Our Ingredients

Our "grocery list" is huge and includes thousands of ingredients. We follow key standards when we're making your meals:

 

Proteins:

  • Our 4oz chicken breasts are from New York-area farms and is also halal
  • We use beef products that are graded choice and above
  • Our hot dogs, deli turkey and ham are nitrate-free and low-sodium
  • Our Wednesday and Friday fish recipes feature just-caught fish from Greater Boston area day-boat fishermen fishing in local waters.
  • Our eggs are from cage-free farms and American Humane certified

Fruits & Vegetables:

  • All our produce is US Grade 1, which means "good quality" and is the chief grade for most fruits and vegetables on the market.
  • We buy produce from 250 farms in a 250-mile radius of Cambridge when vegetables are growing in New England.
  • Our artisnal greens at the salad bar are from Little Leaf in Devens, MA
  • We exclusively use fresh (not frozen) vegetables except for peas, corn and french fries
  • Hand-fruits like apples and pears are from local orchards for as long as the season allows (usually 9 months of the year between fresh growth and controlled storage).
  • Roughly 40,000 pounds of squash is grown for us at Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon, MA.

Dairy:

  • We use Hood milks which are from New England dairy farmers who who pledge not to use artificial growth hormones and who hold humane animal care as a core value
  • We feature Chobani yogurts

Groceries:

  • Our soups are made by Kettle Cuisine, a MA-based manufacturer, starting from scratch-made stocks.
  • We use Teddy's Peanut Butter, made in Everett, MA
  • Saratoga Salad Dressings are made for us in nearby Canton, MA
  • The Norwood, MA-based Saroufim family makes our hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush and falafel from family recipes

 

Standards:

  • No MSG ever
  • No trans fats (as defined by the FDA)
  • We use a 90% Canola Oil/10% EVOO Blend for all entree line vegetable cooking, and canola oil for deep frying. Cooked vegetables on the salad bar, such as the roasted diced beets and roasted sweet potatoes, are prepared with EVOO
  • We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all cooking; sea salt is available for use at tables in the servery