September 20, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

The menu, plus more detailed information about the sources of the food and dining locations, costs, and hours for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is now available online >

found via UNH Sustainability Initiative’s blog

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September 20, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

excerpts from the press release from UNH - I find the look at the containers and trash, that whole picture of energy in/energy out, encouraging. A good model of taking steps toward better sustainability, because the steps along the way could count for a lot if more businesses were taking some steps:

UNH Reopens Celebrated Dairy Bar With Focus on Local, Sustainable Food

The University of New Hampshire’s Dairy Bar has been renovated and reopened with a focus on sustainability that has current and future generations in mind. Reopened in August 2008 under management of UNH Dining Services, the Dairy Bar boasts food that is local, often organic, and served with an eye toward nutrition; Energy Star-rated appliances; and even take-out containers that are compostable.

“This was an opportunity for us to do something different,” says Rick MacDonald, assistant director of University Hospitality Services and a driving force in the “new” Dairy Bar. MacDonald, director of dining Jon Plodzik, and director of culinary services Ralph Coughenour drew on UNH Dining’s significant Local Harvest Initiative, a collaboration with the University Office of Sustainability that brings local and sustainable food into the university’s three student dining halls and retail outlets regularly.

Natural chicken for salads and sandwiches comes from Lasting Legacy Farms in Barrington; Durham’s Bagelry supplies bagels; eggs are certified-humane, cage-free and organic from Pete & Gerry’s in Monroe; GrandyOats Organic Granola, founded by UNH alums, comes from Brownfield, Maine; and Londonderry’s Stonyfield Farms supplies yogurt. Coffee, from NH Coffee Roasters in Dover, is fair-trade and shade-grown. In addition to ice cream from Blake’s in Manchester, the Dairy Bar also serves Doriti Gelato from Brentwood.

Sustainability at the Dairy Bar goes beyond what customers put in their mouths to what they don’t put in the trash. Take-out containers and cutlery, in addition to unwaxed paper goods, are all compostable. As a large customer for Central Paper, the Manchester-based company that supplies the compostable containers, UNH is driving a new market for these innovative products, MacDonald notes.

Early planning for the new Dairy Bar involved students and faculty in UNH’s nutritional sciences program. Their work is reflected in the restaurant’s modest portion sizes, no fried food but lots of salads, condiments offered on the side, and healthy choices like yogurt parfaits, fresh fruit cups, and baked apples. “We even worked with Abigail’s to develop a roll that was three ounces, rather than their usual four,” says Coughenour.

Long-time patrons will be relieved to learn that strict portion control has not been applied to the ice cream. “If you eat all that healthy food, it’s OK to have ice cream,” says Plodzik.

Other sustainable innovations at the Dairy Bar include Energy Star-rated appliances and organic cotton uniforms. Even the Vetrazzo countertops, which sparkle with recycled glass, reflect the restaurant’s mission.

“We want to make as little of a footprint as possible,” says Plodzik.

For more information on the UNH Dairy Bar, including a complete menu and hours, go to http://www.unh.edu/dairy-bar/. To learn more about the Local Harvest Initiaitve of UNH Dining and the University Office of Sustainability, go to http://www.unh.edu/dining/community/local-harvest.html.

Speaking of businesses and encouraging, the Me & Ollies in downtown Portsmouth is working with a commercial composter and is now able to compost 95% of their trash! This is what I hope to see a lot more of - it’s one thing to have the cup be compostable (less plastic = good), but to provide the composting means it will actually happen, actually keep that corn-based cup out of the trash and landfill. More about Me & Ollies composting >

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