Our Philosophy
Our campus chefs and Registered Dietitian are here to help take the guesswork out of healthy eating. We recognize and accommodate various food allergies, eating patterns, and special dietary needs in a way that is personalized, sensitive, and supportive. In fact, we take pride in our ability to create an individualized plan that fits every lifestyle. For more information, email our Registered Dietitian, Cody Ellis, MS, RD, LDN, at ellis-cody@aramark.com.
Our team boasts years of collective experience and leverages the latest science and health information from trusted organizations like the American Heart Association & MenuTrinfo. Check out some of our latest healthy living ideas at FYP365.com.
Dietitian Services
Carolina Food Co. employs a full-time Registered Dietitian, who contributes to our foundation of having safe and nutritious food available on campus. Services to students, faculty, and staff include:
- Food Allergies
- Individualized one-on-one consultations
- Common Topics: food allergies, dietary restrictions, food intolerances/sensitivities, general health and wellness goals, medical conditions
- Personalized campus dining tours according to your class schedule
- Access to allergen and ingredient information
- Introductions to our campus chefs & dining management team
- Health and Wellness
- Health and wellness events that foster student engagement
- Social media content and informational signage that brings awarness to the importance of a healthy lifestyle
- Collaborations with on-campus organizations and departments to promote student health and wellness
- Menu audits to assess the quality of campus menus and ensure the availability of nutrient-dense options
Special Dietary Needs
As a rule, we strive to accommodate all forms of dietary needs and preferences. Students with medically documented dietary restrictions (including food allergies, intolerances, and related conditions) are strongly encouraged to register with the Student Disability Resource Center so our team can provide effective support. Once this process is completed, our Registered Dietitian will personally reach out to set up a meeting and discuss any potential questions/concerns you may have.
Additional Dining Resources
- True Balance stations (located at Gamecock Park, Honeycomb Café, The Pavilion at Campus
Village, and Gibbes Court Bistro) serve meals prepared without the top 9 allergens
(egg, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, wheat/gluten, sesame)
- These stations have their own prep/storage areas, dedicated equipment, color-coded utensils, and specific ordering guide to minimize the risk of cross-contact
- Allergen and ingredient information for campus dining halls is available at https://sc.campusdish.com/en/
- Dining hall menus and a wide variety of dining resources are available throug the
Nutrislice app or via https://sc.nutrislice.com/
- A full nutrition facts label is available for every menu item and the app even includes a nutrition calculator function to easily track a day’s worth of meals
- The OrderAlly app, which is essentially a specialized ordering system for students
with documented food allergies
- Students can create an individualized profile that outlines their specific dietary needs, and send orders directly to our chefs/managers at participating dining halls
- For a step-by-step user guide, click here
- All 6 of our campus dining halls offer various allergen-friendly items including made-without
gluten breads, buns, pizza crust, pasta, bagels, cereal, vegan cheese, and dairy-free
milk alternatives)
- Our Gamecock General Stores also offer a continually increasing selection of allergen-friendly items such as gluten-free cookies, dairy-free ice cream, and more!
Residential Dining
As a bonus feature, our menus utilize Wellness Icons — making it easy to find the
foods that fit any lifestyle!
Our Eat Well selections are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium AND include at least one full serving of nutritionally dense ingredients like vegetables, lean protein, whole grains or fresh greens. Applies to over 30% of menu items on our residential dining menus over the semester.
Whole grains are a leading ingredient in this item. These selections comprise over 15% of menu items on our residential dining menus through the semester.
Our culinary team and dietitians assure that vegetarian selections contain no meat, fish or poultry. Our vegan selections contain no animal products of any kind. In addition, vegan items can not include dairy, eggs, or honey. Makes up over 30% of our menus.
These selections feature a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes healthy plants at the center of the plate with a proportionally small quantity of animal protein.
Certified climate-friendly by the World Resources Institute. They have a low impact on the climate, making them a delicious way to help the planet.
Menu items that can be customized to fit certain dietary needs. Popular customization options include vegan cheeses, and made-without-gluten crust, buns, bread, bagels, pasta, and more!
Selections made with ingredients that do not contain gluten. IMPORTANT: Foods prepared without gluten containing ingredients may not be ‘gluten-free’ since recipes are prepared in open kitchens where cross-contact is possible. Aramark relies on its manufacturers’ ingredient listings in determining whether an ingredient contains gluten.