Food & Dining

Sodexo and Campus Operations work together to make progress towards Sodexo and Champlain College’s sustainability goals.

Food Tracking

Sodexo focuses on sourcing food with a few different qualities and certifications including:

Local: Product is grown and/or harvested within a 250-mile radius of Champlain College
Vermont Business: Products sold by a business that is physically OR fiscally based in Vermont
Organic: Product has a third-party certification (NOFA, USDA, etc.)
All-Natural/Ecologically Grown: Product is grown organically but does not have a third-party certification
Fair Trade: Product has a third-party certification (Fair Trade USA, Fair Trade International, Fair Trade Federation, etc.) OR must be verified by documentation on vendor’s website or other similar source
Humanely Raised: Must be verified by documentation on vendor’s website or other similar source

Fair Trade Campus

The United States is the largest consumer nation in the world. Imagine our impact when we shop more consciously. Fair Trade ensures consumers that the products they purchase are grown, harvested, crafted and traded in ways that improve lives and protect the environment.

Together with the Sustain Champlain Purchasing/Food Committee, which includes our campus partner Sodexo, we proudly earned this designation in February 2014. Look for these logos across campus.

a group of students sitting around a table in the dining hall eating and talking

Vermont First

Under the “Vermont First” program, Our dining services partner, Sodexo, has committed to work with farmers, distributors, processors, state government, nonprofits and supply chain players within the farm to table economy to increase the amount of local food grown and sold in the state and beyond.

Sodexo's Sustainability Commitment

Did you know?

Champlain College purchases most of its produce from Black River Produce. Black River partners with Vermont’s farmers, food producers and chefs to preserve Vermont’s rural identity and its working farms. Champlain is also a member of the Vermont Fresh Network, a partnership between chefs and farmers.

Get Involved in Sustainable Food Practices

Avoid Using Disposable Dinnerware

Wondered about those green food containers you’ve seen students carrying around?

Ozzi boxes are returnable, reusable food containers. Pay a $5 deposit the first time you get a meal at EATS. When you return the container to one of the automated machines, you receive a token to use for next time. Each container is commercially washed by Sodexo for re-use. We saved approximately 42,000 single-use containers last year!

Eat Fresh, Eat Local

Eat food that is produced, processed or distributed by Vermont companies. Eating locally supports the Vermont economy and reduces energy for transportation.

Fresh Vending machines are available at locations across campus (Library, Ireland, and Lakeside).
Eat Your Veggies

Eat lower on the food chain by sampling some vegetarian options. Meat production can be energy, resource and pollution intensive.
Grow Your Own Food

The community garden is located beside Rowell Annex and has 27 plots available for individual use by Champlain College community members. Use of the 4′ x 8′ plots costs $20 for faculty/staff, $10 for students, and there is no cost if all produce is donated to the Community Food Shelf.
- Register for a Gardening Plot