Torero Food Recovery Program

 

This program is intended to provide occasional support to USD students who are experiencing food insecurity while also reducing waste by making food left over from Hospitality Services catered events available for pickup. 

 

Please note that our culinary team works very hard to ensure proper production to help keep food waste to a minimum. Food recovery opportunities are minimal and may only occur a few times a semester.

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How it Works

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• Register online to receive text alerts. Or, register by texting the word torero to 1-619-537-8961

• You will receive a text alert when food is available.  The message will include a brief description of the food. 

• Bring your own clean (free of contaminants) individual-sized reusable container with lid and utensil(s). 

  • It is very important that all outside containers/utensils brought in are clean to prevent contamination and illness. To support the university's sustainability efforts, a reusable container is acceptable - not a disposable to-go box.

• Check-in at Hospitality Services, University Center 280, level 2 (across from Frank's Lounge).

  • Bring your valid USD ID card each and every time.

    • The physical card, or your virtual ID located in the MyUSD mobile app

• Participants must agree to and sign the USD Waiver and Food Safety Guidelines document to participate.

  • ​You may sign the waiver via the MySanDiego portal, or at your first check-in and we will keep it on file for future visits.

• To ensure food safety, food availability will be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes from the time the alert is sent. 

• Food is available on a first-come/first-served basis.

• Program is free for all, currently enrolled, University of San Diego students.

*Standard text messaging rates apply. Opt out by replying "stop" to any Torero Food Recovery text message.

For additional questions, please contact Carol Norman, Director of Hospitality.
 

Food Waste

 

USD Hospitality (Catering) and Dining Services are committed to effective solutions to decrease food waste. Learn more about our sustainability efforts on the USD Dining website.
 

• Our menus are thoughtfully planned to cross-utilize ingredients in recipes. We do "just in time" food purchasing based on strategic menu forecasting and customer counts.

• Unprocessed leftover food is very minimal. When available, it is offered as a donation to a local food recovery organization.

• Leftover food from university hosted catered events is made available to students via the Torero Food Recovery program (see above for details).

• USD Dining units are 100% tray-free. This greatly reduces the amount of food waste and saves tremendous resources, such as water, dish soap and electricity. 

• We urge all catering clients to order appropriate quantities of food for their events.

• USD Dining and Catering pre-consumer food scraps are collected and composted.

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Resources

USD Food Pantry
 

The USD food pantry (providing food and select supplies) is open to USD students experiencing food insecurity. The pantry is located in University Center room 116, level 1. For information on how to access the pantry, visit the food pantry web page.

 

The USD Food Pantry is supported by Associated Students, USD Parents Association, the Torero Renaissance Scholars Program and through community donations. 

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Feeding San Diego
 

Feeding San Diego is the leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization in San Diego County and the only Feeding America member in the region. Feeding San Diego provides more than 35 million meals every year to children, families, seniors, college students, military families, veterans, people facing homelessness, and other underserved populations. Nearly 70% of the food distributed is rescued. By rescuing nearly 28 million pounds of surplus food before it goes to waste each year, Feeding San Diego feeds people, not landfills.