With the rising popularity of healthy eating trends among a number of students, faculty and staff, Ithaca College Dining Services has been incorporating more vegetarian and vegan offerings into its daily menus, earning recognition from The Humane Society of the United States.
Jeff Scott, director of dining services, was awarded a certificate “for outstanding plant-based options on campus.”
“Ithaca College Dining is committed to increasing plant-based menu consumption by 10 percent and decreasing animal protein consumption by 10 percent to support the health of our guests and reduce our environmental impact,” said Scott.
Dining Services has used several strategies to increase consumption of plant-based items. For example, plant-based menu options are displayed at more prominent positions than before, and Sodexo offers healthy grain bowls, which allow students to customize their dishes with grains, vegetables and protein.
The award also recognized Ithaca Dining Services for hosting Forward Food at the college in August 2017. Forward Food is a program to support healthy and sustainable living by promoting plant-based food programs. Co-hosted by the Humane Society, the event was well-attended by food service professionals and industry leaders from throughout upstate New York.