Reusable Container Program

Check it Out - Literally

In the 2024-25 school year, HUDS distributed more than 600,000 compostable clamshells containers from the undergraduate dining halls for food to go. We can do better for our community and our Sustainability and Zero Waste goals.

First and foremost, whenever possible, we want you to dine with your community in the Dining Hall. We know that there are vital health reasons to prioritize meal times and the nutritional, mental health and social benefits of sharing a meal with others. The annual World Happiness Report in 2025 found that “Those who share more meals with others report significantly higher levels of life satisfaction and positive affect, and lower levels of negative affect. This is true across ages, genders, countries, cultures, and regions.”

That said, we all have moments when we must eat on the run or away from our home table. In support of this, starting in the 2025-26 school year, undergraduates may now take food-to-go from the dining hall exclusively with a reusable container provided by HUDS and checked out much as one borrows a library book. 

Every dining hall now features a Meescan checkout station. Following the prompts, you will scan your HUID, scan the barcode on the container, and take your food to go!

The program is available exclusively for undergraduates. You have up to two containers checked out at a time. Return them to any dining hall checker during operating hours, where they will be checked back in and sent for washing. If your container’s bar code falls off, please return the container to the checker with your name or HUID so you can be credited with the return.

Lose a container? Just like a library book, after a few days (and warnings), your term bill will be charged $10 per container. All containers must be returned by the dining hall closing date. HUDS is not responsible for containers returned outside operating hours or after the dining hall closes, and students may be subject to fines.

Please treat containers the way you treat library books, furniture and common space – as a shared, community resource that supports you and all your peers. Keeping these containers in circulation as a shared resource is vital to our ability to continue allowing this type of food-to-go option from the dining hall. If containers are not returned promptly, this will negatively impact our ability to support this program.

FAQs

• Do I need any special apps or software to borrow containers?
  • No, the container program uses library technology to "lend" containers. All you need is your Harvard ID to borrow them.
• Is there a cost to participate?
  • No, there is no cost to borrow and use a reusable container. That said, your term bill will be charged $10 for every container you do not return within the designated borrowing time (1 week).
• How many containers may I have at a time?
  • Users may have up to two containers checked out at any given time.
• What should I do if the container won’t scan?
  • If a container won’t scan, please do not use it. Take a different container and scan it for use.
  • If you have the time, hand the faulty container to a staff member to take out of circulation until the bar code can be replaced.
• Can I wash the container myself and just reuse it?
  • No, by Massachusetts Food Code, we must wash the container between each use. This prevents foodborne illness concerns. No matter how gross it is, we can clean it.
• How should I keep my food-to-go safe?
  • It is your responsibility to consume or refrigerate your meal immediately for your safety. Food should not be held in the refrigerator for more than a few days. Containers lost in fridge clean-outs are the responsibility of the patron and the lost container fees cannot be waived.
• What do I do when I'm done with the container?
  • Return your used container as soon as possible to any undergraduate dining hall checker. Please try to return your container promptly – dirty containers draw pests and reduce our supply of containers for other people to use.
  • If your container’s bar code falls off, please return the container to a checker with your name or HUID so you can be credited with the return. Containers returned without a bar code and without identifying information cannot be cleared from your account.
  • Please do not leave used containers in classrooms or non-dining residential spaces. If you do not return it to the checker during operating hours, you will be charged for the container as if it is lost.
• How do I know how many containers I have out?
  • The borrowed containers will show up in your Hollis account just like a library book. You can track them there to see that they get checked back in by our team.
• Why can’t I just use my own container that I brought from home?
  • The Massachusetts food code prohibits such take-away from licensed food venues out of concerns related to cross-contact and sanitation. We could lose our license if you try to use your own container.
• What can I take in a to-go container?
  • Food to-go should represent a nutritious, balanced meal. Containers may not be used to “grocery shop” and stock up on your favorite menu item or dessert. Abuse of the containers will result in suspension of your lending privileges.
• What happens if I don’t return my container?
  • First, if you don’t return your personal container, you will be charged $10 for its loss.
  • Second, if your peers don’t return their containers, the to-go program will not be able to continue.