Providing an Exceptional, Sustainable, and Diverse Dining Experience, One Meal at a Time.
News & Updates
Husky Harvest Updates/Wish List
March 21, 2024 Pop Up Pantry
South Campus – Rome Commons Ballroom (above South Dining Hall)
10am-1:30pm
Pantry will close earlier if supplies run out.
Bags are available but in limited supply. Please bring one if you can.
Open to anyone with a UConn ID.
Please bring your ID and have it ready at check-in.
Plan accordingly, there may be lines.
MARCH 2024 DONATION DRIVE: TOILETRIES
Toilet paper, tissues, deodorant, menstrual care products, razors, soap/shower gel/bodywash,
dental items (toothpaste, floss, toothbrushes), baby diapers and wipes
Why donation drives? Donation drives allow us to manage the intake of donations (especially if there are any food recalls) and provide frequently requested items that we cannot get from our food banks/local organizations that supply the pantry.
DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
Please do not drop off at the pantry. Donation drive items can only be accepted at the following locations.
- UConn Dining Commissary: 30 Gurleyville Rd, Storrs (M-F; 6am-4pm)
- UConn Dining Main Office: Towers Residence Halls – Wade Building, 3384 Towers Loop Rd, Storrs
(M-F; 8am-5pm)
If you ran a donation drive for the items above with your club/org/office and have a large number of items, please reach out via the contact form below to coordinate a pick-up with Dining.
Reusable Grocery Bags – The pantry is always in need of reusable grocery bags. Please consider donating new or gently used (stain-free) bags during our October and November collection drives.
Monetary Donations – If you would like to support the Storrs Husky Harvest food pantry with a monetary donation, please visit the UConn Foundation page at www.foundation.uconn.edu/fund/uconn-storrs-campus-food-insecurity-fund
Volunteers – At this time volunteers are not needed. Please consider donating from the wish list above or running your own drive with your club/org/office for the items above.
Questions – please use our contact form at dining.uconn.edu/questions-and-comments
Help spread the word on the Storrs campus: post this flyer for the Spring ’24 semester.
More information on the UConn food pantries can be found at huskyharvest.uconn.edu
Husky Harvest (Storrs) Updates: Follow UConn Dining on Facebook, Instagram, X.
Spring Break Information
As Spring Break approaches please be aware that dining hall hours will be modified on Friday, March 8th, and Sunday, March 17th. Additionally, some retail locations may have modified hours starting March 8th. All meal plans temporarily shut down for break after dinner on March 8th and resume on the 17th. Full details at the link below.
Saturday, March 9th – Saturday, March 16th. If you currently have an Ultimate, Value, or Custom Meal Plan, and you choose to remain on campus during Spring Break, you may sign up in advance for meals at McMahon. There is no cost to these meals. Find additional info and sign up form at the link below.
Full details at dining.uconn.edu/spring-break
Ramadan & Passover Information
RAMADAN 2024 – Beginning March 10th all students with a residential meal plan observing Ramadan will have access to a hot dinner buffet along with a variety of breakfast items.
Visit dining.uconn.edu/ramadan for more information and meal sign-up.
PASSOVER 2024 – NOSH Kosher Kitchen in Gelfenbien Dining Commons and UConn Hillel House will be serving Passover meals from Monday, April 22nd – Tuesday, April 30th by reservation only.
Visit dining.uconn.edu/passover-meals for more information and meal sign-up.
Spring Semester Opening Weekend Hours
Dining Halls: First Meals of the Semester
Saturday, January 13th
McMahon open
- Breakfast: 7am-9:30am
- Brunch: 10:30am-2:15pm
- Dinner: 4:15-7:15pm
Northwest, Gelfenbien, and Putnam open
- Brunch: 10:30am-2:15pm
- Dinner: 4:15-7:15pm
Sunday, January 14th – All dining halls except Buckley open normal hours. Northwest & McMahon open for Late night – serving until 10pm
Monday, January 15th (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) – All dining halls open normal hours.
Retail Locations
Please refer to our retail hours site. Many locations are closed for Monday, Jan 15th (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Bookworms Cafe in the library will have modified hours for the first few days of the semester. The cafe will be closing at 8pm Tues, Jan 16th-Thursday, Jan 18th. Normal hours begin Jan. 19th.
Change Your Meal Plan
If you need to upgrade or downgrade your meal plan for the spring semester you have until Friday, Feb 2 to do so. Please use our online change plan form.
Dining to Host 23rd Annual Culinary Competition
The Department of Dining Services will hold its annual Culinary Olympics on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. The event will take place at the Rome Commons Ballroom (Rome Building, South Campus) located on the University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus. This annual event shows off the skills of UConn Dining chefs in an individual recipe competition in the morning and then in a team-based “Chopped” style competition in the afternoon. The event is free and open to the public.
The morning event, Recipe Contest judging, is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:00am on Tuesday. Recipes are prepared on-site by UConn Dining chefs for 12 portions and must fall into one of the following categories: Appetizer, Entrée, or Dessert. Recipes will then be judged on the following criteria: Creativity of Dish/Cooking Techniques/Use of Ingredients/Taste and Texture.
From 10:30am-1:30 pm the UConn Bakery will have displays of their creative work as well as demos on the art of decorating. Stop by and chat with our professional pastry chefs and bakers.
The afternoon event, “Boiling Point,” is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:30pm. This is our version of the “Chopped” competition that will involve teams of three chefs representing the different dining facilities within the department. Each team will be presented with a mystery box of ingredients, and using miscellaneous items from our pantry, prepare three different tapas (small food or appetizer) on each plate. Teams will have 75 minutes to prepare their dishes for three judges. Teams will then be scored on the following criteria: Creativity of dish / Cooking Techniques / Use of Ingredients / Taste and Textures. Teams are not allowed to bring ingredients or use ingredients that are not supplied by the competition. The setup for Boiling Point allows guests to get up close to the teams to watch as they strategize, prep, and get creative with their mystery ingredients.
An award presentation will immediately follow the Boiling Point competition.
Location Address: Rome Building, 855 Bolton Road, Storrs, CT – easiest access to the event and parking is to enter campus via Bolton Rd
Parking Info: Closest public parking to the event is South Garage park.uconn.edu/visitors/storrs | Campus Map of Parking & Event Location
Pedestrian Path to the Event: After parking at the garage, proceed down Hillside to Bolton and enter into South campus near the Graduate Hotel
Press/Event Contact: Robert Landolphi, Assistant Director Culinary Development-Robert.Landolphi@uconn.edu
More details at: dining.uconn.edu/culinary-olympics