Sustainable food
What is Ghent University doing about sustainable and healthy food in the restos and cafeteria? What can you do when you have to provide catering for meetings or events? And how can you get started?
Policy sustainable food
Ghent University aims for a healthy, tasty, affordable and ecologically sound food policy, with a protein shift from animal to vegetable proteins according to a 40/60 ratio in restos, cafeterias and catering by 2030. Food waste is avoided through good stock management and collaboration with organizations that work with food surpluses.
- During a pilot project, in the renovated resto Coupure, you can choose from a spacious buffet where vegetables in particular are given a prominent place. Fresh soup is also made daily in the resto. The supply is based on the season and the distance the ingredients have to travel.
Sustainable catering on events and meetings
Sustainable catering focuses on plant-based food, with limited space for dairy products, meat, fish and eggs.
- Research groups or departments can use the sustainable catering list to find the most sustainable caterer for a reception, meeting or event.
- Do you ask for preferences when inviting? Then make the vegetarian option the norm, offering the option to choose meat if they insist (in a similar way to where people are now asked about vegetarian or other diets).
- Always apply this standard in your catering: 60% plant-based, 20% vegetarian and 20% meat or fish with a low footprint and attention to animal welfare.
Education and research
Together with researchers, we want to search for a healthy and ecologically sound diet, with less meat and unsustainable fish consumption.
- In 2019, the first comprehensive scientific report on what constitutes a healthy diet within a sustainable food system, was published. Check this figure of a planet health diet in comparison with our diet.
