Catering

The university is committed to creating a sustainable campus. A significant portion of our ecological footprint is determined by what we eat and drink daily. Therefore, we are working on making our food and drink offerings more sustainable and reducing food waste. Additionally, we aim to reduce food-related waste and promote local sourcing. The university collaborates with Eurest, Vineyard, and Maas.

Sustainable Partners

Eurest and Vineyard are the catering providers at the university. Both partners focus on healthy food, sustainability, and reducing food waste. Eurest operates twelve locations, while Vineyard manages two (the Utrecht University Hall and the Ginkgo café). Maas supplies the coffee, soft drink, and snack machines. All contracts are awarded through European tenders, with a focus on quality. Sustainability is a key criterion in these contracts.

Food and Drink on Campus

There are various places at the university where you can get food and drink. You can have lunch at the Ginkgo café at the University Museum or pick up a treat from one of the food trucks. All catering locations promote plant-based options, use sustainable packaging, and incorporate leftover ingredients into their menus. They also use sustainable packaging materials and actively work to prevent food waste, including collaborating with Too Good To Go. You can find the catering locations on our website.

Ordering Catering

Our catering contracts with partners include our preferences and requirements. Our policy states that the standard lunch is vegetarian. If you prefer a vegan lunch with sandwiches, that’s available too. If you want a lunch with meat, you must specifically request it. You can also choose Zero-Waste options, which do not include plastic cups and cutlery, but non disposable dishes. Alternatively, you can opt for the sustainable thicker plastic cups from Eurest, which are washed and reused. Please do not throw these in the bin!

Coffee, Soft Drink, and Snack Machines

Sustainability is also a priority in our contracts for coffee, soft drink, and snack machines. The coffee beans in the machines come from the social enterprise Heilige Boontjes. The coffee and tea are fair trade and organic. Thirty per cent of the machines offer plant-based milk (such as oat milk) instead of cow’s milk. To prevent food waste, snacks nearing their expiration date are offered through Too Good To Go.

Disposable Cups

Disposable cups are no longer available at the university. By the end of 2023, disposable cups were removed from the machines. The ultimate goal is to eliminate all disposable products from the university. In office environments, reusable crockery is available in pantries, or you can bring your own cup. Additionally, you can purchase a sustainable cup from the snack machine for your coffee or tea from the coffee machine.