Sustainability in university restaurants: a scoping review of evaluation focus and strategies

Sustainability in food systems has been widely discussed due to the environmental, social and economic impacts of collective meal production. University restaurants play a strategic role due to the large volume of meals served daily, ensuring students’ access to food security and serving as ideal environments for implementing sustainable practices. However, there are still gaps in the understanding of the main strategies adopted and the dimensions of sustainability most frequently assessed in these spaces. This study carried out a scoping review, following the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and writing according to PRISMA-SCR, with the aim of identifying the main sustainability strategies applied in university restaurants and mapping the stages of the production process most investigated in the scientific literature. The search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Virtual Health Library, and it included quantitative studies that evaluated aspects of sustainability in these restaurants. The extracted data was analyzed and categorized according to the principles of the 5Rs (Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Refuse). 58 studies were included, 52.54% from South America, with Brazil predominating. Most of the research focused on the post-distribution phase (70.69%), with a focus on waste management and food waste. The sustainability principle most frequently addressed was “Reduce” (91.4%), followed by “Rethink” (50%), while “Reuse” and “Refuse” were little explored. Strategies aimed at changing menus and educational campaigns targeting consumers were the predominant interventions. Sustainability in university restaurants has been mostly addressed through waste reduction, with limited focus on structural changes and on the broader 5Rs framework. Future studies should integrate environmental strategies with nutritional adequacy, dietary quality, and student health to maximize the impact of sustainable initiatives in these settings.