In the past couple of years CDS switched purchases from PET to Maola milk, a local dairy producer, by recommendation from a previous RFC-CDS interns. All the milk you are consuming is supporting a local farmer, so wear your milk mustache with pride!
Real Food Calculator at UNC
The Real Food Calculator is a tool used to track an institution's dining purchases over time. Developed by The Real Food Challenge, a national group of student food-activists, the Calculator is utilized within this internship to approximate the amount of real food served in the residential dining halls of UNC-Chapel Hill. To learn more about the criteria click here.
In the past couple of years CDS switched purchases from PET to Maola milk, a local dairy producer, by recommendation from a previous RFC-CDS interns. All the milk you are consuming is supporting a local farmer, so wear your milk mustache with pride!
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Inputting data has begun today, an exciting day for us all! We are using a tool called the Real Food Calculator which was created about 4 years ago by the Real Food Challenge. (A little FLO history: Two very prominent members of FLO, that have since graduated, took part in creating the Real Food Calculator. Lesson: FLO rocks nationwide!) UNC has been using this program since it’s pilot phases.
Real food is determined by its ability to meet one or more of the following criteria: local, organic, ecologically sound, or humane. Various certifications allow for a product to meet one or more of these criterias and they can be found on the Real Food Challenge webiste: (http://calculator.realfoodchallenge.org/help/resources). Real Food A is defined by meeting 2 or more of those criteria such as some of our meat purchases through Firsthand Foods which is locally based in Durham and the pork is Animal Welfare Approved. Real Food B is defined by meeting 1 criteria such as our humane chicken. If you are interested in what we are doing or have questions, like us on Facebook and/or leave us a comment! Jill, Ali, and Marisa (former intern, FLO member, and co-founder of the Sonder Market) drove down to Columbia South Carolina for the Real Food Southeast Retreat at University of South Carolina. It was a whirlwind of delicious real food, valuable information on the project and leadership, and wonderful people. There were representatives from USC, UNC, UNC-A, Warren Wilson, University of Alabama, Auburn, University of Georgia, and Georgia College. Staying in local churches at night and USC Sustainability building during the day there was a night an unfilled minute. There were countless workshops on leadership development, Real Food Challenge campaigns, success stories, how to run the calculator, creating goals, gaining support, retaining support, storytelling, and the corporate food system, as well as panels and interactive discussions. The most significant part of the whole weekend was connecting to other college students working towards the same goal as ourselves, to create a sustainable food system! Hearing their stories and work really helped to fuel our drive. In addition to making some great friends we also came to discover how effective CDS has been in creating change in this movement when looking at other schools in the South East. We met so many inspirational men and women while we were there who are doing amazing things to improve their campus and we have no doubt that in a year or so we will be sharing all of their grand successes! BEST OF LUCK TO ALL THE PEOPLE HELPING TO DEVELOP AND SUPPORT THE FOOD MOVEMENT! UNC Calculator History
The Real Food Calculator (a tool within the Real Food Challenge) began being used at UNC as a means to determine the amount of ‘real’ food being purchased and consumed within the dining halls. CDS was interested in determining the amount of real food being purchased. The first year, 2010, the Real Food Calculator was used at UNC the Real Food Challenge was also going through developmental steps. After being used in September to October it was determined that 12.96% of the food purchased through Lenoir and Rams Head in that time period was real food. That following fall the real food calculations decreased to 9.98% due to a number of reasons. After this decrease there was a heightened awareness due to the previous year, the fall audit that occured in 2012 was 20.14%. A spectacular display of progress! This current school year 2013-2014 is the first year that a complete audit will be completed meaning a month in both the fall semester and spring semester will be assessed as a representation of the purchasing for the entire year. The fall semester saw an increase to 23.14% real food, displaying continual growth and awareness within CDS. Currently being processed is the data for the month of February, 2014, check out the Real Food Calculator for UNC Facebook page for live data on the progress this semester. |
Past Interns:
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