UGA Celebrates 25 Years of Taste of Home

For one day every school year, the University of Georgia dining commons change out their menus, swapping its usual fare for recipes submitted by students through the Taste of Home program, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year when the event takes place Nov. 29 during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

UGA Food Services received 992 recipe submissions and selected 154 to feature, including pumpkin chocolate chip squares, firehouse chicken, shrimp tacos with pineapple, cilantro and lime coleslaw, Polish sausage chowder, brown sugar-rubbed rib eye and lentil couscous salad. 

“I would estimate that in the 25 years since we have started this we have presented well over 5,300 commemorative Taste of Home plates to parents,” says J. Michael Floyd, associate vice president for auxiliary services. Family members receive plates when their recipes are featured. “It is a great feeling to know that we have touched so many parents and created a great memory for them of their child’s college days here at UGA," Floyd adds. "It is a true honor that we have touched so many lives here at UGA with the event.”

Taste of Home, which started as a tribute to Mother’s Day, was moved to the fall when the university changed from the quarter system to the semester system. Floyd, who was director of food services when he started Taste of Home, says the event attracts more than just mothers interested in showing off their favorite recipes. Now, “moms, dads, grandparents and other family members submit recipes and enjoy coming to see their meals served in the dining commons,” he says. “Each year, we see extremely positive reactions from families. They have a sense of pride and excitement in knowing that their recipe has been set apart for this special day.”

A Taste of Home will be served in Bolton, Oglethorpe, Snelling and Village Summit dining commons. Meal prices will be the same as the current cash price: $8.75 for breakfast, $11 for lunch and $15.25 for dinner.