Grinnell College recognizes that dining at Grinnell constitutes a significant portion of the college's environmental footprint. Dining Services is working to reduce that footprint through measures that decrease dining hall waste and increase the amount of locally grown and organic produce being served.

Project focus areas include:

Local and Organic Foods
Dining Waste Composting Project
Vegetable Oil to Biofuels Program

• In February 2007 Grinnell College's Dining Services was recognized for its efforts in local food purchasing and recycling by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. Of the 100 colleges and universities with the largest endowments in the USA and Canada, Grinnell College was one of 26 to receive this recognition for its leadership in sustainable campus operations. Each school was given a "report card" that awarded a letter grade of A-F for a number of categories. Not only did Grinnell received an "A" in the category of "Food and Recycling" but the college was highlighted as one of the four schools that was a leaders in this category. The reviewers wrote: "Grinnell College dining services uses local, organic products for most staple ingredients, including organic flour and local milk, eggs, herbs, pork, and some fruits and vegetables. Pre- and post-consumer food waste is composted using a pulping machine and donated to a local farm, diverting approximately seven tons of waste each month."

Grinnell College Dining Servies
Grinnell Farmers Market
Grinnell Area Local Foods Alliance (GALFA)
Practical Farmers of Iowa