics, including trim waste, spoilage, overproduction, etc. Although we’ve always donated food before periods of being closed, before March 2015 we did not have a system in place for day-to-day food donation. In the first year of the program, we donated about 15,000 lbs campus-wide and approximately 8,000 lbs of that came from our locations in the Davis Center. 

We knew those donations were having an impact on the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf because we were hearing positive feedback directly from our partners there. Especially about our grab-and-go items that didn’t require reheating, a bonus for patrons without kitchens. 

The graph above shows that we also significantly reduced the volume of organics being sent to Green Mountain Compost. Where feeding people is important from a social perspective, there is also an important environmental impact that our donation program has. Vermont’s Universal Recycling and Composting Law encourages businesses and residents to prioritize their diversion practices based on the following hierarchy in order to maximize the positive impact and minimize the negative impact of discarded organics.

Today is America Recycles Day, a day to learn more about what is recyclable, remember to reduce waste, recycle more and encourage others to do the same! All of the recyclables collected on campus go to Chittenden Solid Waste District’s (CSWD) Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Williston. We have lots of food and beverage packaging that is recyclable on campus – but only if it’s free of food! In this blog post, Clare explains just how clean recycling needs to be and why it’s important to their process and business model. So, remember to rinse before your recycle!

By Clare Innes, Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Originally posted on the CSWD Blog on 11/1/16.

For a product or material to be recyclable, there needs to be someone out in the global commodities market who wants to buy that material and use it to manufacture new product.

Buyers let us know what types of material they want and what condition it has to be in for them to accept it—and none of them want food residue on the plastic, paper, or metal recyclables they buy.

What you can do

Empty & rinse plastic and metal cans, bottles, and tubs clean before putting them in your recycling bin. For sticky stuff like peanut butter, try letting them soak for a few minutes with hot water to loosen up the remains before a good rinse.

^ This jar needs a good rinse

Keep paper or cardboard clean & dry. Any paper contaminated with food residue or grease stains is a big recycling no-no.

Why it matters

We use the money we make from selling recyclables to fund recycling programs.

If we are paid less for our loads because of too much contamination, or if we have to pay to send food-contaminated recyclables to the landfill rather than to market, that’s less funding for programs that serve you.

Plus, food contamination makes the job and working environment much harder for the 20+ workers who sort your cans, bottles, jugs, and paper at our recycling facility.

^ Phoebe the dog (Photo by fsamuels)

Easy rinsing

Post written by Gabrielle Natale, UVM senior

“It makes sense to use food from local farms.  It makes little sense to overlook them” Says Joe Bossen, founder and president of Vermont Bean Crafters—the most “real” on campus food vendor in the state of Vermont.

If you don’t know much about Vermont Bean Crafters here’s the rundown: Joe started the brand back in 2009, just him and some friends experimenting with bean burger recipes to sell at the Rutland Winter Farmers Market.  They had one goal in mind; create a delicious burger while supporting a local economy and utilizing local food.  Since 2009, the company has expanded exponentially, now producing up to 7,000 burgers per week, but their goal still remains the same.

Bean Crafters was welcomed to the UVM community in 2015, already well exceeding the Real Food Challenge and Vermont First guidelines.  Respectively, the guidelines require at least 20% real food by 2020, and local Vermont products to be used whenever available. Bean Crafters is currently standing at a whopping 90% real food sourced in the Vermont region for eight months of the year.  The number drops to a still impressive 66% over the winter months.

Bossen says he’s interested in seeing us all fostering vibrant, resilient communities.  This explains why Bean Crafters currently contracts out 60 acres of bean growth in Vermont, and lends out their own post-harvesting equipment so that smaller farms can process their own beans to sell to Bean Crafters, joining the local food revolution.  “The food’s got to taste great,” he says, “and—this too often goes overlooked or unsolved—it needs to be accessible in terms of price and distribution networks.”

Sound good to you? Are you interested in dining at a future-minded, sustainable, community based eatery filled with delicious bean filled products? You can pick up a Bean Crafters meal at their first on campus eatery in the UVM Marche, and don’t think that a bean burger is your only food option.  Bean Crafters also offers delicious falafels, burritos, tacos, and salads.  And yes, it’s all real food.

