Sustainability Transitions in University Food Service—A Living Lab Approach of Locavore Meal Planning and Procurement

Abstract

Due to its purchasing power, the public food service sector is viewed as a potential transformative driver towards sustainable food systems. Organic meal planning and regional procurement may be a vital implementation strategy towards Planetary Health Diets in the communal catering arena. Capable of unleashing desirable synergies within local foodsheds, this transition pathway can potentially benefit all stages of the value chain, while also positively influencing consumer dietary behavior. Transformation, however, poses complex challenges to caterers, as it demands a shift in mindset regarding the philosophy, organization, and management of cafeteria systems as well as the need for affordable and aggregated supplies of source-identified local organic foods. This action research case study engaged the public caterer of a German University, undergraduate students, and additional stakeholders in a Living Lab to develop a weekly farm-to-table cafeteria menu, including its actual preparation, based on a conceptual sustainability standard. Hence, through an iterative process, involving two feedback cycles, an ambitious set of nutritional and procurement criteria were devised, inspired by the external input from exemplary practitioners in the field of green cuisine and procurement. The resulting meal plan was then subjected to an evaluation vis-á-vis its compliance with (1) dietary recommendations, (2) seasonality, (3) organic certification, (4) a defined foodshed boundary, (5) budget neutrality, and (6) life cycle assessment.

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Sustainability2021,13,7305.https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137305www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
Article
SustainabilityTransitionsinUniversityFoodService—A
LivingLabApproachofLocavoreMealPlanning
andProcurement
SebastianKretschmer*andSheenaDehm
DepartmentofOrganicFoodQualityandFoodCulture(FB11),UniversityofKassel,Nordbahnhofstraße1a,
37213Witzenhausen,Germany;sheenadehm@outlook.com
*Correspondence:sebastian.kretschmer@uni‐kassel.de
Abstract:Duetoitspurchasingpower,thepublicfoodservicesectorisviewedasapotentialtrans‐
formativedrivertowardssustainablefoodsystems.Organicmealplanningandregionalprocure‐
mentmaybeavitalimplementationstrategytowardsPlanetaryHealthDietsinthecommunalca‐
teringarena.Capableofunleashingdesirablesynergieswithinlocalfoodsheds,thistransitionpath‐
waycanpotentiallybenefitallstagesofthevaluechain,whilealsopositivelyinfluencingconsumer
dietarybehavior.Transformation,however,posescomplexchallengestocaterers,asitdemandsa
shiftinmindsetregardingthephilosophy,organization,andmanagementofcafeteriasystemsas
wellastheneedforaffordableandaggregatedsuppliesofsource‐identifiedlocalorganicfoods.
ThisactionresearchcasestudyengagedthepubliccatererofaGermanUniversity,undergraduate
students,andadditionalstakeholdersinaLivingLabtodevelopaweeklyfarm‐to‐tablecafeteria
menu,includingitsactualpreparation,basedonaconceptualsustainabilitystandard.Hence,
throughaniterativeprocess,involvingtwofeedbackcycles,anambitioussetofnutritionaland
procurementcriteriaweredevised,inspiredbytheexternalinputfromexemplarypractitionersin
thefieldofgreencuisineandprocurement.Theresultingmealplanwasthensubjectedtoaneval‐
uationvis‐á‐visitscompliancewith(1)dietaryrecommendations,(2)seasonality,(3)organiccerti‐
fication,(4)adefinedfoodshedboundary,(5)budgetneutrality,and(6)lifecycleassessment.
Keywords:livinglab;publicprocurement;planetaryhealth;organic;local

