UeaT

Alex, one of the students from NEW342 (Theory and Praxis in Food Security) who is doing his placement with UeaT went on a tour of New College Dining Hall. He had a chat with the chef and the director, and took a tour of the cafeteria. Here is what he had to say:

When it comes to variety, quality, and forward thinking about food, New College Cafeteria is at the top of the class. New College Cafeteria, located on the western edge of campus, offers a fantastic buffet for students with or without a meal plan (meal plan holders save the tax!). For a flat rate, the Cafeteria offers numerous food options to choose from. Patrons can enjoy food from multiple stations, including a salad bar, international selections, a grill, a specifically vegetarian and vegan station, and others, giving quite a wide selection.

Many of the ingredients used are LFP certified, meaning they are locally produced under sustainable farming conditions, something which is beneficial to both farmers and consumers. Organic milk is available from a machine, and gluten-free foods are available as well. Overall it is a very accommodating selection of food available.



New College Cafeteria believes that school is already filled with decisions and worries as it is, and that food is something to which no anxiety should be attached. The kitchens at New College Cafeteria are designed to be very open, allowing customers to see their food being made in front of them. Not only that, but the ingredients used in a dish, as well as its nutritional information, are available on screens above each station. To increase transparency, a list of which produce items are grown locally is made available every week.

In addition to issues of nutrition and transparency in food preparation, New College Cafeteria engages in environmental stewardship initiatives. The cafeteria has been tray-free for the last few years in order to save washing trays which are hardly used. Students scrape off their plates into the garbage before putting them on racks to be collected, a practice which makes waste visible to consumers and discourages taking excess food. When chemicals and soaps are used, they are 'green' chemicals, that is, chemicals which are not as harsh to the environment as common cleaners are.

Not only does New College have their own meal plan, in monthly or semester-long increments, but it is also part of the campus-wide St. George meal plan, a new option that gives students a large variety of cafeterias to choose from on campus.