Food

Graphic for food page that includes a pink background with illustrations of pink and orange foods.

Food at SU

Providing all the food for Seattle University, Redhawk Dining (Chartwells) is dedicated to exercising sustainability in the kitchen and educating customers on its sustainability practices: 

  • Commitment to purchase 23% locally sourced (within a 250 mile radius) food and beverages to be served at SU's campus restaurants. 
  • The Imperfectly Delicious Produce (IDP) program utilizes non ‘retail’ Grade A fruits and vegetables that have slight cosmetic imperfections instead of being wasted. The IDP program allows Chartwells chefs to find a home for everything that is good and edible, which reduces food waste significantly and provides additional revenue streams for the local farms Chartwells partners with.
  • Participation in the Global Animal Partnership which is designed to transform the welfare of chickens within the supply chain. Redhawk Dining also purchases poultry produced without routine use of human antibiotics following adherence to criteria developed in partnership with The Environmental Defense Fund.
  • All eggs are “humane cage-free” and certified by the Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC)
  • Redhawk Dining provides fresh yogurt and milk from cows that have been certified free of artificial growth hormones rBGH/rBST
  • Commitment to reduce pre and post-consumer food waste with a goal to reduce food waste by 20% by 2020
  • For more information click here!

 

Food Justice

Seattle University's Office of Multicultural Affairs' Food Security Initiatives provides empowering resources to any Seattle University affiliate with a SU ID, especially those who are experiencing perpetual hunger. The Gender Justice Center has championed food security and food justice work on campus. It is due to their determination that the food pantry and programming have been highlighted as a priority for the Seattle University community. The food justice programming includes:

  • Dining Cards — anyone with a Seattle University Identification Card may come to the Office of Multicultural Affairs (Pavillion 180), fill out a brief registration form, and will be given a dining card preloaded with $10, $25, $50, $100, or $200. These cards can be access by an individual every two weeks. 
  • Food Pantry — The pantry is open three times a week for students to utilize once per week.
  • Educational Programming - In order to develop a deeper understanding of food justice issues and hunger, we will be offering a variety of active and passive programming in collaboration with campus and community partners.

 

Graphic for food page that includes a pink background with illustrations of pink and orange foods.

Edible Campus

At SU you can “eat your campus”: enjoy the organically-grown fruit, vegetables and herbs from the gardens! Through SU Grounds’ Edible Campus Ambassadors program, students can engage in hands-on learning about urban agriculture while earning internship credits. Yearning to grow some food for yourself, friends and family, or for those in need? We have two p patch- style gardens on campus with 31 raised beds available for students, staff, and faculty. View the edible map and learn more about how to grow your own food in an SU community garden plot. 

Pesticide-Free Campus 

Seattle University is a pesticide-free campus maintained by the fantastic Grounds crew! Our gorgeous landscape has been maintained without the use of chemical pesticides since 1998. Our gardeners brew compost tea and spray it on plants, release good insects to eat the bad ones, and let leaves decompose where they fall. Learn more about the sustainable landscaping practices here. 

Composting at Seattle University

1000 pounds of pre-consumer food waste is turned into compost at SU’s composting facility and then spread on our gardens to improve soil quality! Post-consumer food waste is collected and taken to a local compost facility. When you go to the on-campus cafes and restaurants, remember that all to-go utensils, dishes, and packaging are compostable. Learn more about SU composting here.

Plastic Water Bottle-Free Campus1.53x1.53 inches in powerpoint

Students banned the sale of bottled water at SU so fill your reusable bottle with free water in our cafes and fountains! Read here about the SU Case Study.

Fair Trade Designated University

Seattle University was the first Pacific Northwest University to earn the title of Fair Trade Designated University (2015). Fair Trade products (chocolate, bananas, tea, coffee,...) are provided at all SU's cafes and Seattle U's Fair Trade MotMot Coffee is sold around campus as well! Fair Trade ensures that products were grown, harvested, crafted, and traded in ways that improve lives and protect the environment. Learn more about Fair Trade at SU here.

Aquaponics

The Seattle University Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) chapter has built aquaponics systems in Peru. Find out more about the project here.

Student Clubs 

Campus Community Gardens

Campus gardens provide for students, staff, faculty, and community members to enter an oasis and enjoy the beauties of nature, despite Seattle University’s intercity location. The small campus contains more than 11 gardens, each with their own story, purpose, and theme. Check out more here.

Campus Vegetable Gardens

Students, Staff, and faculty can grow vegetables and herbs in their own 4 x 8 foot raised bed. Raised bed users are responsible for planting, maintenance and harvest during the growing season. Hand tools, watering cans and hoses are available at each site. Gardeners can receive free vegetable starts at the Grounds Departments April Earth Day celebration.

There are two campus community gardens. The Chardin Community Garden is located next to the sidewalk between Chardin Hall and the Seattle University Park. It has 15 raised beds. The Broadway Community Garden is located south of the Broadway Garage at the corner of Broadway Ave. and E. Columbia St. It has 12 raised beds.

To sign up for a raised bed, contact Janice Murphy at janicem@seattleu.edu

Food Justice and Sustainability in the Community

  1. The PNW is home to an array of groups working to grow nutritious food, reduce hunger, and promote sustainability, including nonprofits, foundations, university centers, and more! Food Tank has developed a a list of 34 organizations to watch look here.
  2. Tilth is a great, broad resource with information on how to unite sustainability and food from gardening tips to cooking classes! Get involved and check here for more information. 
  3. CSA (community supported agriculture) connects community members to farmers with a curated box of fresh seasonal produce! Sign up for your own box here. 
  4. PCC (Puget Consumers Co-op) is a local co-op dedicated to bringing delicious and local food to it's members! There are many locations around Seattle.
  5. Central Co-Op is a grocery co-op specializing in natural foods, organic produce, sustainable meats, and local, Fair Trade, and non-GMO! And it's open until midnight everyday! Learn more and visit soon!
  6. Seattle Farmers Markets are a great way to shop and support local farmers and Capitol Hill, right down the block, is one of three open all year round! A huge variety of veggies, bread, flowers, and more come from local farmers. Check here for locations!