1.Introduction
Publicfoodserviceorcommunalcateringasasubsetof“out‐of‐homeconsumption”
referstoalleatingactivitiesthattakeplaceoutsidethehome,includingcanteensettings
ofschools,universities,orotherpublicinstitutions[1,2].AccordingtoPfeifferetal.[3],
theout‐of‐homesectorinGermanyrepresentsamarketshareof40%andisthesecond‐
largestmarketforfoodproducts,withatotalsaleofEUR83Min2019[4].WithintheEU,
thepublicprocurementsectorrepresentsaround14%ofthegrossdomesticproduct[5].
Duetoitstremendouspurchasingpower,thecommunalcatering/publicprocurement
complexcouldbeatransformativedrivertowardssustainablefoodsystems[6–9].Plane‐
taryhealthynutrition,aswellastheadoptionofrelevantcriteriafosteringgreenprocure‐
ment,canbenefitsmallandmediumfarmersaswellaslocalfoodvaluechains[10,11].
ExamplesofsustainablenutritionaretheMediterraneanandNewNordicDiets,
whichaddresslocalfoodproduction,nutrition,biodiversity,andsustainability[12,13].
Consumersareshowingincreasinginterestinregionallyproducedfoodforavarietyof
motivations,includinghealthandqualityreasons,environmentalconcerns,andadesire
tosupportlocalfarmsandcommunities[14].Seasonaleatinghabitsinvolvingfoodsfrom
source‐identifiedlocaloriginshavebecomeknownas“locavorediets”[15].
Citation:Kretschmer,S.;Dehm,S.
SustainabilityTransitionsin
UniversityFoodService—ALiving
LabApproachofLocavoreMeal
PlanningandProcurement.
Sustainability2021,13,7305.https://
doi.org/10.3390/su13137305
AcademicEditors:HamidElBilali,
CarolaStrassnerandTarekBen
Hassen
Received:27May2021
Accepted:26June2021
Published:29June2021
Publisher’sNote:MDPIstaysneu‐
tralwithregardtojurisdictional
claimsinpublishedmapsandinstitu‐
tionalaffiliations.
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Copyright:©2021bytheauthors.Li‐
censeeMDPI,Basel,Switzerland.
Thisarticleisanopenaccessarticle
distributedunderthetermsandcon‐
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ativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ThePlanetaryHealthDiet(PD)isadietaryconceptthataimstoprotecthumanand
ecosystemhealthalike.DevelopedbytheEAT‐LancetCommission,thePDisbasedon
theconceptualframeworkofthePlanetaryBoundariesandmodelssustainablediets
basedonsafeoperatingspacesforfoodsystems[16].Thesafeoperatingspaceforfood
systemsisdefinedasbeingbelowtheuncertaintyrangewithinthePlanetaryBoundaries.
ThePDconceptproposesflexitarianeatinghabitsthatincludeglobaldietaryrecommen‐
dationsthatcanberegionallyadapted[17].AtypicalmealbasedonthePDcanbebroken
downbyvolumeasfollows:halfoftheplateconsistsoffruitsandvegetables,whilethe
otherhalfcontributestothecaloriesupply,primarilyintheformofwholegrains,plant
proteinsources,unsaturatedplantfats,and,optionally,averysmallamountofanimal
proteinsources[16].
Weregardlocalorganicdietsincommunalcateringsettingsasavitalcontribution
towardthePDconcept,which,alongwiththerespectiveprocurementandmealplanning
strategies,canhavepositiveeffectsonlocalfoodshedsbutcanalsopositivelyinfluence
consumerdietarybehavior[18].Afoodsheddescribesthegeographicareasupplyinga
specificpopulationwithfood[19].Dietsforplanetaryhealthandnature‐positivefood
productionarevitalcomponentsforachievingamoresustainablefoodsystem.Principles
oughttoincludeapreferencefororganicallyproduced,localandseasonal,low‐processed,
plant‐based,andfairlytradedfoods[20,21].Basedonthe2017GlobalNutritionReport,
all17UNSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs)arelinkedtonutrition[22].Therefore,
thepromotionoforganicagricultureandshortsupplychainsthroughtheconsumption
oflocalorganicfoodintheout‐of‐homeeatingsectorisimportantfortheaccelerationof
thetransformationtowardsasustainablefoodsystemandhealthierlifestyles[23,24].
HigherEducationInstitutions(HEI),asasubsetofthepublicfoodservice/communal
cateringsector,representanimportantstakeholderforpromotingsustainabledevelop‐
mentinthenutritionarena[25–27].AsstatedbyChambers[28]andOmrcenetal.[29],
highereducationisfundamentalforsecuringasustainablefuture.HigherEducationIn‐
stitutions(HEI),suchasuniversities,havetheopportunitytopromotesustainabilityas
theyteachthecominggenerationsofdecision‐makersandinfluencersthatcancontribute
towardstheendeavoroftheSDGsaswellasaidingintheimprovementofthefoodsystem
[30].Moreover,universitiesalsorepresentasignificantarenaforleveragingsustainable
foodprocurementastheymanagealargerangeoffoodandcateringoutletsforstudents
andstaff[25].
UniversitiesinGermanyusuallycontractwithpubliccaterersthatorganizeandop‐
eratetheirentirefoodenvironment,includingcanteens,whileprovidingservicestomany
studentsandstaff[25].AsstressedbyTeitscheidetal.[31](p.32),thesestate‐runnon‐
profitorganizations,typicallycalled“AssociationsofStudentAffairsandServices”
(ASAS),wereresponsiblefortotalannualsalesworthEUR415Min2013,whichmakes
themoneofthelargestsegmentsofthecommunalcateringsectorinGermany.
TheGermanNutritionSociety(DGE)hasestablisheddietaryguidelinesforboth
communalandcorporatecatering,whichthepublicfoodservicesectorissupposedto
adhereto[32].Theserecommendationsarecallingforincreasedproportionsoffruit,veg‐
etables,legumes,andwholegraincerealsinpeople’sdiets[30].TheDGErecommenda‐
tionsincludenutritionalreferencevaluesgearedtowardcommunalcateringspecifying
howmuchofeachfoodcategoryshouldbeconsumedinatypicalworkdaylunch.The
guidelinerecommendsmoreplant‐basedfoods,wholegrains,andpulsesandfewerani‐
malproducts,sugars,andsaturatedfattyacids[33].ThePD,ontheotherhand,conveys
guidelinesastohowmuchofeachfoodcategoryshouldbeconsumedperday[16].While
thePDalsorecommendsprimarilyplant‐basedfood,wholegrains,pulses,andfeweran‐
imalproducts,sugars,andsaturatedfattyacids,itsproportionofmacronutrientintake
foreachfoodcategoryvariesfromtheGermanDGEstandard.Thefoodcategoriesthem‐
selvesalsodiffer.ThePDincludesthefoodcategories(1)vegetableandfruit,(2)
wholegrains,(3)starchyvegetables,(4)dairyfoods,(5)animal‐sourcedprotein,(6)plant‐
sourcedprotein,(7)fattyacids,(8)addedsugar.TheDGE,ontheotherhand,includesthe

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foodcategories(1)wholegrainsandpotato,(2)dairyproducts,(3)animalprotein,(4)fatty
acids,(5)vegetablesandsalad,(6)fruit.TheGermanDGEmergedthetwoPDcategories
“wholegrains”and“starchytubers”intoasinglegroupcalled“wholegrainsandpota‐
toes”.Likewise,thegroup“plantproteinsources”underthePDisincludedinthegroup
“vegetablesandsalad”undertheDGEclassification.
Commitmenttosustainabilitytransitionsinthepublicfoodservicesectorposescom‐
plexchallengestocommunalcaterers,asitrequiresnotonlyachangeinsourcingand
procurementpurchasingbutalsoashiftinmindsetregardingthephilosophy,organiza‐
tion,andmanagementoftherespectivecanteensystemorfoodenvironment[18,34].The
searchforlocalvendorswhocanoffereconomicallypricedandadequatesuppliesofor‐
ganicfoodinanaggregatedmanner,aswellastheadaptedmealplanning,ofteninvolv‐
ingadditionalkitchenequipmentandstaffaswellastrainingandsensitization,canbe
time‐consumingandrequirescost‐intensiveplanning[35].
Typically,publicsectorfoodserviceorganizationsreceiveamixoffunding,includ‐
inggovernmentgrants[36].InthecaseoftheASAScanteensystematKasselUniversity,
costsarecoveredthrougharevenuemix,consistingof(1)subsidiesbythestateofHesse,
(2)aportionofthesemesterfeesthatstudentspayeachtermaswellasby(3)revenue
generatedfromactualfoodsales[37].Thefactthat,accordingtoasocialsurvey,commis‐
sionedbyKasselASAS,studentsonlyhaveanaverageofEUR161formonthlyfoodpur‐
chasesattheirdisposalfurthernecessitatestheprovisioningofaffordablelunchoptions
atuniversitycafeterias[38].
Ifcateringcompanieswanttoofferorganicfoodoptions,certificationofthekitchen
ismandatory,whichcanbeadeterringfactorduetotheadditionalbureaucracyandin‐
spectionvisits[36].Organiccertificationmaybegrantedbasedonindividualmealsoron
behalfoftheentiresegmentoforganicingredientsemployedbythecanteen,whichalso
necessitatesastrictseparationbetweenorganicandconventionalingredientsthroughout
theentirelogisticalprocess,includingstorage.
Manysmallercanteens/cafeteriasusuallydonothavetheappropriateinfrastructure
forthepreparation,processing,andstorageoffreshfoods,whichleadstohigheruseof
convenienceproducts,ratherthanfreshproduce[36].So‐called“just‐in‐timelogistics”,
thecommonsupplychainmanagementsystem,wherebyproductsaredeliveredonthe
daytheyareneeded,mayattimesalleviatethisproblem[39]but,atthesametime,isnot
withoutcontroversy.
Anotherchallengeisthelackofconsistentsupply,aggregation,anddeliveryofor‐
ganicfoodfromlocalfarms,compoundedbythefactthatitismoredifficultforsmaller
farmstobecomelistedasvendorsintheGermany‐wideinventorymanagementsystem
thatcateringcompaniesuse.Here,itwouldbeimportantforlocalvendorsorfarmsto
formlogisticalalliancesorinitiatethecreationofaFoodHubsothatvaluechainsbecome
lessfragmentedandcaterersmayreceivetheconsistentquantitiestheyrequire[36].Food
Hubscanleadtomoretrustworthyrelationshipsbetweenproducersandcaterers,aswell
asreducingtimeandcostsbyusingscaleeffects[40].AFoodHubisdefinedas“abusiness
ororganizationthatactivelymanagestheaggregation,distribution,andmarketingof
source‐identifiedfoodproductsprimarilyfromlocalandregionalproducerstostrengthen
theirabilitytosatisfywholesaler,retailandinstitutionaldemand”accordingtoBarham
etal.[41](p.4).Specifically,theUSmodelofFoodHubshasbecomeknowntoaggregate
anddelivermostlyfarm‐freshbutalso“fresh‐cut”vegetablesunder“co‐packing”ar‐
rangementswithahighdegreeofdiversityandconsistencythatfarexceedsthecapabili‐
tiesofindividualfarms[41,42].WiththehelpofFoodHubs,producersarerelievedfrom
theburdenoftime‐consumingmarketingandpromotionoftheirlocalproductsandcan
tapintothegrowingmarketsegmentofcommunalcaterers,who,atthesametime,prefer
fewerbuteffectivevendors.
TheEuropeanCommissionrecentlylaunchedits“FarmtoFork”strategyasthefoun‐
dationoftheEuropeanGreenDeal[43,44]tocreateamoresustainableEuropeanfood

