This week brings the second Food Day of the month, the Farm-to-Fork Dinner in the dining commons (open to everyone) and a brown bag talk on “Eating Right When the Budget’s Tight.”

And don’t forget the campus food drive for the student-run food bank, The Pantry; and the weekly UC Davis Farmers Market, every Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Silo Patio.

UC Davis observed the first food day, World Food Day, with a panel on Oct. 16. Now comes national Food Day, this Friday (Oct. 24), organized by the Washington, D.C.-based, nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, which states that its goal with Food Day is “to bring Americans together to celebrate and enjoy real food and to push for improved food policies.”

UC Davis gets a one-day head start with a brown bag talk and the Farm-to-Fork Dinner:

• Thursday, Oct. 23 — WorkLife and Wellness Brown Bag, “Eating Right When the Budget’s Tight,” with Gopal Kapur of Family Green Survival, noon-1 p.m., multipurpose room, Student Community Center. Free; no reservations.

• Thursday, Oct. 23 — UC Davis Farm-to-Fork Dinner, showcasing Dining Services’ commitment to sustainability, which includes an emphasis on buying locally. 4:45-8 p.m., Segundo, Tercero and Cuarto dining commons, open to everyone. Cost: $11.80 (including tax) with a university ID, or $14.75 for the general public. Menu: Soups — Cream of Broccoli with Pure Country Bacon, and Butternut Squash Soup. Salads — Beet and Chickpea with Feta Cheese, and Autumn Pear and Apple Salad. Entrees — Roasted Chicken with Brussels Sprouts, Rustic Olive Loaf, Fresh Fettuccine Pasta with UC Davis Roasted Tomato Sauce and Wilted Spinach, California Pisto Pizza, Grape with Gorgonzola Pizza, Flat Iron Steak with Arugula Pesto (and Roasted Yam Potato and Blue Lake Green Bean Amandine), and Seitan Au Vin (and Steamed Brown Rice and Roasted Acorn Squash). Dessert — Apple Galette Bar and Pumpkin Loaf Cake.

Food drive

This collection for The Pantry — the ASUCD-sponsored food bank, run by students, for students — began Oct. 13 and continues through Friday (Oct. 24). Look for collection bins near the information desk in the Memorial Union, and at the entrances to the Student Community Center and the Activities and Recreation Center. Or come by The Pantry, 21 Freeborn Hall (basement).

The drive is all about food, of course, but a little competition never hurts — which is why the food banks on five other UC campuses (Berkeley, Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz) will be holding food drives at the same time.

RESOURCES

UC Davis Food Day website

UC Davis World Food Center

UC Food Day website (with video): “Join your fellow faculty, staff and students in the nationwide celebration of healthy, affordable and sustainably produced food.”

• Take the “UC Eats Real” Food Day pledge.
• Pledge cards, a poster and recipe cards are available for download.

UC Global Food Initiative

Big Ideas@Berkeley: Eligibility in this student contest has been expanded to all UC campuses this year, for entries in four categories, including the brand-new Food System Innovations, inspired by the UC Global Food Initiative. Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to enter; mandatory preproposals are due Nov. 13. Read UC news release on the Food System Innovations category.

“One California, One UC Davis”

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