SBU Eats, the dining service at Stony Brook University, has implemented several sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing waste and promoting environmentally responsible practices across campus. These efforts contributed to Stony Brook University receiving a STARS 3.0 Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which acknowledges institutions that demonstrate leadership in sustainability.
Diana Kubik, executive director of the Auxiliary Services Association, stated, “Food connects us all, and by putting sustainability at the heart of campus dining, we’re helping students build lifelong habits that extend beyond their time at Stony Brook. We’re making sure that what we do every day creates a real impact by giving students the resources, knowledge, and inspiration to make planet-friendly choices every time they eat with us.”
One initiative is the introduction of micro-farms known as “Cultivated Cabinet.” The first was launched last spring at East Side Dining and a second recently opened at West Side Dining. These micro-farms grow fresh greens, herbs, and edible flowers close to where meals are served. The goal is to incorporate hyper-local ingredients into daily menus while supporting food transparency.
SBU Eats also participates in programs designed to source local produce from New York State farmers and producers. By doing so, it serves fresher ingredients and supports the regional agricultural economy.
To address food waste and insecurity, SBU Eats partnered with CareIt in 2024. Using CareIt’s mobile app, surplus prepared food is matched with local nonprofit organizations for redistribution. Through this program, more than 4,000 pounds of surplus food have been donated to community groups.
The dining service uses real-time dashboards to track its environmental impact—including carbon emissions, water use, and waste—associated with its operations. This data helps inform menu decisions aimed at lowering emissions.
Menus now include climate labeling for dishes that meet low-carbon standards set by the Plant Forward Collaboration. Only recipes with an ingredient footprint below a specific threshold are labeled as such.
In an effort to reduce single-use packaging waste on campus, SBU Eats provides complimentary reusable takeout containers for meal plan holders at certain locations. The initiative aims to divert millions of single-use containers from landfills each year. Additionally, some cafes use eco-friendly containers made partly from natural materials through green manufacturing processes.
To further cut down on kitchen waste, SBU Eats employs Waste Not 2.0—a chef-driven tracking tool that identifies what gets discarded so culinary teams can adjust practices accordingly.
Finally, kitchen prep waste collected through composting programs is processed off-site into organic material used for green energy or nutrient-rich compost products.