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system.Thisfoodsystemactionplanencompassesallstagesfromproductiontoconsump‐
tion,envisioningequitablelivelihoodsforsmallerprimaryproducers,atransitionto‐
wardssustainablepractices,aswellaspromotinghealthyandsustainabledietsforcon‐
sumers[45].Thestrategyacknowledgestheinseparablelinksbetweenahealthypopula‐
tionandahealthyplanet[43,46].
TheEuropeanCommissionalsodevelopedenvironmentalprocurementcriteriain
theformofvoluntarytoolssuchastheGreenPublicProcurement(GPP)ortheSustainable
PublicProcurement(SPP)agendas,intendedforthedevelopmentofshortfoodsupply
chainsandregionalfoodproductionsystems[46,47].Toprioritizetheuseofhealthy,re‐
gional,andorganicfoodinpublicinstitutionsandtofacilitateatransitiontowardssus‐
tainablefoodsystems,suchprotocolsshouldbeappliedacrossnationalscales,encom‐
passingalllevelsofthepublicsector[34,48].ThisnotionstandsincontrastwiththeEC
Treatyandotherconventionsthatcallforthe“freemovementofgoodsandequalrights
forallmarketparticipants”[49](p.1).
TheEAT‐Lancetreportdisplaysafoodsystemmodelbasedonalemniscate,where
thePlanetaryBoundariesintersectwithhumanhealthboundariesatthecenterofthein‐
finitysymbol.ItreiteratesaninsightthathadpreviouslybeenconveyedbytheDouble
PyramidmodeloftheBarillaFoundation,demonstratinghowtheleastenvironmental
impactcanbeachievedviapeasant‐inspiredlocavoredietssuchastheMediterranean
Diet,which,atthesametime,happentoexertpositiveeffectsonhumanhealth[50,51].
Thissocio‐ecologicallinkageisbasedonaphysicallawfulness,whichtheprevailing
foodsystemparadigmhasstrayedawayfrom.Likening“eco‐agri‐foodsystem”health
withhumanhealthoremulatingnaturalsystemsandcyclesbyworkingwithnatureas
opposedtoagainstnaturearenotionsthathavebeenadvancedthroughOrganicFood
Systems(OFS).Sinceitsinception,theorganicfoodandfarmingmovementhasbeencul‐
tivatingvaluesfosteringregenerationandlocalization.Thefourprinciplespresentedby
theInternationalFederationofOrganicAgricultureMovements(IFOAM),“Health,Ecol‐
ogy,FairnessandCare”[52],provideaparadigmaticcontextandenablingsourcefor
FAO’sdefinitionofSustainableDiets[53],whicharedescribedas“dietswithlowenvi‐
ronmentalimpact,whichcontributetofoodandnutritionsecurityandhealthylifefor
presentandfuturegenerations.Sustainabledietsareprotectiveandrespectfulofbiodi‐
versityandecosystems,culturallyacceptable,accessible,economicallyfairandaffordable;
nutritionallyadequate,safeandhealthy;whileoptimizingnaturalandhumanresources.”
ArecentstudyidentifiedaglobaldriverpatternamongOFS,irrespectiveofsocio‐
economicgradientsbetweenglobalnorthandglobalsouthcountries.Thestudyrevealed
asetofenvironmentalandsocialnormsandnarrativesthatarepropellingwhattheau‐
thorscallthe“OrganicMindset”.Itconsistsofadeepcommitmenttosustainabledevel‐
opmentbyvaluechainactorsacrossfoodsystemelements.Theidentifiedmotivational
driversfromOFSaroundtheworldcircumscribeacoherentlyethicalagendacomprising
thefollowingcorrelates:(1)transformativelearningandcollectiveimpact,(2)equitable
growthandcommunityempowerment,(3)resilientproductionandecosystemservices,
and(4)moderateconsumptionandhealthfullifestyle[54].
ThispaperaimstopresentamethodologicalframeworkbywhichtoinvolveaHigher
EducationInstitution(HEI)inpotentialtransitionpathwaystowardsustainablepublic
procurementandmealplanning.ThisLivingLaboratoryapproachagainstthebackdrop
ofParticipatoryActionResearchinvolvedstudentsandtheKasselASASaskeystake‐
holdersoversixmonthsinanattempttooptimizegreensourcingthroughorganicmeal
planningatthecanteenlocationoftheSchoolforOrganicAgricultureinWitzenhausen,
accordingtoselectedsustainabilitycriteria.
Theconceptofsustainabilitytransitionsisdefinedas“long‐term,multi‐dimensional
andfundamentaltransformationprocessesthroughwhichestablishedsocio‐technicalsys‐
temsshifttomoresustainablemodesofproductionandconsumption”[55](p.956).Food
sustainabilitytransitionsrefertosocio‐technicaltransformationprocessesthatguidefood
practicestowardssustainability[56].Foodtransitionsrefertotheprocessesofstructural

