Holy Cross Dining Launches 'Kimball to Kitchen' Grocery Program

The College of the Holy Cross is a primarily residential campus with 91 percent of students living in on-campus housing.  With the addition of two apartment-style residence halls, Holy Cross Dining recently launched an online grocery ordering program specifically designed for students living in apartments. “Kimball to Kitchen” allows students who wish to prepare meals in their apartments the opportunity to purchase raw ingredients using their meal plan’s Dining Dollars.

Kimball to Kitchen is an easy and convenient way for students to do their shopping right on campus.  Orders are placed online at the students’ convenience and picked up in the College’s main dining hall, Kimball Hall.  For a student body that is highly competitive academically, committed to volunteer service in the community and comprised of 25 percent varsity athletes — convenience is key. “It’s really the best of both worlds,” says Linda Nardella, director of Holy Cross Dining. “When students are busy they still have the convenience of a traditional meal plan, but they can also experience cooking in their apartment without worrying about how to get groceries.”

Kimball to Kitchen utilizes a Google Form which captures a few pieces of the students information, their order and when they’d like to pick up their groceries. Each grocery bag order costs $20 dining dollars and must be placed 24 hours in advance.  Students are able to choose up to six items to fill their order: a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, pantry staples such as pasta and rice, soy and rice milk, chicken breasts and even steak!  Pick up is available during normal business hours and orders are packed each morning by Holy Cross Dining staff so they’re available for pickup at the students’ chosen time.

“Since the program is currently only available to students living in apartments, we started small with the marketing efforts,”  says Nardella.  An email was sent to all students living in one of the College’s two on-campus apartment buildings and anyone with the College’s “Apartment” meal plan.  “Within about an hour of announcing the program we already had eight orders and new orders are still coming in every day.”

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