The World Health Organization recently released a report which classified processed and red meats as carcinogens, both of which are served in Lehigh’s dining halls.
The recent announcement has not affected the food that is served in the dining halls, according to David Joseph, executive director of Student Auxiliary Services, but they are monitoring the discussion about these foods to determine if any action should be taken.
Bruce Christine, general manager of Dining Services, said serving natural food is preferable. Lehigh Dining is committed to providing the school with fresh and local produce from surrounding farms, Christine said.
In the spring of 2015, Lehigh partnered with Common Market of Philadelphia, a co-op, to introduce a “farm-to-school” system at Lehigh. Lehigh receives food from local farms such as Flint Hill Farm in Coopersburg. This partnership also helps the farmers because small farmers often don’t have enough insurance or cannot grow enough produce to have a reasonable profit, according to Christine.
The majority of Lehigh’s food is purchased from local farms in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and the percentage of local food served on campus depends on the season.
“We serve as much local food as we can,” Christine said. “What’s seasonable is what we try to get a hold of.”
Christine said sourcing food locally can be difficult when the vendors receive local produce, but that produce is not local to Lehigh.
“A vendor in Harrisburg may get produce from a farm 150 miles away, then it travels another 100 miles to Lehigh, and it’s no longer local,” Christine said.
Lehigh also tries to serve as much organic food as possible when it it is applicable and affordable. It is dependent on the season, Christine said.
The local foods available during a given season influence the daily menu. Although the menu for each night is determined by a five-week Sodexo menu cycle that is based on the trends, the area and the student demand. Offerings such as Chicken Finger Friday will always exist because of student popularity, he said.
Lehigh Dining Services also tries to be sustainable by participating in the co-op and supporting the development of a garden on Mountaintop Campus, said Christine.
Students are a large part of those who eat at dining establishments on campus, and Dining Services takes their opinions into account when planning menus. Students who would like to discuss the food can join the Dining Student Board of Directors. These students have the ability to learn about the Lehigh Dining program and act as the voice of their peers. The board discusses the full dining experience, from the food served to the lighting used in the dining halls.
“The board will get to experience new menu ideas, provide feedback and be a sounding board regarding dining programs and events, help create new and exciting programs and share their opinions about the overall dining program,” marketing coordinator Amy Pulcini said. The eight members of the board meet once a week.
The main reason the board exists is to inform the dining management team of what the students think about Lehigh Dining, according to Pulcini. In 2012, members of the SBOD got to test out the concept, including food and locations, of the FudTruk.
“Customers are front and center,” Christine said.
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