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changethatallowtheemergenceanddiffusionofnewmodesandpracticesoffoodpro‐
ductionandconsumptionthataremoresustainable.Thesetransformationprocessesre‐
gardthewholefoodchain,fromfoodproductionthroughprocessing,distribution,tocon‐
sumption[57].
Whileprimarilyaimingatthedevelopmentofapracticableandmethodologicalap‐
proachofinvolvingkeystakeholdersinatransformationprocesstowardlocalorganic
mealplanningandgreenprocurementintheHEIfoodservicesector,ourstudypursued
thefollowingadditionalobjectives:
1. todevelopacoherentsetofsustainabilitycriteriaorconceptualstandardsregarding
procurementandmealplanning;
2. todevelopactualmealsforaweeklymenu;
3. toevaluatethepotentialoforganic“locavore”menuplanningandprocurement
againstthegoalsofbudget‐neutralityandthePDrecommendations.
2.MethodsandApproach
WehaveembeddedourresearchquestionsintoaLivingLaboratoryexperimentation
setting,inwhichkeystakeholdersshape“public‐private‐people‐partnerships”[58](p.19)
withininstitutions,suchasuniversities,totakepartin“openanddistributedinnovation
processesinareal‐lifecontext,aimingtocreatesustainabilityvalues”[59](p.3).
Aninternalmulti‐stakeholdercommitteeatKasselUniversity,convenedbytheEu‐
ropeanEco‐ManagementandAuditScheme(EMAS),wasinterestedinseveralsustaina‐
bilitytransitionsacrossrelevantareas,includingprocurementandmealplanningaspects,
atitscanteenfoodservicelocations.EMASisamanagementandenvironmentalaudit
instrumentthataidsorganizationsofallkindsinimprovingtheirenvironmentalperfor‐
manceand,asapubliclawinstrument,isbasedontheEURegulationNo.1221/2009
[60,61].Thetoolcanalsobeappliedtopublicfoodservice,ashasbeenshowninthefacil‐
itiesoftheBerlinASAS,whereseveraldiningfacilitieshavemettheEMASrequirements
[62].Hence,acoupleofresearchersfromtheSchoolofOrganicAgricultureatKasselUni‐
versityapproachedASAStousetheopportunityforimplementingaLivingLabtransition
experiment.Hence,auniversitycoursewasdesignedspecificallytoengagesomeofthe
keystakeholdersoftheuniversityfoodservicecontextinsolution‐orientedexperimental
research.
ParticipatoryActionResearch(PAR)isacollaborative,action‐basedprocessbetween
researchersandparticipants,whoworktogetherinmakingchangewithinthecommunity
[63,64]bypromotingin‐depthandmulti‐facetedunderstandingofacomplexissueinits
real‐lifecontext[65](p.1).Itcombinesactionandreflectionsothattheteamofresearchers
andparticipantscanunderstandandimprovetheseissues[66].Baumetal.[67]describe
PARasareflectivecycle,bywhichparticipantsdefineaproblem,gatherandanalyzedata,
anditerativelytakeandreflectuponaction.Toincreaseateam’sfunctionalityandtoen‐
surerealisticinterventions,bothquantitativeandqualitativecomponentsintheformof
mixedmethodsmaybeincorporatedwithinthesameresearchdesign[68,69].Themixed‐
methodsapproachwithintheoverarchingPAR/LivingLabframeworkincludedboth
quantitativeandqualitativemethodsthatwereappliedsequentially.Wehaveadapted
thePARapproachfromVelasco[70](p.2),exhibitingtwoconsecutivefeedbackcycles
withrepeatingphasesofactionplanning,stakeholderengagement,andreflection(see
Figure1).Theactionwascarriedoutthroughpracticalexperimentation,followedbyre‐
flectionandanalysis[71,72].ActionanalysisconsistedoffeedbackfromtheKasselASAS
canteendirectorasakeystakeholderononeside,butalsothroughthecontinuouseffort
ofaligningthestudents’proposedmealswiththejointlyelaboratedconceptualstandard.
Asafinalanalyticalstep,themealswererunthroughabrowser‐basedlifecycleassess‐
mentapplicationcalled“NAHGAST.”

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
Figure1.Actionresearchmethodologicalframework,involvingtwocyclesofrepeatingphasesinvolvingactionplanning,
stakeholderengagement,andreflection(adaptedfromVelasco[70](p7)).
2.1.FirstFeedbackCycle:StakeholderEngagement
Keystakeholdersweresensitizedaboutthestructureandpurposeofthisproject.The
undergraduateuniversitycourse“Eatinganddrinkingasdriversofchange”wasconcep‐
tualizedasaPARLivingLabforpilotingtransitionpathwaysregardinggreenprocure‐
mentandlocalorganicmealplanningatoneofthefoodservicelocationswithinKassel
ASAS.Itprovidedthesettingtoinitiateinteractionanddialogamongkeystakeholders,
includingresearchersandstudentsastheprimaryclienteleofthecampuscafeteria/can‐
teenandtheKasselASASasthepubliccateringcompany.Theresearchprojectconsisted
of(1)ateamoftworesearchers,whoprovidedthemainscientificinput,(2)thegastro‐
nomicaldirectorofASAS,whoisresponsibleforallthecanteensandcafeteriasatthe
UniversityofKassel,(3)fiveexternalexpertsprovidingbestpracticecasestudies,and(4)
agroupof20undergraduatestudents(dividedintofivegroups)fromtheSchoolofOr‐
ganicAgricultureatKasselUniversity.SincethisprojectwascarriedoutattheSchoolof
OrganicAgriculture,wemainlyfocusedonthecafeteriaatthiscampus.
2.2.FirstFeedbackCycle:DefiningtheIssue,PlanningtheAction
TheKasselASAScanteenattheSchoolofOrganicAgriculturestartedservingor‐
ganicfoodasof1985.AccordingtoKrieger(2019),ASAS’scostofgoodsfororganicprod‐
uctsatthecanteenoftheSchoolofOrganicAgriculturemakesupapproximately40%of
allprocurementexpendituresforthiscampus.Around20%oftheseingredientsare
sourcedlocallyfromNorthHesse.In2003,theASAScanteenwasawardedanorganic
certificateandhasbeenabletousetheorganicsealfordesignatedmealssince2004(code
number:DE‐ÖKO‐039).Sincethespecifictypeoforganiccertificationisbasedonentire
meals,asopposedtoindividualingredients,alltheingredientsofagivenmealhavetobe
organicorelseitcannotbelabeledassuch[73,74].
ThemissionofKasselASASistosupportstudentseconomically,socially,andcul‐
turallybasedontargetandperformanceagreementsmadebetweenKasselUniversityand
thestateofHesse,asanchoredinHessianstudentUnionLaw.Regularmeetingswith
stateanduniversityrepresentatives,studentsurveys,andfeedbackmanagementmecha‐
nismsservetoidentifystudentneeds[75].Thisinvolves,forexample,offeringarangeof

