Minimizing Waste
Carolina Food Co. uses the EPA's Food Recovery Hierarchy as a model for their waste reduction strategy. This strategy helps prevent food-waste and promotes donating, upcycling, and composting leftovers over throwing it in the trash.
Healthy Carolina Farmers Market
The university's farmers market emphasizes the connection between food choices people make and the quality and health of our environment and daily lives.
Sustainable Campus Dining
Responsible Sourcing
Carolina Food Co. has taken important steps to advance sourcing practices in a responsible and ethical way. To drive measureable change, they focus on local purchasing and humanely raised meat, and utilizing their hydroponic farms and Cool Foods.
Local & Small Business Dining Partners
Carolina Food Co. works with local farms, small businesses and non-profit organizations to source high-quality ingredients, serve those in need and help cultivate a healthy food system in the Midlands.
Healthy & Sustainable Food
Carolina Food Co. provides healthy and sustainable eating practices on campus that include plant based selections.
Minimizing Food Waste Initiatives
- Don't Waste Food S.C.
- This USC partner helps us understand how waste can be recycled and minimized across campus.
- Food Recovery Network
- When excess food is prepared, Carolina Food Co. works with the Food Recovery Network to safely donate to hunger relief agencies like Transitions Homeless Center.
- On Campus Composting
- Organic compost can be dumped in the compost bins located at the Sustainable Carolina Garden
- ReSoil Compost
- Carolina Food Co. has diverted over 500 tons of organic waste away from landfills. ReSoil Compost removes compostable material from kitchens and special events.
- Swipe Out Hunger
- Student Government, in partnership with Aramark, launched a pilot program, Swipe Out Hunger, for the spring 2019 semester. This program was created for students dealing with food insecurity: the lack of reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food.