Meals & Dietary Needs


The food staff at the retreat center work hard to provide nutritious and delicious meals, freeing retreatants to focus exclusively on their practice.

Breakfast:   8:30 a.m.
Generally, eggs, turkey bacon or sausage, yogurt, oatmeal, a selection of fruit and similar.

Lunch:   1 p.m.
The main meal of the day, with a main course of chicken or fish, as well as vegetarian option, along with vegetables, starches, and a salad bar.

Dinner:   6 p.m.
A light meal of soup, salad, cheese and crackers, and similar. Meals are served buffet-style and are held in Noble Silence. Out of respect for kitchen staff, please be on time, as food clearing will begin approximately one hour after meal times. If you have any questions about any food or special requests, please see the retreat manager only.  Do not communicate directly with the kitchen staff.

Meal Types

When registering, you may select:

Omnivorous – provides chicken or fish for lunch only.

Extra-protein for an additional charge, provides chicken or fish at dinner also.

Vegetarian

Gluten Free

Lactose Free

Meals are served buffet-style, but indicating your meal type is important so the kitchen knows how much and what type of food to prepare. The menu is provided on an easel stand for each meal, with an indication of ingredients that are of concern or interest (i.e., gluten, dairy).

If you have other dietary needs or medically restricted needs (i.e., allergies), please indicate on the registration form. All effort will be made to try to fulfill your dietary needs; however, you may be asked to supplement or provide your meals if the kitchen is not able to accommodate your request, i.e., registering late.

Coffee, Tea and Snacks
Snacks will be available on the tea table between meals. You are welcome to bring your own snacks. There will be coffee and a selection of tea along with a variety of creamers as well as sugar and artificial sweetener. There will also be a Keurig machine available if you’d like to bring your own single-serve tea or coffee K-cups.  Filtered water is available in several locations throughout the retreat center should you wish to fill a container.

Bringing Your Own Food

You may choose to bring all of your own meals (an option on the registration form). There is only one refrigerator available to store food and only a microwave for simple cooking or reheating, NOT a stove.

Sometimes there are a number of retreatants supplying their own meals; therefore. you may not be able to store a full retreat’s worth of meals and need to make some store runs to the nearby Whole Foods, Ralphs, Vons, or Trader Joe’s.

If you are providing your own meals:

  1. Please affix your name to your food/snacks.

  2. As the kitchen is part of the zendo, please remember to plan simple meals – no strong odors, please.

  3. You need to walk through the zendo to get to the kitchen; therefore, do not enter the kitchen during sitting times.

  4. You are welcome to eat in the dining hall after preparing your meals; however, please bring your own dishes and cutlery.  Items in the dining hall are for those who have purchased a meal plan.