What we serve and eat has an impact. Our menus reflect our commitment to locally, sustainably, and responsibly sourced foods that are good for consumers, producers, and the environment.
Last year, over 21% of our food and beverage purchases were locally and/or sustainably sourced – an 18% increase from the year prior!
Local Sourcing
BU Dining Services prioritizes products that are grown, harvested, caught, raised, produced, or processed within 250 miles of campus. By sourcing locally, we are able to support the local food system and local economy, while also helping to preserve local farmland. We work directly with local farmers, ranchers, and processors. More than 15% of food we serve is locally sourced, see the map below to learn about our independent local producers.
We source local produce from a number of different vendors, including Boston Food Hub, which sources produce from small farms throughout Massachusetts. Purchases from Boston Food Hub support Boston Area Gleaners’ work to make fresh, local produce available to food insecure communities.
Fair Trade Ingredients
Fair Trade Certified products are made according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards. Certification ensures that people growing, harvesting, and making Fair Trade Certified goods work in safe conditions, protect the environment, build sustainable livelihoods, and earn additional money to empower and uplift their communities.
New this year, we are serving Teatulia Tea in the dining halls and other locations across campus; these teas are Fair Trade, as well as being Rainforest Alliance Certified and Certified Organic.
You can find a variety of Fair Trade products, such as chocolate, ice cream, across campus, including at Buick Street Market and City Conveneince.
Organic Products
When economically feasible, we support organic agriculture through the purchase of staples such as coffee tea, tofu, yogurt, and soy milk, as well as produce when in season.
Now available on campus, Jim’s Organic Coffee is small-batch roasted locally in Wareham, MA. Every cup of Jim’s reflects an unwavering dedication to quality and sustainability. A commitment to regenerative agriculture and ethical sourcing ensures that every roast is 100% organic and meticulously crafted with the utmost care.
Jim’s Organic Coffee takes pride in supporting the farmers who grow their 100% USDA certified organic, non-GMO coffee beans. This commitment goes beyond just the beans—Jim’s Organic Coffee gives back to the communities they work with, fostering relationships that make a profound impact on coffee-growing communities.
Humane Animal Care
We purchase humanely raised products – certified by either Certified Humane or Global Animal Partnership. All of our eggs are cage-free. Humane certifications provide independent audits to help verify that the animal growth and slaughter facilities meet precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment.
Sustainable Seafood
As a coastal school set in a location with a deep fishing history, we promote stewarding the marine ecosystem locally and globally. More than 77% of the seafood we buy is locally or sustainably caught or farmed. Our seafood is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, and Gulf of Maine Research Institute.
- BU Dining purchases seafood with the sustainability of ocean ecosystems in mind. We use the Marine Stewardship Council and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, to guide our purchases of wild seafood – these certifications consider how seafood was caught, where it was caught, and the species of seafood and the impacts on ocean ecosystems.
- Being in a coastal setting, we are also able to source responsibly harvested seafood from local waters, including the Gulf of Maine.
- In addition to sourcing sustainable seafood BU Dining has thoughtfully implemented practices to protect ocean life including the elimination of single-use plastic straws.