By Nicole Rohrig, RD CD

I’ll be the first to tell you that I hate the word “diet”.  It is loaded with lots of negative connotations because diets tend to focus on all of the foods you like, but are off limits. But this one is different. In fact, there is no single Mediterranean Diet and instead, can better be described as a lifestyle that focuses on healthful dietary patterns.

The Mediterranean Diet encompasses the traditional foods, cooking methods, and style of eating in the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea. This whole foods diet is primarily plant-based with an emphasis on healthy fats and  small portions of fish and poultry. Research continues to show that this way of eating is associated with a healthier weight and can help decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.

Going Mediterranean

Fruits and Vegetables Galore- Aim to eat a variety of colorful fresh fruits and vegetables at each meal.

Healthy Fats- Olive oil, olives, avocado, nuts, and seeds are used with gusto. These foods provide heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

The Protein Flip- Include more plant-based proteins, including beans and lentils. Choose chicken or turkey and limit to 3 ounces (the size of a deck of cards) a few times per week. Select red meat no more than a few times per month.

Focus on Fish- Aim to eat sustainable fish two times per week for their Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

Hearty Whole Grains- Select whole grain foods whenever possible, including oats, brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat breads/pasta.

Dairy in Moderation- Select milk products, such as plain yogurt and cheese in moderation.

Flavorful Additions- Herbs and spices are a great source of antioxidants and help season foods without adding a lot of salt.

Sweets for Special Occasions- Choose whole fruit or dark chocolate for a sweet treat.

Libations- Water is encouraged. Limit juices, sodas, and sweetened beverages. Red wine can be enjoyed in moderation during mealtimes.

Enjoy Foods with Friends and Family- It’s not just what you eat, but how you do it! Slow down and make memories.

A Day in the Life

Don’t overthink it. Start by making one or two small changes, once those become habit; pick another to focus on. Before you know it will just be second nature.

Breakfast: Plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit or oatmeal, craisins, sunflower seeds, and cinnamon.

Lunch: Hummus and Vegetable sandwich on whole grain bread or wrap or a bowl of hearty bean soup with a side salad topped with seeds, olive oil, and vinegar.

Dinner: Salmon with roasted sweet potato and broccoli or quinoa with black beans and sautéed vegetables.

Snacks: Fresh fruits, hummus and carrots, handful of nuts or healthy trail mix.

Do you enjoy a cold brew coffee and a fresh bakery item before class? Do you enjoy supporting local businesses? If so, you can stop in at Henderson’s Café, which carries VT Artisan Tea and Coffee and Mirabelles bakery items among many other local foods. Henderson’s Café, named after the first UVM African American graduate, is the first retail store for VT Artisan Tea and Coffee. Henderson’s Café, the Bookstore (on the third floor of Davis Center) and CAT Pause convenient store’s (on the first floor of Davis Center) are all owned by UVM but managed as a self-sustaining department. They create profits that go back into the general fund to support scholarships and clubs. In all three venues there is a commitment to sourcing local foods.

All locations are taking part in the Real Food Challenge and Vermont First at UVM. The Real Food Challenge is a national student led organization that challenges universities to shift 20% of campus food purchases towards local, ecologically sound, fair and humane food by 2020. Vermont First is Sodexo’s statewide pledge to purchase products made in Vermont. Between these three locations, 37.9 % of the food they sold during the 2015-2016 assessment year was considered Real Food and 81.5 % met Vermont First criteria.

Management has been committed to the Real Food Challenge for the past three years and has already exceeded the University’s goal of 20% by 2020! According to the manager Jay Menninger, “We do try to supply everything local that we can, we try desperately to support all the local businesses… We do 65 or 66 percent- according to what week you talk to me, local vendors down in the CAT Pause convenient store.”  Jay notes that the commitment to local food comes with challenges. They have to work individually with each vendor and each one presents unique purchasing challenges. For example, when developing a sales relationship with Mirabelles, Henderson’s Café was buying two large orders per week, but it was difficult to keep goods fresh. To cut down on waste they now purchase daily. Each morning at 6:30 AM a Henderson’s staff member picks up their Mirabelles delivery and hand wrap each baked good.  At CAT Pause the managers hand-pick the freshest fruit at the grocery store to ensure quality and cut waste. The Bookstore management is open to investigate new local products that students suggest. Their newest local product is VT Artisan Cold Brew which is in partnership with a recent UVM graduate.  Stop in and tell Jay your idea today!