Introducing CoolFood Meals!

Introducing CoolFoods Meals at UNC!

This January, we introduced Coolfood Meals to Chase and Top of Lenoir! Coolfood is a certification program created by the World Resources Institute (WRI), a nonprofit that researches solutions to urgent environmental challenges. Coolfood Meals have low carbon footprints while meeting rigorous nutritional standards, so you can feel confident that your meal is healthy for both you and the climate.  

Although dishes that contain animal proteins generally have a higher carbon footprint, Coolfood Meals aren’t strictly vegetarian or vegan! A Coolfood Meal might be “plant-forward” in which vegetables, beans, and whole grains are more prominent on a plate while small amounts of meat are used, almost as a garnish.  

To calculate a dish’s carbon footprint, the WRI considers the land use and supply chain of every ingredient. In addition to meeting nutritional thresholds, if the dish falls below 3.81 kg CO2e/portion for breakfast or 5.71 kg CO2e/portion for lunches and dinner, then it is considered a Coolfood Meal. Nutrition thresholds for Coolfood Meals are based on guidelines by the British Food Standard Agency (FSA) – a reputable and highly adhered to model. Learn more here. 

Find Coolfood Meals on our online menu by selecting it as a dietary preference or by looking for the logo on our digital screens!