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nutritionallybalanced,inexpensive,andtastymealsandsnacksatalluniversitylocations,
takingintoaccountomnivorous,pescatarian,ovo‐lacto‐vegetarian,andveganoptions.
Organicmeals,consistingofthemainplateandtwosidedishesareofferedinveganor
ovo‐lacto‐vegetarianqualitiesatapproximatelyEUR3.20,versusEUR2.80forconven‐
tionaloptions.ExtrasidedishescostEUR0.80[75].
AccordingtothegastronomicaldirectorofKasselASAS,reliabilityandgood‐quality
foodarenottheonlydecisivefactorsforpurchasingfromregisteredvendors.Reasonsfor
therelativelyhighamountsofprocessedfoodscurrentlyusedbythecanteenhavetodo
withcertainspacerestrictionsprohibitingthestorageoflargerquantitiesoffreshingredi‐
ents,compoundedbythefactthattheorganicwholesalerfromthearearequiresminimum
ordervolumes,whichiscustomaryintheindustry.Tomaketheviciouscyclecomplete,
itisthepersonnelcostsarisingfromthereceiptoftoomanyindividualdeliveriesoffresh
productsfromsinglefarmsthatforceASAStoresorttoaggregateddeliveriesbyacon‐
ventionalwholesaler.Furthermore,theyareboundtotransparent,rule‐compliant,and
corruption‐proofcontractawards.Thismeansthatnodirectcontractscanbeawardedto
supplierswithoutpriorcomparisonthroughpricebiddingortenderingprocedures.In
addition,manyhygieneandotherfoodlawregulationsmustbetakenintoaccountinthe
preparation,plating,andservingofmeals,includingthereturnofdishes,whichmakeit
verydifficulttouseunprocessed,farm‐freshvegetablesortocontrolfoodwaste[75].
Quantitativeresearchintheformofaminionlinesurveywasconductedtoobtain
feedbackfromadditionalstudents,whowerenotenrolledinthecourse,abouttheirwill‐
ingnesstosupportorganiclocavorefoodchoicesatthecafeteria.Enrolledstudentsfrom
thecourseeachwereresponsibleforfindingtwostudentswhowoulddigitallytakethe
survey.Eventually,agroupof40randomlyselectedstudentstookpartinthesurvey.The
structureofthesurveywasadaptedfromKumar[76],Lülfs‐Baden,andSpiller[77].It
consistedoffiveclosed‐endedquestionswithathree‐pointLikertscale.Closed‐ended
questionsonaLikertscaleprovetobeansweredmoreeasilyandcanbeanalyzedmore
quickly[78,79].Sincetheentireresearchprojectwasprimarilyconductedonline,dueto
theCOVID‐19pandemic,thisquantitativemethodprovedtobebeneficial,asitprovided
aneasywaytogainanimpressionfromstudentclienteleastowhethertheplannedaction
wouldbesupported.
Nexttotheminisurvey,additionalqualitativeresearchintheformofbriefcasestud‐
iesconveyingbestpracticesinthefieldoflocalsourcingandgreenprocurementwascar‐
riedouttosharewiththewholegroup.Atotaloffourcasesweresampledduringthefirst
feedbackcycle,including(1)thecertifiedorganicprivatecateringcompanycalled
“Biond”,serving100%organicschoollunchesnationwide,(2)the“DietUnit”fromStock‐
holmCountyinSweden,procuringcloseto100%organicfoodfor35publiccanteensin
themunicipalityofSödertälje,(3)thecertifiedorganic“U‐Boot”cafeteriaofDresdenUni‐
versity,serving100%organicfood,and(4)thecertifiedorganiclocavorevegetarian
“Adelhaus”restaurant,oftheinitiative“Regionalwert”fromFreiburgGermany.
Applyingacasestudyapproachpromotes“in‐depthunderstandingofanissueinits
real‐lifecontext”[65](p.1)andrelatingtoavarietyofvariablesabouttheunitsofanalysis
underinvestigation[80].Thestructureandpresentationofbestpracticeexampleswere
adaptedfromFletcheretal.[81],wherebythemostimportantlearningoutcomesthatare
essentialfortheplannedactionwereidentifiedandadopted.
Theresearchproblemandissueathandwerejointlyclarifiedandcriteriaregarding
sustainableprocurementandmealplanning,suchasregionalsourcing,seasonalorganic
ingredients,budget‐neutralprocurementaswellascompliancewiththeDGEandPD
guidelines,wereformulatedbyjuxtaposingprinciplesderivedfromthebestpracticecase
studieswiththeliterature.Astheterm“seasonal”canbeassociatedwithregionallypro‐
ducedgoods[82],thisstudyequatedthetwotermsandtreatedthemsynonymously.Since
thisprojecttookplaceduringthewintersemester,themealproposalsdevelopedbystu‐
dentshadtoconsistofingredientsthatwereinseasonbetweenDecemberandMarch,

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which,consideringtheclimateofthemidlandlowmountainrangesofNorthHesse,pre‐
sentedanextradesignchallenge.

2.3.DevelopmentofaConceptualStandardforSustainableMealPlanningandProcurement
BasedontheinputthatwasprovidedbythegastronomicaldirectorofKasselASAS
regardingthemechanics,operationalrealities,andpathdependenciesofboththeuniver‐
sity‐wideandcampus‐specificcanteensystemattheSchoolofOrganicAgriculture,apre‐
liminarysetofmealplanningandprocurementcriteriawasdevisedtoserveasourex‐
perimentalstandard.
Firstly,andsincetheprojectprimarilyaimedatcomposingorganicmealsthatcon‐
formedwithPDrecommendations,butsinceKasselASASadherestotheGermanDGE
standard,itmadesensetoincludebothsetsofreferencevaluesintheexperimentalsus‐
tainabilitystandardthatthisstudywaspursuing.SincethePDguidelinespresentmacro‐
nutrientintakebasedonafullday’snutrientintake,werecalculatedthemtoreflectthe
macronutrientintakeforalunchmeal(Table1),basedontheDGEreferencefornutrient
intake,whichstatesthatlunchincommunalcateringissupposedtoconstitute35%ofa
fullday’snutrientintake[83].
Table1.OriginalPDmacronutrientintakeperdayadaptedtomacronutrientintakeonlyforlunch.
FoodGroupsPlanetaryHealthDiet(perday)
MacronutrientintakeØ%day
PDonaLunchBasis(35%ofTotal)
MacronutrientintakeØ%forlunch
Wholegrains(rice,wheat,corn,etc.)17.56.1
Tubers/starchyveg.(i.e.,potatoes,cas‐
sava)3.81.3
Allvegetables22.78
Allfruits15.15.3
Dairyfoods18.96.6
Animalproteinsources6.32.2
Plantproteinsources9.43.3
Unsaturatedoils3.01.05
Saturatedoils0.90.3
Addedsugars2.30.8
TodesignasustainablemealplanningandprocurementstandardforHEIfoodser‐
vice,wedecidedtosuperimposeOFSprinciplesonthePlanetaryHealthDiet.Through
thisprocess,multipleOFSconvergingqualities,suchas100%certifiedorganicingredi‐
ents,moderationintheuseofanimalproducts,gentleprocessing,territorialvaluechains,
andnature‐positiveproduction,intuitivelycoalescedintoourconceptualstandard.
Ourconceptualstandard,consistingofsixinterrelatedparametersthathadbeen
graduallyelaboratedthroughoutthisLivingLabresearch,hasbeenderivedfromtheOr‐
ganicMindset,whichperceivesfoodqualityasadirectresultofitsmulti‐facetedsustain‐
abilityapproach.
Theinnateaffinityforsystemsthinkingandcapacityforecocentricresponsestofood
systemvulnerabilitiesthathavedevelopedfromtheOFSnichehasproventoserveas
viabletransitionpathwaystowardregenerativefoodsystemsandshouldbemain‐
streamedassuch[23,84,85].ThealignmentofnormativehorizonsbetweentheOFSMind‐
setwithitsinnateSDGtrajectoryandtheemergingconsensusregardingnecessarytrans‐
formationresponsescanbeobservedbywayofcertainscientificdiscoursessuchas“The
EconomicsofEcosystemsandBiodiversity”intheEco‐Agri‐FoodSystem[86].Thematch‐
ingqualitiesalsobecomeapparentwhenjuxtaposingOFSemergingpropertieswithsome
internationalagendas,suchastheEU’sSystemChangeCompass[87],theCollaborative
FrameworkforFoodSystems[88],andotherUNprotocols.Thisconvergenceisalsore‐
flectedinnumerousEuropeanlawsuitslaunchedbycivicsocietyanddirectedatnational

