What’s a Parent to Do – Collegiate Edition
A food allergy, a special dietary need, a sports nutrition question. When parents think about a dietitian on a college campus, they may picture someone who only meets with students if there’s a specific issue or question around food.
The reality is much bigger, and more impressive: collegiate dietitians are certified nutrition professionals with extensive training who touch almost every part of a college student’s life when it comes to food and wellness.
Collegiate dietitians conduct nutrition assessments. They help students learn how to plan meals—empowering them with the knowledge and tools needed to make healthy choices. And they’re working behind the scenes, collaborating with dining staff to craft menus that are healthy, varied, and inclusive.
So, when your student has easy access to nutrition and ingredient information; when they’re able to choose from a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, and grains; when it’s easy for them to dine on campus with a food allergy; even when they love that yogurt or overnight oat bar at breakfast—chances are, a collegiate dietitian helped make all these things happen.
Dietitians are also critical connectors, bringing nutrition education to the broader campus community. They serve as a link between student organizations and the dining hall, they work with athletic departments to support student athletes, and they make health referrals when needed.
Registered dietitians Jenna Brott (left) and Sarah Fine
“Students are coming from a completely different environment to dining on campus where so many options are available to them,” says dietitian Jenna Brott. “We have the knowledge and experience to help support and guide them to what options are best.”
“We’re really an advocate for the students,” adds dietitian Sarah Fine. “We want to help them find a healthy balance. It’s our priority and part of who we are. Students are away from their parents, and many are just learning how to make food decisions on their own. When they come to us to support their nutrition and well-being, our dietitians are ready to be a resource.”
In other words, when you drop your student off at school, they’re not navigating a “Wild West” of food on their own. They’re stepping into an environment that’s been thoughtfully designed to support their health and well-being, often in ways parents may not even notice.
In this installment of our “What’s a Parent to Do — Collegiate Edition” blog series, Sarah Fine and Jenna Brott, both collegiate dietitian leaders with years of experience, share the many ways dietitians help students thrive—and why parents should feel confident their student is supported every step of the way.
Q: What kind of help do campus dietitians offer students?
Campus dietitians support students with healthy eating, meal planning, and navigating dining options.
“One of the things we always do is get involved in new student orientation,” Jenna says. “It’s a great opportunity to meet with students and parents and talk with them about the resources we have available.”
Throughout the year, dietitians help students manage dietary restrictions and allergies, acting as advocates and a direct link to dining services.
“We’re advocating for them by training dining staff and working with the dining team to make sure they really understand the importance of food allergens and safety.” Sarah says.
In one-on-one consultations, dietitians teach students to build balanced meals and snacks, using nutrition assessments and personalized plans when needed. Dietitians collaborate with athletic departments to meet student athletes’ nutrition needs and host events and activities—like health fairs with smoothie bikes or cooking demos—for the broader campus.
“These can teach the students a new skill and give them that confidence, so that when they graduate, they can prepare meals on their own,” Sarah says.
The collegiate dietitian is working with the chef to select gluten-free options, advising on a vegetarian or vegan menu, and making sure foods on campus support diverse cultural needs. They can also support students newly diagnosed with a health condition and help those struggling with an eating disorder get connected to the additional resources and help they need.
Q: What kind of expertise do campus dietitians bring to the table?
Registered dietitians are highly trained, experienced, and knowledgeable. Traditionally they earned an undergraduate degree in nutrition and also completed a year-long dietetic internship (an accredited supervised practice program, typically in a hospital environment, with hands-on patient experience).
To practice, registered dietitians must be credentialed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Eligibility requires completing an accredited program, and the internship, passing a comprehensive exam—and, as a recently added requirement, they must hold a master’s degree to even sit for the exam. In addition to the national dietitian credential, many states also require additional licensure.
Dietitians are also constantly engaged in continuing education. To maintain their certification, they must complete 75 hours of approved continuing education every five years.
“We attend conferences, and we’re always learning the newest research so we can stay up to date and give the best guidance to our students,” Sarah notes.
Many enter the field because of personal experience—like a friend with diabetes or a relative with an eating disorder.
“Hearing those personal stories is what motivated me,” says Sarah. “We’re here because we’re passionate about nutrition and health and well-being and we really care about the students and want to support them.”
The profession has grown as the role of food in preventing and treating disease has gained recognition. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6% job growth for dietitians and nutritionists from 2024 to 2034.
“More and more, schools are seeing the need for and benefits of on-site dietitians as a resource for students,” Jenna says.
