| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.61 |
| Liaison | Tina Woolston |
| Submission Date | Nov. 2, 2022 |
Tufts University
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.75 / 6.00 |
Kelly
Shaw Nutrition Marketing Specialist Tufts Dining |
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
An inventory of food and beverage purchases that qualify as sustainably/ethically produced:
A brief description of the methodology used to conduct the inventory, including the timeframe and how representative samples accounted for seasonal variation (if applicable):
Tufts Dining receives annual reports from its purveyors, which track sustainable food and beverages based upon our definitions.
Website URL where the institution’s validated Real/Good Food Calculator results are publicly posted:
Which of the following food service providers are present on campus and included in the inventory/assessment?:
| Present? | Included? | |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by the institution | Yes | Yes |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by a contractor | No | No |
| Student-run food/catering services | Yes | No |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | No | No |
| Convenience stores | No | No |
| Vending services | Yes | No |
| Concessions | No | No |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
Sustainability is a priority at Tufts Dining. Recently Tufts Dining partnered with the Office of Sustainability to produce the "Farm To Plate: Reducing the Footprint of Tufts Dining" as part of the Path to Carbon Neutrality Webinar Series. You can read more about what they do in this student-written article: https://tuftsobserver.org/hate-the-taste-of-food-waste-tufts-dining-on-sustainability/
In 1995 with the renovation of our largest dining center, Dewick-MacPhie, it was established that both dining centers would feature organic whole grains and legumes exclusively on the vegetarian stations. Other organic items were sourced as well, including (local) oatmeal, tofu, granola, and peanut butter.
The commitment to purchase locally grown food began in 2002 during fall semester. Although we are limited by the short New England growing season we maximize what we purchase by creating seasonal menus that highlight the produce which is grown locally. We are mindful of our purchases, preferring to purchase fish from local waters that are deemed as acceptable based on government information and seafood guides. Tufts Dining supports the livelihood of local fishermen by purchasing locally caught wild fish, which we serve in many of our seafood dishes in the dining centers. We also purchase sustainable-farm-raised seafood, including tilapia, catfish, trout, clams, and mussels.
Fair Trade Certified products ensure that producers in developing countries work in safe conditions and receive a living wage. We serve certified fair trade Rain Forest Alliance certified coffee in Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie Dining Centers, Hodgdon, Mugar and Catering.
Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.