Fresh salad served in reusable containers

Food sustainability on campus

As part of our commitment to sustainability the uOttawa Dining Hall is the first 4-star certified Green Restaurant at a Canadian University. Join us in our green initiatives by participating in our many zero-waste sustainability and eco-friendly programs!
Free Food Alert logo

New — Free Food Alert

Sick of food waste? Same here. Sign up for Free Food Alert to end food waste and get free food. The program sends notifications about free food giveaways on campus making you a part of the solution in reducing food waste! 

Every week there are dozens of catered events around campus with leftover food. Want to send out alerts about leftover food after an event? Create an account and make a real impact on food waste while helping students experiencing food insecurity. 

Sign up today using your uOttawa email address to receive notification and to pick up free food! 

Learn more about Free Food Alert.

Food Services has a multi-prong approach to waste reduction.

  • 100% of used cooking oil transformed into biofuel.
  • Campus-wide ban on Styrofoam food packaging.
  • First Ontario university to ban the sale of bottled water.
  • Campus-wide composting of food production scraps redirecting tons of organic matter away from landfill.
  • Zero-waste design of Dining Hall reduced take-out packaging by nearly a million items per year.
  • Food Recovery Program collects and donates close to 30,000 items of unsold meals and snacks in a single academic year.
Reusable uOttawa cup

Reusable cup program

The reusable cup program is a reliable and easy way to contribute toward a cleaner and greener campus. Bring your clean reusable cup to participating locations on campus to get:

  • A 25-cent discount for drinks purchased with your reusable cup.
  • A loyalty card: every nine purchases with your own reusable cup equals the tenth drink for free!

Gee-Gees reusable cutlery set

Reusable cutlery sets

As part of uOttawa's commitment to a sustainable future, we're implementing a greener, waste-free dining experience. In accordance with the federal ban on single-use plastics, we've reduced the consumption of disposable utensils.

Wooden compostable alternatives are available with a surcharge of 25 cents upon request behind the counter. Let's work together to minimize waste by opting for reusable alternatives. Purchase your Gee-Gees reusable stainless steel cutlery today.

reusable food containers

Friendlier: Reusable container program

Friendlier is a reusable container program. By moving to a reusable container program, we will be saving hundreds of single-use plastic containers from the landfill. Learn more and join the Friendlier revolution! 

Learn more about Friendlier

Green Certifications

Marine Stewardship Council: Marine Stewardship Council certified since 2016. MSC tracks wild seafood from the ocean to your plate to deliver the world’s most sustainable seafood.
 

Certified Green University Dining Hall: Canada’s first 4-star Certified Green University Dining Hall since 2023. The Green Restaurant Association™ assesses water and energy use, waste and disposables, sustainable food sourcing, and earth-friendly cleaning practices in their certification. Learn more about Green Dining Hall Certification.

Fairtrade Campus: FairTrade Campus designation since 2014. FairTrade ensures fair prices for the farmers, workers, and companies who grow our food, such as coffee, tea, and chocolate.

Aquaculture Stewardship Council: Aquaculture Stewardship Council certified in 2019. ASC certifies farmed seafood from around the world and to uOttawa’s Dining Hall.

Certifications designation logos