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governments,duetothenegligenceofcommittingadequateclimateandbiodiversityac‐
tion,whichfoodsystems,amongothersectors,wouldtechnicallybeabletotackle[89].
Ontheotherhand,wearenowexperiencingthefeedbackdrivingforcescomingfrom
thebreakingboundariesoftheplanet’secosphere[90].Forourfoodsystemnottofailus,
renewedinnovationendeavorstowardeco‐efficientandnature‐positiveproductionare
required.Theplanetisholdingupthemirror,signalingtheunsustainabilityofcurrent
foodsystemtrajectories.Duetothemismanagementoftheseglobalcommons,planetary
feedbackmechanismshavebeenunleashed,whichareexertingadrivingforceoftheir
own,forcingthefoodsystemtoadapt.
Weproposeaconceptualstandardforsustainablemealplanningandprocurement
inthepublicfoodservicearenathatiscognizantofboththeemergingtrendtowardlocal‐
izationandgeneration,whichco‐evolvedwithOFSandthefeedbackdriversthatwere
unleashedbybreakingplanetaryboundaries.Bothdrivingforcesareconvergingonthe
jointnexusofnature‐positiveproductionandalignednaturalandsocialcapitalbases,en‐
ablinghomeostasisofthefoodsystem(Figure2).

Figure2.Afoodsystem‐basedconceptualframeworkaidingthedesignofasustainablemealplanningandprocurement
standardfortheHEIpublicfoodservice.
2.4.FirstFeedbackCycle:TakingAction
Afterlearningfrombestpracticeexamples,thefivestudentgroupsthenstartedwith
thedesignoftheirmealproposalsbyengagingbothinculinaryexperimentationandsup‐
plychainmanagement.Studentswerereachingouttofarmsandwholesalersfromthe
regionwhilestayinginclosecommunicationwiththegastronomicaldirectorofKassel
ASASaboutavailabilitiesfromexistingvendorswithintheinventorymanagementsys‐
tem.Subsequently,eachgroupprepared,tasted,anddocumentedtheirmeal,toconveya
culinaryimpressionofit.Eachmealconsistedofthemaincomponentaswellastwoside
dishes.

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2.5.FirstFeedbackCycle:AnalysisandReflection
Atthisphase,towardtheendofthefirstcycle,studentspresentedtheirmealpro‐
posalstothegastronomicaldirectorofKasselASAS.Thepresentationsincludedashort
descriptionoftheirrecipes,anaccountofwhatinspiredthedesignoftheirmealproposals,
aswellashowthemealsperformedaccordingtothelistofpreliminarycriteria.Eachmeal
wasreflecteduponbyprovidingfeedback,includingoptimizationsuggestionsregarding
bothmealcompositionandtheprocurementofingredients.Itisimportanttonotethat
duringthefirstcycle,eachofthefivemealswaspresentedandevaluatedasindividual
lunchmealsandnotintheformofaweeklymenuplan.
2.6.SecondFeedbackCycle:RedefiningtheAction
Aftertheanalysisandreflectionphaseofthefirstcyclewasconcluded,theensuing
feedbackandanalysisinformedtheoptimizationcycle,whichservedfortherefinement
ofboththemealsandthecriteria.Anadditionalbestpracticecase,calledthe“Foodfor
Life”programbytheBritishSoilAssociation,waspresentedtoprovidefurthernuanceto
thedefinedproblem.Thus,afinalsetofmealplanningandprocurementcriteriawaselab‐
orated.
Finally,throughtheinputoftheresearchers,lifecycleassessment(LCA)asanaddi‐
tionalanalyticaltool,tobeperformedonindividualmeals,wasaddedtothesetofsus‐
tainabilitycriteria,usingthescientificallydevised“NAHGAST”calculator[7,91]tohelp
visualizethesocio‐ecologicalimpactsofthemeals.
2.7.SecondFeedbackCycle:RevisedAction
Eachgroupofstudentsagainworkedindependentlyonimprovingboththedesign
oftheirmealproposalandtheprocurementofingredients.Whilecommunicatingwith
KasselASASandlocalvendorstoconsolidatesupplychains,theprocurement,andtaking
intoconsiderationthefullsetofcriteriaandpriorfeedback,allmealswereagainprepared
anddocumentedtodelineatethechangesthatweremade.
2.8.SecondFeedbackCycle:AnalysisandReflectionofRevisedAction
Therefinedmealproposalswerere‐presentedtoASAS.Thepresentationsincluded
ashortdescriptionofwhatwasimprovedandhowthemealsperformedagainstthefinal
conceptualstandard.Again,eachmealwasreflecteduponandfinalfeedback(ifany)was
given.
3.Results
3.1.FirstCycleResults:MiniSurvey
All40respondentsansweredthequestions,apartfromonequestion,whichwasleft
unansweredbyonerespondent.Overall,theresultsshowthattheaspects“Regionality”,
“OrganicFarming”,and“Vegetarian/Vegan”optionswereimportanttotherespondents.
Theyalsoindicatedthattheywouldbewillingtopayahigherpriceforsuchmealoptions
(Figure3).

