January 20, 2022 - University of North Carolina Wilmington Campus Dining is making it easier for students and the campus community to choose climate friendly foods through the launch of Cool Food Meals this January. This program is part of UNCW’s ongoing commitment to the environment and sustainability.
Last October, World Resources Institute (WRI) announced that its Cool Food Meals badge will appear on Aramark menus, as part of a 10-university pilot beginning in the Spring 2022 semester. The Cool Food Meals badge identifies dishes with a lower carbon footprint and will appear on more than 350 menu items.
“I’m excited to be bringing the Cool Food Program to UNCW as we think outside the box with better food choices for our students and our planet,” says Interim Associate Vice Chancellor, Gino Galutera.
WRI measured the carbon footprint of hundreds of Aramark recipes to identify items that meet the Cool Food Meals criteria, based on the ingredients from farm to fork and the land used to produce the meal. If a dish’s carbon footprint falls below an established per-meal threshold and meets a nutrition safeguard, it is approved as a Cool Food Meal.
UNCW Campus Dining Sustainability is proud to add this initiative to its program. Cool Food Meal badges make it easy and accessible for all students to get involved and make climate friendly choices. Cool Food Meals can be found on campus at Wagoner Dining Hall. Some examples of dishes that will be labeled as a Cool Food Meals include Pumpkin Crunch Yogurt Bowls and Mediterranean Stir Fry.
“It is important that we educate the community on the impact of purchased items on greenhouse gas emissions and regional resiliency,” said UNCW Chief Sustainability Officer Kat Pohlman. “This program is a daily reminder that each choice we make has the potential to create a more robust local economy and environmental stewardship!”
Aramark is the first contract catering company to adopt the Cool Food Meals badge. Since 2015, Aramark has increased its climate-healthy plant-forward menu options through its Healthy for Life® initiative. Currently, more than 35% of main dishes the company serves on menus at workplaces, hospital cafes, and university dining halls in the United States are vegetarian or vegan.
Aramark’s commitment to the planet is a core part of the company’s sustainability plan, Be Well. Do Well., focused on positively impacting people and the planet. Aramark’s planet priority is focused on several initiatives addressing climate change. The Company is working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by offering more vegan and vegetarian meals, sourcing responsibly, operating more efficiently, minimizing food waste, and reducing packaging.
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About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. Aramark has been named to DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list, the Forbes list of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity,” the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
