Produce stands at Liberty University motivate students to put dining dollars toward healthy purchases

Each semester, Liberty University Dining Services hosts three produce stands that feature fresh fruits and vegetables as well as homemade goods. Click through for a closer look at these events.

Students at the Lynchburg, Va., school can use their Flames Cash, dining dollars, credit and debit cards or cash to make purchases at the stands, which are held outside when the weather is warm and inside during the winter. Items sold include berries, sweet potatoes, granola and locally made jam.

“When students realize that the stands accept Flames Cash and Dining Dollars, they stop in their tracks and grab snacks for later,” Marketing Manager Shelby Burton said in a press release.   

Lunch to go is also offered during these events, with a recent example being a loaded cauliflower chowder and jalapeno muffin brushed with honey butter.

The Liberty dining team, which is managed by Sodexo, often surveys students to get a sense of what they’d like to see at the stands.

“The produce stand is one of the many ways we encourage students to use their dining dollars in a healthful way,” Resident Dietitian Rachel Sanders said in the release. “We’ve heard many students miss having whole fruits and vegetables in their dorm rooms, so the produce stand means access to fresh produce throughout the semester using their meal plans.”