At
the University of California, Irvine,
only 10% of the food bought by the dining system is “real” food, that
is,
whole fruits, vegetables and grains, not terrible, considering the
national average is 2%. The rest is the processed, modified and
additive-laden foodstuffs that have been plaguing our country for the
past few
decades.
This fact coupled with his own quest for healthy
food inspired Hai Vo, a native of Orange County to start the UCI chapter
of the Real Food Challenge. The RFC is a "national movement to increase the procurement of real food on
college and university campuses and is a network of students and their allies
to connect, learn from each other, and grow". According to the RFC website, over $5 billion per year are
spent on food in collegs and universities across the nation. Hai Vo wants UC Irvine to
re-invest in food that is “real” - ecologically-sound, community-based, humane,
and fair - supporting the greater health of consumers, producers, local
communities, and the environment. Hai's goal for the campus is 20% real food by 2020. | 
