Does it matter where your food comes from and how it is produced? For nearly 20 years, Emory’s answer to that question has been a resounding, “Yes!” Sustainable and local food has been a priority since Emory created its Office of Sustainability Initiatives in 2005. Among the most ambitious of its goals, Emory set a target of having 75% of its food come from local and sustainable sources by 2025.
In its efforts to achieve that best-in-class performance target, Emory has made a variety of investments, including:
- Establishing the Sustainable Food Committee in 2007, a group of committed students, staff, and faculty who help Emory advance its sustainable food goals
- Creating the Emory Farmers Market, which operates weekly on Tuesday, between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, during the academic year
- Creating the Sustainable Food Fair, to be held on October 7th this year, which is one of the outputs of the class of the same name
- Establishing the Oxford Organic Farm in 2014, which serves as a teaching lab and food production venue for Oxford and Atlanta dining halls
- Committing to the purchase of produce from local and small-scale farmers in the metro Atlanta area, through a partnership with The Conservation Fund’s Farms Fund.
In recognition of its efforts to pioneer a more sustainable local food system, Emory University has been ranked fifth in Food and Dining in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index, marking the fifth consecutive year of Emory being recognized as a top performer. The Sustainable Campus Index is a publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) that recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, as measured through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).
Emory earned its Food and Dining top performer status by establishing clear Sustainability Guidelines for Food Purchasing and building strong relationships between culinary staff and local producers. Currently, approximately 25% of Emory’s total annual food and beverage expenditures are spent on products that are sustainably or ethically produced. Meanwhile, 46% of total annual food and beverage expenditures are on plant-based foods.
At Emory, the online menus allow diners to view vegan, vegetarian, and local options available every day at each dining location. A vegan Stem-to-Root Station is front and center when entering the main residential dining hall, the Dobbs Common Table (DCT). Options include tofu, tempeh, seitan, a variety of beans and legumes, and whole grains such as quinoa. Other Emory Dining cafes offer vegan options, including house-made bean burgers, hummus vegetable wraps, scrambled tofu, and build-your-own pasta or stir-fry stations with vegan sauces and tofu. In the hospitals, vegan meals are available for patients; vegan entrees and sides are designated with a special symbol on the posted à la carte menus in retail food service areas.
In addition to the dining locations, Emory’s Farmers Market, named one of the 7 best Farmers Market in Atlanta by local magazines, offers alternative sustainable food sources to the community. Students can use their Emory Card and meal plans at the Emory Farmers Market, just like they would at any of the on-campus dining halls. Since fall 2015, students have spent more than $800,000 from their meal plans at the market, demonstrating the community’s love of fresh, local food.
Emory’s sustainable food commitment also addresses food waste. Starting in 2021, Emory Dining partnered with Slow Food Emory, a student-run organization, to pack leftover food once a week from DCT and distribute it to people in need at Emory Woodruff Library. Meanwhile, Emory Dining manages a Community Fridge and Pantry with excess food from Bon Appétit’s “to go” program. The fridge is located on the first floor of the Alumni Memorial University Center (AMUC) and is available to anyone on campus. The hospital cafes make weekly prepared food donations to Second Helpings Atlanta, a nonprofit food rescue organization whose mission is to reduce hunger and food waste in the Metro Atlanta area by rescuing surplus food and distributing it to those in need. Emory also developed a Food Security Resource Guide to aid members of the Emory community facing food insecurity.
Emory’s dedication to sustainable food extends beyond campus. Second Nature, a national nonprofit, recognized Emory for its partnership with the Farms Fund and its efforts to address climate resilience through local, sustainable food sourcing. The Farms Fund matches farmers with land they lease to own and supports them as they grow their businesses. Through Emory’s commitment with the Farms Fund, Emory enters food purchasing agreements with Farms Fund farmers, which supports the farms’ financial stability. This, in turn, can strengthen local food systems, reduce emissions, and promote equitable economic growth.
The environmental impacts of food go beyond what ends up on our plates – food packaging and service ware are often comprised of single-use plastics. Emory is taking steps to reduce the purchase and use of these plastics in accordance with the Break Free from Plastic Pledge signed by the university. In 2024, in response to student leadership, the single-use compostable food containers at DCT were replaced by reusable stainless-steel containers from USEFULL.
Hungry for Change? Here’s How You Can Support Sustainable Food at Emory
- Shop at the Emory Farmers Market on Tuesdays to enjoy local, seasonal food and support small-scale producers.
- Volunteer or visit the Oxford Organic Farm to engage with sustainable farming practices firsthand.
- Participate in the Emory Educational Garden Project to learn how to grow your own food and help provide a safe habitat for pollinators.
- Attend the annual Sustainable Food Fair on October 7th to learn more about Emory’s sustainable food initiatives and connect with like-minded community members.
- Take advantage of the full range of food options available at Emory’s dining facilities!