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Figure3.Minisurveyresultsbasedonfivequantitativequestions.
3.2.FirstCycleResults—BestPracticeCaseStudies
Table2presentsthebestpracticesoffourselectedcasesregardingtheirimplementa‐
tionofsustainablemenuplanningandprocurement.Accordingtothesebestpracticeex‐
amples,themainstandardsincludelocallyproducedfresh,seasonal,andorganicfoods
withanemphasisonveganorvegetarianmealoptions.Inaddition,constantexchange
withproducersandsuppliershasbeenmentionedfrequently,aswellashavingaflexible
mealplan,placinghighvalueonfoodwastemitigation,followingdietaryguidelines,and
adheringtoafixedbudget.
Table2.Casestudiesandtheirstandardsforsustainableprocurementandhealthymealplanning.
Case Standards
BIOND—organiccateringservicefor
schoolsandkindergarten,
operatingnationwide
Fresh,seasonal,organic,andregionalproducts
Avoidingfoodwastebyproducingtherightamounts,utilizingleftovers
Usingtheconceptof“just‐in‐time”delivery
NoGMOsorflavorenhancers
Uses“cookandchill”method
Inconstantexchangewithsuppliers(Whatisinstock?Whatwillbeharvested?
Whathastogo?)
PlanmealsaccordingtotheGermanNutritionStandardsforkindergartenand
schools
Methodsthatincreasetheattractivenessofthecafeteria(workshopsonnutrition,
health,andenvironment,offeringtastingportions,mealsbasedonmottoweeks)
The“DietUnit”oftheMunicipalityof
Södertälje,Sweden
BasedontheBaltic,mostlyplant‐based“DietforaGreenPlanet”conceptinthe
publicmealsector
Sourcingprimarilylocal,organic,andseasonalproducts
Animalproductsreducedby20%

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Morevegetables,legumes,andwholegrains
Reducingwasteduringproduction,processing,distribution,andwhencooking
Goodrelationshipswithstudents(integrationintothekitchen)
FollowsguidelinesfromtheSwedishFoodAgency
Hasprovenabudget‐neutraltransformationofmealplanningandprocurement
BioMensaU‐Boot—100%organiccafeteria
attheDresdenTechnicalUniversity
Fresh,unprocessed,andorganicfoodproducts
Meat:mainlybeefandpork
Nofish
Flexiblemealplanning:Whatisavailablefromproducers?Whatcanbesubsti‐
tuted?
Avoidfoodwaste(utilizesleftovers)
Alotof“gutfeeling”andexperienceonhowmanyportionsareneededofwhich
options(vegetarian/veganormeat)
Openkitchen,customercontactimportant
Inviteconstructivecriticism
Fixedlimitedbudgettomaintain
Adelhaus—locavoreorganicvegetarian
restaurantinFreiburg
Vegetarian/veganmenu
100%organicanddirectlyfromregionalsuppliers
Freshandseasonalproducts
Abuffetrestaurantwhereeverythingispaidbyweight:customerscanputto‐
gethertheirdishes(reducesfoodwaste)
Themenuisdesignedbasedonwhatfarmshavetooffer
Inconstantexchangewithproducersandsuppliers
3.3.FirstCycleResults—PreliminaryCriteria
Table3displaysthesetofpreliminarycriteriathatwerecompiledthroughoutthe
problemdefinitionandactionplanningphase.Thecostofgoodsthatwasdeterminedfor
eachmealhadtoremainwithin50%ofthestudentpriceforanorganicmeal.Anorganic
mealforstudentscostsEUR3.20.Hence,thecostofgoodsintermsofprocurementex‐
penseswasnottoexceedEUR1.60permeal.
AccordingtotheGermanNutritionSociety(DGE),value‐addedindustrialfoodsare
typicallyclassifiedintosixprocessinglevelsthatincludelevel(0)unprocessed,i.e.,un‐
washedvegetables;level(1)“kitchenready”,i.e.,washedvegetables;level(2)readyto
cookfoods,i.e.,frozenorfresh‐cutvegetables;level(3)alreadysavored“prefab”foods,
i.e.,dehydratedmashedpotato;level(4)reheatableproducts,i.e.,readytoeatindividual
components,andlevel(5)readytoserveproducts,i.e.,coldsaucesorfinishedsalads.Itis
importanttonotethatasofconveniencelevel2,anindependentrecipeimplementation
bythechefisusuallynotrequiredanymore[92].
Table3.Setofpreliminarycriteriaformealplanningandprocurement.
1. 100%localsourcingofingredientswithintheKasselAdministrativeDistrict(NorthHesse),whichincludesthecityofKassel
aswellasthefollowingcounties:(1)Werra‐Meissner,(2)Kassel,(3)Hersfeld‐Rotenburg,(4)Waldeck‐Frankenberg,
(5)Schwalm‐Eder,and(6)Fulda(=6counties+theindependentcityofKassel).
2. Organicingredientsfromcertifiedorganicfarms,shops,orwholesalers,butalsofromfarmsintransitiontoorganiccertifica‐
tionaswellasfrom“member‐certified”CSAfarms(CommunitySupportedAgriculture).
3. CompliancewiththePlanetaryHealthDiet(PD)concept.
4. CompliancewiththeDGEdietaryguidelinesforcommunalcatering.
5. Onlygentlyprocessedfoodsuptoconveniencelevel3.
6. BudgetneutralitywiththecostofgoodsnottoexceedEUR1.60permeal.
7. Respectforlimitingfactorsinthekitchen(preparationtime,limitationsofkitchenequipment,andknow‐howofstaff).
3.4.FirstCycleResults—RecipeDescription
Table4displaysashortdescriptionoftheinitialmealproposalsthateachgroupde‐
signed.Allthemealswereinnovative,delicious,andincludedavarietyofvegetables.

