Developing optimal sustainable menus: a guide based on university menus in Tehran Province.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Promoting sustainable food systems is essential to ensuring both public health and environmental protection. University dining halls, as institutional food environments, provide a strategic opportunity to implement and evaluate sustainable dietary practices.

Objective

This study aimed to assess and optimize the sustainability of food menus in three military universities in Tehran by evaluating nutritional adequacy, environmental footprints (water and carbon), and economic cost.

Methods

In this cross-sectional analytical study, one-month food menus from three universities were analyzed. Nutrient content, cost, water footprint, and carbon emissions were calculated for each menu. Three optimization approaches-differing in menu design constraints-were developed

SUBMITTER: Irankhah K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12574127 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature