Produce Stand Success Flourishes at Liberty University

Liberty University Dining by Sodexo brought back its ever popular fresh produce stand, which was paused during the pandemic.

“Students have grown to love our produce stands, showing that they truly want to enjoy healthy options on the go,” said Marketing Manager Shelby Burton.

This fall, Liberty hosted two produce stand days, each grossing over $1,500.

“There was an initial rush in the first 30 minutes of our August 2022 produce stand,” said Burton. “We had to procure more produce from the Food Court at Reber-Thomas to make up for the lack of berries and heirloom tomatoes that quickly sold out.”

Fall semester stands at Liberty University are held outside during the beautiful autumn weather. In the spring, produce stands are inside the Montview Student Union.

The most recent stand was held January 19, grossing approximately $1,300 and featuring jams, honey, sourdough bread, blueberries, blackberries, baby carrots, and snap peas from Cavalier Produce.

As part of the event, Liberty Dining features a boxed lunch special along with free samples.

For the January stand, Area Chef Sarah Falls prepared a Thai Citrus Chicken Wrap with wonton chips. Many students, after a free sample, came back to purchase the full meal.

“The students love wraps and I wanted to feature the produce stand grapefruits,” said Chef Falls. “I used the juice to make my Thai citrus sauce. We try to stay in season, but also keep in mind the students' favorites. The weather was cold and rainy so we wanted them to think of spring.”

Chef Falls said, “Interaction with students and giving them something they don’t usually get is most important to me. The produce stand is about promoting healthy eating. I also use it as market research when we go to create new restaurants on campus.”

According to Registered Dietitian Rachel Sanders, “We know that college students could always use more fruits and vegetables and have limited resources to purchase foods outside of their meal plan. Having the produce stand is an effective way for students to purchase fruits and vegetables with dining dollars as part of their meal plan.”

“Plus, it adds a bit of excitement outside of what is normally offered in traditional residential and retail dining locations,” said Sanders. “They especially enjoy purchasing things like fresh berries and local items such as bread, jams, and jellies.”

The next produce stand day is scheduled for February 22, with a third on March 23, adding two more opportunities for students to stock up their dorms with fresh foods.