Stanford University is Nation’s First REAL Certified Campus Dining Program
July 15, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Eleni Papadopoulos, 704-281-8484, eleni@ushfc.org
Shannon Munz, 650-721-4373, smunz@stanford.edu
Washington, DC (July 15, 2015) – The United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC) announced today that Stanford University has become the nation’s first campus dining program to be REAL Certified for its use of nutrition and sustainability best practices. Modeled after the LEED® green building program, Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) Certified is the trusted, nationally recognized mark of excellence for food and foodservice operators committed to holistic nutrition and environmental stewardship.
“Stanford is helping set new standards for higher education foodservice by offering an abundance of plant-based meals and utilizing food from many local and sustainable sources,” said Lawrence Williams, CEO of the USHFC. “We’re pleased to recognize this dedication to nutrition and sustainability.”
USHFC’s third-party registered dietitians (RDs) utilize the points-based REAL Index to audit and certify restaurants, cafeterias and corporate cafes across a range of criteria such as the utilization of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthful preparation methods, moderate portion sizes, behavioral components that encourage “better for you” choices, and sustainable practices for food sourcing. Only those that satisfy the necessary requirements are awarded the certification.
“R&DE Stanford Dining is committed to excellence in the pursuit of delicious and sustainable food. We believe that by providing our students with high-quality, great tasting and sustainable food choices, and by educating them on healthy cooking techniques and sustainable ingredients, we can influence healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime,” said Eric Montell, Executive Director of R&DE Stanford Dining. “It’s an honor to be recognized by the United States Healthful Food Council as we share a common goal of advancing healthier, more sustainable food choices for everyone.”
About the United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC) – Established in 2011, the USHFC is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit dedicated to transforming America’s food system and fighting diet-related disease by realigning the food industry’s incentives with consumers’ health interests. The USHFC works towards its mission through the REAL Certified holistic nutrition and sustainability certification program. REAL Certified foodservice operators must satisfy prerequisites and earn sufficient points in the areas of Responsible (nutrition), Epicurean (preparation), Agricultural (sourcing) and Leadership (going above and beyond). The organization has certified restaurants, corporate cafes and college dining services in 28 states, with financial support from the Tennessee Department of Health, the Park Foundation, the Mary Black Foundation, the Campbell Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President’s Grant Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation. More information can be found at USHFC.org and REALCertified.org.
About Stanford Dining – R&DE Stanford Dining, a division of Residential & Dining Enterprises, serves over 12,000 meals per day. Its operations include 11 undergraduate dining halls, Schwab Executive Dining, two late night dining operations, athletic training table, and summer conference dining. As the dining department of the world’s premier research and teaching institution, R&DE Stanford Dining promotes food as a multidisciplinary educational experience and engages students in food issues such as those related to health, the environment, social equity and the global economy. R&DE Stanford Dining has been recognized for its culinary excellence by awards such as the prestigious industry Ivy Award by Restaurants and Institutions, for its environmental leadership role by numerous awards such as the Acterra Award for Sustainability, and most recently was named Most Vegan-Friendly College by peta2 for its vegan and vegetarian offerings. For more information, please visit www.dining.stanford.edu.
