HZ University of Applied Sciences (HZ), CSA Tuinderij Plantalia and the Zeeland Environmental Federation (ZMf) have reached an important milestone in the joint sustainable catering project. Plantalia supplies organic vegetables to the HZ's catering department on a weekly basis throughout the year.
All these fresh, organic vegetables are good for 28 litres of soup and several healthy hot meals a week, for both students and staff. The project is also educational: students learn about cultivation, biodiversity and the benefits of organic farming. Working in catering, poké bowls and meal prepping are projects for the near future.
A fruitful collaboration
Ingrid de Vries, Lineke Louwerse, Monique van Dalen of the HZ and Karin Körver of Plantalia are working together to make the catering at the locations in Vlissingen and Middelburg more sustainable. Erwin Vogel of ZMf supports from the project Boer&Buur met natuur. Plantalia had been supplying vegetables to the HZ for some time, but this was mostly ad hoc and without fixed agreements. In 2024, the project partners worked hard to formalise this sustainable cooperation.
From growing calendar to soups and meals
Karin Körver of Plantalia started describing the vegetables and herbs she can grow for the HZ in autumn 2024. A cultivation calendar defines when the various vegetables can be harvested and delivered. In December, the project partners met to make a final selection of vegetables. This will be a mix of familiar and ‘forgotten’ vegetables that will be processed by the catering staff into delicious soups and hot meals. These dishes are well liked by students and staff alike. The board of the HZ has also already had the opportunity to taste and is very enthusiastic about the new dishes.
