Vending

Aramark intros ‘Cool Food Meals’ on campuses, cites 350 lower carbon footprint items

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January 3, 2022

Aramark Corp. is making it easier for students at 10 U.S.-based universities to make climate-friendly choices by introducing "Cool Food Meals" on residential dining menus this semester, according to a press release.

Last October, World Resources Institute announced 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 Aramark will serve in residential dining rooms.

Among the universities participating in the pilot are Arizona State University, Florida State University, Slippery Rock University, St. Bonaventure University, the University of California Irvine, the University of Mississippi, the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the University of Virginia and Western Washington University.

WRI measured the carbon footprint of hundreds of Aramark's recipes to identify items that meet 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 also meets nutrition safeguards, it is approved as a Cool Food Meal. Some examples of Aramark dishes that will be labeled as a Cool Food Meal include Mediterranean Falafel Plate, Five Spice Sesame Tofu Salad Bowl, Shawarma Chicken Ciabatta and Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Sandwich.