Ural Federal University: No Queues and Environmentally Friendly: University Presented a New Format of Canteens

The Ural Federal University presented the project “Ecosystem E-da!” – a new format of food service facilities at the university. The key principles of the project today are environmental friendliness, mobility, and no queues.

“Our students have developed an application themselves, which allows ordering from the canteen while sitting in the classroom and getting food during the break. In addition, in the future we are considering the possibility of making delivery. Thus, students will be able to get hot and healthy meals in the dormitory as well,” said Sergey Sergeev, Director of the Center for Collective Work “Boiling Point of UrFU”.

The emphasis will be placed on environmental friendliness in both production and disposal of tableware. For example, the Inzhek canteen in the main building has a machine that allows filling water for free, the only thing needed is to have one’ s own bottle. Also, some of the utensils will be replaced with yeast-free glasses, for example, for soup and salads. All the guests of the presentation were able to try soup in such a glass.

“I’m very happy that there is more and more variety in my food choices at the university. For example, I don’t eat meat, and some people are allergic to certain foods. And now we have the opportunity to eat at the university, also without queues, and without harming nature,” said student Elizaveta Antonova.

At the same time, the appearance of new food service facilities does not mean that canteens in the usual format will disappear. Students and faculty will simply have a choice between the traditional format and the new one. But there will also be innovations in the familiar canteens: for example, set lunches, breakfasts by the Union of Students, and much more.

“We plan to offer students seasonal salads: cabbage, beet, and others – absolutely free of charge. And in this way we will gradually teach them to eat right,” said Natalya Rakultseva, director of the UrFU Dining and Culinary Services.

Before the presentation, the Head of the territorial department of Rospotrebnadzor (Epidemiology) department of Sverdlovsk Region Elena Potapkina told about the project “Health of the Nation”, and after the students went on a tour of the catering plant, where they learned about the production in the canteens.