Published: 8/29/2016 7:32:14 PM
AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts Amherst, with an array of choices like freshly rolled sushi, grass-fed burgers and local produce, has won The Princeton Review’s top ranking for best campus food in the nation.
UMass will be among the schools featured on NBC’s “Today” show between 9 and 10 a.m. Tuesday. And the university’s mascot, Sam the Minuteman, is expected to make an appearance, according to UMass.
The Princeton Review annually ranks colleges and universities in categories ranging from financial aid to housing to LGBTQ-friendliness. UMass bested some 400 other schools in the category of food, according to the review.
UMass has appeared on its best-food list for the past six years and has steadily climbed the top-10 rankings since 2012.
Ken Toong, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises, said in a release that since being ranked No. 3 in 2013, the UMass Dining staff has worked tirelessly to continue that excellence.
“The honor is shared by every member of our staff who work each day to serve healthy, sustainable and delicious meals to our students,” Toong, the top UMass Dining official, said in the statement. “The ranking is also a tribute to our students, whose high expectations drive our team to excel.”
Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said in the statement, “We’re pleased to see that The Princeton Review has recognized what all of us at UMass Amherst have long known: when it comes to college food, UMass Dining can’t be beat.”
UMass Dining is the largest college dining services operation in the country, serving 45,000 meals each day, according to the university.
The Princeton Review rankings are based on some 143,000 students’ answers to 80 questions. More than 1,000 students at UMass completed the survey, according to the review.
UMass this year also made The Princeton Review’s list in other categories, including 21st in “most green college” and 16th in “least accessible professors.”
Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com