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Meals#2,3,and#5werevegetarian,meal#4wascompletelyvegan,andmealonein‐
cludedasmallportionofcross‐cutvealshank.
Table4.Abriefdescriptionoftheinitialmealproposals.
MealDescription
(1)Maindish:North‐Hes‐
sianOssobuco
Sidedish1:Boiledpotatoes
Sidedish2:Savoycabbage
andapplesalad
North‐HessianOssobucoisastewofbraisedseasonalvegetables,herbs,andasmallportionof
cross‐cutvealshankthatgivesthestewadeeparomaticflavor.Thesidedishesincludesalted
boiledpotatoesandanapplesavoycabbagesaladseasonedwithsalt,applevinegar,andlinseed
oil.
(2)Maindish:Goldenbrown
mozzarellapatty
Sidedish1:Potatowedges
Sidedish2:Endivesalad
Amozzarellapattycoatedinflourandbreadcrumbs,friedonbothsidesuntilgoldenbrown,
andgarnishedwithjam.Asidedishofbakedpotatoesandendivesaladseasonedwithfinely
choppedonions,vinegar,oil,andsalt.
(3)Maindish:Beetrootand
greenspeltpattywithaherb
quarkdip
Sidedish1:Lentilsoupwith
smokedtofu
Sidedish2:Redcabbage
salad
Beetrootandgreenspeltpattywithaherbquark.Lentilsoupwithregionallentilsandsmoked
tofuandaredcabbagesaladseasonedwithoil,salt,sugar,andapplecidervinegarasside
dishes.
(4)Maindish:Savoycabbage
rouladefilledwithlentils,
vegetables,andoats
Sidedish1:Pumpkinand
oat“risotto”
Sidedish2:Carrotmash
Oven‐bakedsavoycabbagerouladesfilledwithlentils,nakedoats,andvegetableswithaside
dishofpumpkinandoat“risotto”andacarrotmash.
(5)Maindish:Savoycabbage
stew
Sidedish1:Lentilsalad
Sidedish2:Quarkwithap‐
plesandwalnuts
Asavoycabbagestewwithvegetablesandpotatoesandseasonedwithsalt.Sidedishesinclude
alentilsaladwithvinegarandoilvinaigrettestretchedwithapplejuiceandanapplequarkwith
honey,cinnamon,andwalnuts.
3.5.FirstCycleResults—FeedbackfromKasselASAS
Table5presentsthekeyfeedbackgivenbyASAS.Theimportanceofadheringtothe
budgetaryconstraintsregardingthecostofgoodswasstressedalongwiththeclearre‐
questtoavoidsourcingfromtoomanyindividualsuppliers.Instead,itwascommuni‐
catedthatfewer,buttrustworthy,vendorswithinthedefinedregionweredesired.Fur‐
thercriticismwasexpressedregardingthemeals’lackofseasoning,leadingtopotentially
jeopardizedacceptabilitybycanteencustomers.Thiswasbecause,eventhoughsaltwas
abletobesourcedfromlocalproduction,otherspicesapparentlycouldnotbesourced
locallybythestudents.Furthermore,itwasstatedthatduetoalackofappropriateequip‐
ment,thepreparationofmealscouldonlybedoneonthedayoftheirconsumption,which
ruledoutanyrecoveryofleftoversforthefollowingdayaswell.Allfreshingredientshad
tobeprocuredpre‐processed(washed,peeled,ordiced).


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Table5.KeyfeedbackfromKasselASAS.
MealFeedback
(1)Maindish:North‐HessianOssobuco
Sidedish1:Boiledpotatoes
Sidedish2:Savoycabbageandapplesalad
CostofgoodshigherthanEUR1.60
Verylittleseasoningused
Notallowedtocookthedaybefore
Notastewbutratheraragout(thereforecannotbecalled“Ossobuco”)
Nicecombinationofcolors
Sidedisheslookgoodaswellandfitthemaindish
(2)Maindish:Goldenbrownmozzarellapatty
Sidedish1:Potatowedges
Sidedish2:Endivesalad
4suppliersoutsideofKasseladministrativedistricts(furtherthan100km)
Costofgoodshigher
Deliverycostsandtollhavetobeincludedinthecostofgoods
Verylittleseasoningused
Endivesaladcouldbetoobitter.Addalightsweetcomponent
Themeallooksgood,hasanicecombinationofcolors
Highfatcontent;therefore,itwilltastegoodandhavehighacceptability
(3)Maindish:Beetrootandgreenspeltpattywith
aherbquarkdip
Sidedish1:Lentilsoupwithsmokedtofu
Sidedish2:Redcabbagesalad
Verylittleseasoningused
Redcabbagedifficulttoprepare(nottherightequipmentavailable,re‐
quiresmanpower,andcouldbetootime‐consuming
Theportionoflentilsoupistoomuchasasidedish
Themeallooksgood,hasanicecombinationofcolors
Acceptabilityofgreenspeltmaynotbehighinstudents
(4)Maindish:Savoycabbagerouladefilledwith
lentils,vegetables,andnakedoats.
Sidedish1:Pumpkinandnakedoat“risotto”
Sidedish2:Carrotmash
Notallowedtoutilizeleftovers(leftovervegetablestomakevegetable
stock)
Carrotshavetobepeeled
Costofgoodsmustbecalculatedonagrossbasis(here,costofgoodscal‐
culatedonanetbasis)
Verylittleseasoningused
Acceptanceofwholegraincereals(nakedoats)isnothighamongststu‐
dents
Agoodvarietyofvegetables,nicecombinationofcolors
(5)Maindish:Savoycabbagestew
Sidedish1:Lentilsalad
Sidedish2:Quarkwithapplesandwalnuts
Costofgoodtoohigh
Verylittleseasoningused
Toomanyvendors
Potatoeshavetobedeliveredalreadypeeled
Iscinnamonregionallyproduced?
Applesfordesserthavetobemarinatedinlemonorgratedintodessert
Theportionofthemaindishistoosmall
Nicecombinationofcolors
3.6.FirstCycleResults—EvaluationofMealsAccordingtothePreliminaryConceptual
Standard
Onlyonegroup(meal#5)managedtosourcealltheingredientsconsistentlyfrom
supplierswithintheKasselAdministrativeDistrict,whereastheotherfourgroupswere
sourcingfromdistantcountiesthatwereoutsideofthedefinedregion.Threegroupsman‐
agedtosource100%organicingredients,whereasthetwoothergroupsincludedingredi‐
entssourcedfromCSAfarmsandfarmscurrentlyinconversiontowardorganiccertifica‐
tion.MealsonlypartiallymetPDreferencevalues.Somefoodcategorieswerenotin‐
cludedinthemeals,somewereinexcess,andothershadadequateproportions.Likewise,
thecomparisonagainsttheGermanDGEstandardresultedinsomeofthefoodcategories
beingeitherincludedornotincluded.

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Noneofthegroupsexceededthemaximumconveniencelevel3.Mostoftheingre‐
dientswereofconveniencelevel1and2.Therecipeswereeasytoprepareinthekitchen
andrequirednoextraworksincemostofthevegetableswouldalreadycomewashed,
peeled,andcut.Nodishrequiredmorethanonehourofpreparationtimeandonehour
ofcookingtime.Onlytwooutofthefivegroupsmanagedtoconformtothelimitedcost
ofgoods,whereastheotherthreegroupsexceededthelimitofEUR1.60.
3.7.SecondCycleResults—AdditionalBestPracticePresentations
Table6presentsanadditionalcasestudy,whichofferedinsightsregardingitstran‐
sitionpathwaytowardshealthyandsustainablemealplanningandthestandardsitcre‐
atedtoachievethis.
Table6.The“FoodforLife”casestudyanditsrenownedmealplanningandprocurementstandard.
CaseStudyStandards
FoodforLifeprogram(BritishSoil
Association)workswithpublic
andprivatesectorsinpromoting
healthyandsustainableschool
lunches
Fresh,organic,local,andseasonalfood(withhighwelfarestandardsandlowclimateim‐
pact)
Noheavilyprocessedingredients
Lessmeatandthusbetterquality
Reducingenergy,water,andwaste
Constantengagementwithcommunities
Hightransparencyoffoodsupplychain
Educationalworkshopsthatintegratechildrenandcommunities
4FFLpillars:foodquality,foodleadership,foodeducation,foodcommunities
Supportsnurseries,children’scenters,schools,universities,hospitals,residentialcare,
cafes,restaurants,andworkplacesinfindingcertified