At least two groups on Auburn University’s campus are trying to do their part in minimizing food waste, resulting in thousands of pounds of food being saved.
“Programs like Tiger Dining and The Campus Kitchens Project saved 2,592 pounds of food last semester from repackaging 2,641 meals for the poor,” said former Campus Kitchens President Daniel Cason. “This semester, there have been 1,572 pounds saved and 1,260 meals repackaged so far.”
In the U.S., 30–40 percent of the food supply is wasted, equaling more than 20 pounds of food per person per month, according to World Food Day. Auburn’s main food provider, Tiger Dining, has implemented programs such as Go Tray-Less, The Perfect Circle and Clean Plate.
Tiger Dining has also partnered with The Campus Kitchens Project, an on-campus organization that helps deliver food to the less fortunate.
Head chef of Tiger Dining Emil Topel said he is proud of watching the food sustainability efforts evolve every year on campus, but the state of Alabama still has some catching up to do when compared to the others.
However, since Topel and members of Campus Kitchen go to meetings and conventions, new ideas to save food are regularly being introduced.
“We are learning from other campuses across the country,” Topel said.
One of the recently introduced ideas is a program called Clean Plate, which was put into action at Village Dining in 2010.
“We weigh the food leftover from consumers,” Topel said. “Because then we can examine how it has affecting the food cost. The average weight used to be over 1/2 per person. Now it’s cut down to 2 ounces.”
He believed part of that food saved is from serving food on plates.
“People tend to add more to trays,” Topel said.
Along with changing how the food is served, Tiger Dining has also implemented eco-friendly uses for the cooking oil. Perfect Circle Renewable Energy has partnered with all of the on-campus food venues.
“They come in every couple of weeks, and we sell them hundreds of gallons,” Topel said.
Hallie Nelson, the new Campus Kitchens president, said another recent addition to the sustainability effort is “gleaning.”
“Local farmers give the university fruits and vegetables that are ‘ugly’ or just not the right size,” Nelson said. “And then we take those and either give it to the food bank or community market.”
Nelson said she wants to focus on rural areas.
“Campus Kitchens currently just gives away food to the Auburn community,” Nelson said.
Nelson said Auburn should continue to partner with Tuskegee in order to increase distribution.
“Earlier this semester we did a mobile food pantry, where we got a grant and bought food and produce and went out to Tuskegee,” Nelson said. “The people did a call chain in order to find out specifically who needed food where.”
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