Serving Up Plants By Default
What if a simple change in the way universities present food choices in dining halls could help us meet global climate goals? In this study, Food for Climate League (FCL)—in collaboration with Better Food Foundation (BFF), Sodexo, and researchers at Boston College—successfully tested the impact of serving plant-based dishes as the default option within dining hall stations at three universities: Tulane University, Lehigh University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Here, you can read about the first-ever multi-site research study on plant-based defaults within all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, and the resulting key insights and opportunities. Learn how you can optimize variety, health, and sustainability of all-you-care-to-eat university dining with plant-based defaults.
Food for Climate League led the research and report development. The research was made possible through the generous support of Better Food Foundation. This report was made possible through the generous support of VegFund. This project received in-kind support from Dr. Gregg Sparkman and the Social Influence & Social Change Lab at Boston College, along with Sodexo North America. We worked with students and the culinary staff of Tulane University, Lehigh University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.