Duke Dining recently piloted the Connected Plates initiative with the goal to inform students of nutritious and sustainable meal options at campus eateries, however, many said they are unaware of the program and are not convinced of its impact.
Connected Plates was launched at the beginning of the spring semester to highlight meals that are balanced and sustainably sourced. The initiative uses icon labeling, designating meals that provide “a balanced mix” of carbohydrates, proteins and fats with a “Nourish” icon, and those that include ingredients that are locally sourced, certified organic or sustainably fished with the “Sustainable Food” icon.
Students can find “Nourish Meals” offered for select dining locations in the Brodhead Center through the Mobile Ordering app with options including a vegetarian omelet combo from The Skillet, chicken basil pesto pasta from Il Forno and an impossible burger and fruit from The Devil’s Krafthouse.
“This initiative … gives students the opportunity to engage with the ‘why’ behind their meals — understanding where their food comes from and the impact of their choices,” a Duke Dining representative wrote in a Feb. 28 email to The Chronicle.
Additionally, each week, Duke Dining staff operate a table near a rotating “featured location,” providing samples of meals and answering student questions.
Despite its outreach efforts, many students still expressed a lack of knowledge about the program and questioned the extent of its impact.
First-year Ava Creel and senior Jack Sanitate both shared that they had not heard of Connected Plates.
Even after learning more about the initiative, Creel voiced that Duke Dining could be doing more on the sustainability side, pointing to the Brodhead Center’s excessive use of takeout containers.
“I would check it out … if I knew about it,” Sanitate said. “I am always trying to be a little healthy.”
Senior Millie Caughey was unsure about the healthiness of meals promoted through the program.
According to Duke Dining, though, feedback from students collected through surveys and conversations has been positive. In fact, staff are planning to expand the program and are entertaining the possibility of partnering with local and regional suppliers for more sustainable food options.
Duke Dining also plans to add Connected Plates meals to NetNutrition, a website that provides additional nutrition details about meal offerings, in order to help students “quickly identify options that meet their needs.”
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Ariella Maroni is a Trinity first-year and a staff reporter for the news department.