Q: Why is the dietitian’s training and knowledge base so important on campus?
With the proliferation of nutrition advice on social media—some credible, much not—there’s a lot of misinformation out there, says Sarah. Campus dietitians are the steady, credible voice that can help students break through the noise and guide them along a proven path for good nutrition and healthy eating.
“When students learn to eat well-balanced meals, they’re going to feel better,” Sarah says. “It’s going to help them learn and perform better in almost everything they do if they’re choosing the right foods. We can help them figure out what that looks like based on their schedule, so they can stay focused in class and do their best. Dietitians do a really good job of building trust with the campus community and the students we work with.”
Q: What are some specific examples of how campus dietitians interact with students and help broaden their understanding of food?
Sarah remembers a story about how a university needed to switch from cracked eggs to liquid eggs. When the change happened survey responses poured in—especially from student athletes—concerned they weren’t getting enough protein.
“It was really just a lack of education,” Sarah says. “The students didn’t understand that the protein was virtually identical and that liquid eggs are essentially eggs that were cracked somewhere else.”
To clear up confusion, her team hosted an omelet event with both types of eggs and let students taste for themselves. “It’s taking that feedback we get and turning it into an education moment. By the way, they loved the eggs” she says.
Protein questions come up often, Jenna adds. Students want to know how much they need and where to get it.
Hands-on cooking events are a popular way to teach these lessons. One hit is a make-your-own pasta class, Sarah says. Students mix dough, crank it through a pasta maker, and pick toppings.
“They have a ton of fun,” Sarah says. “We have a wait list, and everyone wants to get a pasta machine after.”
Other examples of special activities include sushi making, and build-your-own trail mix for finals fuel.
Q: What are some behind-the-scenes activities that often go unnoticed, where dietitians foster a culture of health and well-being on campus?
Collegiate dietitians work closely with campus chefs and food service managers to design menus that meet students’ dietary needs, accounting for allergies, restrictions, and preferences.
At the start of the year, Sarah, for example, reviews menus with the dining hall team, suggesting swaps—like replacing a chicken dish with another protein or balancing starchy vegetables with other options.
Dietitians also provide allergen training to staff and student groups, such as resident advisors, so they can support students with specific needs. They meet with campus organizations, like gluten-free or food allergy groups, to learn about special products students want.
They also often partner with campus food pantries, guiding students on how to prepare unfamiliar ingredients.
Beyond dining services, dietitians contribute to broader campus wellness initiatives, giving presentations as guest speakers in nutrition or health classes and developing programs for specific student populations—for example, Sarah participates in nutrition programming for students with autism.
Q: Do dietitians eat in the dining hall too and if so, do they have a favorite food?
Both Jenna and Sarah answered with an emphatic “yes!” They share that they eat in the dining hall all the time—and both say their go-to dining hall meal is any build-your-own bowl, like a burrito or grain bowl.
“I like anything I can customize,” Sarah says.
Jenna adds, “You can get your favorite protein, your whole grains, your vegetables all in one. So, it’s an easy go-to—delicious, nutritious, and usually something that’s served in the dining halls on a regular basis. Students love them, and we love them, too!”
Q: What’s the best way to connect and engage with a campus dietitian so students can directly benefit?
Students can look on the dining website to find contact information for their campus dietitian and then reach out directly.
“You can e-mail me, talk to me on the phone, video chat, meet me in person. I’m happy to connect with a student however works best for them,” Sarah says.
Students can also use “askthedietitian@aramark.com” to connect with a dietitian who supports their school, if available.
“We have meetings with parents, too,” adds Jenna. “But, after that initial parent meeting, we definitely want the focus to be on connecting directly with the student because the more they’re involved and communicating with us, the more successful they’re going to be.”
Parents are often relieved to know a dietitian is on hand.
“I’ve had parents cry with joy when I’ve met them and say, ‘I’m so happy you’re here!’ That’s going to make my student’s life so much better,’” Sarah says.
Jenna adds, “You can almost see the relief on their face knowing there’s someone on site specifically to support nutrition and well-being.”
Jenna Brott and Sarah Fine are both Registered Dietitians and part of Aramark’s network of Collegiate Hospitality nutrition leaders. Every day, Jenna, Sarah, and Aramark dietitians across the country utilize their knowledge and experience to help create an environment supportive of health and wellbeing on campus—leading health and wellness programs and engaging with students to help fuel their success and feed their potential.
Note: Since everyone’s health history and nutritional needs are so different, please make sure that you talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian to get advice about the diet and exercise plan that‘s right for you.