Approximately 25% of food served is locally sourced (within 150 miles).

Our dining and food services work hard to provide students locally and sustainably grown food, and  to minimize waste and consumption in the preparation and delivery process. Sodexo, the food and service provider at Denison, has made sustainability a priority, and has enacted several policies to help promote these values across campus. 

Local and organically grown fruits, vegetables, and milk are available in both dining halls, as is fair trade and organic coffee and tea. Composting and recycling are regular practices at both the pre- and post-consumer stages, and used cooking oil is recycled for use as biofuel at neighboring farms. To help minimize food waste, reduce water use, and save energy, trays are no longer used in dining halls. To encourage the use of reusable mugs, the on-campus coffee shop provides a discount when students bring their own mug. In addition, the dining hall meal options help to facilitate sustainable lifestyles and low-carbon diets. Options for vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free diets are available at multiple dining hall stations.

Dining Hall Services and Sodexo are working to continually minimize their environmental impact. Currently, they are seeking ways to decrease the use of individually packaged products and increasing efforts to educate the staff on energy and water conservation practices. Although Denison is already making progress in providing sustainable food options, we strive to reduce our environmental footprint even further in the future.