In Defense of BC Dining

Tommy Roche, Opinions Editor for The Heights in 2023 and fall 2022, pens an opnion on BC Dining in The Heights.

BC Dining is the Grand Prize Winner for the NACUFS Nutriton Awards

The NACUFS 2024 Nutrition Awards recognize outstanding nutrition and wellness programs implemented in college dining to serve a dynamic student population with changing needs. The grand prize winner is Boston College. Read more in the The BC Chronicle.

Students may be campus dining's best ambassadors in sustainability

As college and university dining programs grapple with the question of how to be more sustainable, their own diners may help them get the message across. BC Dining's sustainability initiatives and student interns featured in Foodservice Director Magazine. 

BC Dining Wins Bronze Sustainability Award in Waste Reduction Category by NACUFS

The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) awarded BC Dining the Bronze Sustainability Award in Waste Reduction. The award recognizes BC Dining’s role in the overall environmental sustainability and social responsibility of a campus.  

Top 25 Dining Tips

My name is Maeve and I am one of the student interns here at BC Dining.
I’ve dined with BC Dining for all three years and wanted to share some tips and tricks that I wish someone had told me during my first year. Download this PDF to learn more!

BC Dining Partners with Commonwealth Kitchen

As Boston’s innovative food business incubator, CommonWealth Kitchen is helping farmers and businesses transform their unused product into widely distributed, sustainable food. "We work directly with the couple that makes Meal Mantra, and they actually customize some of the sauces for us to adjust to the university population," explains Beth Emery, director of dining at Boston College to the Boston Business Journal.

Under the Sea Showdown

BC Dining partnered with Atlantic Sea Farms to celebrate kelp with the Under the Sea Showdown–an event that featured culinary deep dives into what BC Chefs can do with seaweed. Read more.

BC student fundraiser benefits St. Francis House

Over a two-and-a-half-day period, more than 500 students contributed meal-plan money via the BCDS Get Mobile app to purchase food for St. Francis House in Boston. The largest day shelter in Massachusetts, each day it welcomes up to 600 individuals experiencing homelessness. Read more in BC Chronicle. 

Can I compost that?

Whether you’re tailgating or standing in line at the University farmer’s market, sustainability initiatives are everywhere at BC. Read more in BC Chronicle. 

End of Year Meal Plan Tips

Do you have leftover meal plan money? Here are 12 tips on how to maximize your dollars before the end of the semester. Don’t forget–any remaining mandatory meal plan funds are forfeited at the end of the academic year. Flex bucks will continue to roll over until graduation. 

Students Offer Ways to Make BC Dining More Green At Eagles Sustainability Competition

The second annual Eagles Sustainability Competition focused on ways to make Boston College Dining more sustainable. The winning team, which earned a $3,000 cash prize for its idea, designed a mobile game incentivizing students to use more sustainable dining options. Read more.

Eat Your (Sea) Veggies: North Coast Seafoods and Atlantic Sea Farms Collaborate to Bring Edible Kelp Into the Mainstream

Boston College was the first school to offer the kelp balls, beginning with a pilot program in spring 2023. “We have always worked really hard to try to do really innovative and fun things, particularly related to sustainability,” says Director of College Dining Services Beth Emery. Read more in edibleBoston.

Calzones, Ceviche, and Char Siu: How Cultural Foods Connect Students on Campus

BC Dining's Global Flavors Program aims to collaborate with student cultural organizations on developing new recipes that represent the global flavors of their countries on BCDS’ menus. Read more in Campus Dining Today.

A “Rat-tastic” Column: A Tribute to Lyons Dining Hall

Lyons dining hall (affectionately known as "The Rat" by students) student manager Chase Pinette shares why The Rat is the best dining hall on campus in The Heights. 

How to Navigate Thanksgiving at Boston College

BC Dining will offer a multitude of opportunities for students to have all the traditional Thanksgiving trimmings, ranging from turkey breast and stuffing to cranberry sauce and pies. Read more.

BC Dining Spotlights Diverse Food Through Global Flavors Program

Throughout November, Boston College Dining will feature selections of foods from around the globe through its Global Flavors Program.  “Our goal was to use food to showcase different cultures on campus,” said Elizabeth Emery, director of BC Dining. Read more.

Maroon, Gold, and Green: A Look Into Sustainability Initiatives on the Heights

BC Dining's sustainability initiatives, including reusable to-go containers and zero food waste programs, are featured in The Heights.

Surviving Celiac: How to Navigate Dietary Restrictions in College

Tips on how to navigate the dining halls with dietary restrictions by Heights staff writer Lily Boyd. Read more in The Heights.

BC Ranked #12 for Top 100 Food Allergy-Friendly Colleges 2023

Out of the hundreds of colleges reviewed on the Spokin app, BC Dining ranked #12 with dedicated allergen-free options, allergen menus, knowledgeable staff, and willingness to make accommodations. Read more. 

BC Dining Ranked #10 for Best College Food in MA

BC Dining Ranked #10 for 2023 Best college Food in Massachusetts by Niche 

BC Dining's Dosa-Dilla wins 2023 Best Local Foods Recipe (Bronze)

BC Dining's Dosa-Dilla wins the 2023 Best Local Foods Recipe (Bronze) for National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS). This quesadilla-inspired dish features local wild mushroom, tomato, and goat cheese wrapped in a whole-wheat dosa.

BC Dining wins the 2023 NACUFS sustainability award in procurement practices

BC Dining wins the 2023 NACUFS Sustainability Award in Procurement Practices (Silver). Efforts include FRESH purchasing initiative, partnerships with local vendors, and commitment to sustainable sourcing.

Solving the labor puzzle through partnerships

Boston College is one of many schools across the country partnering with local high schools and technical schools in the area to provide culinary experience to students and also help with staffing. Read more in Foodservice Director Magazine. 

The Taste of Success

An inside look at BC’s innovative, award-winning dining services featured in BC Magazine.

A Day in the Life of BC Dining

Check out this behind-the-scenes look at BC Dining Services in action on an early December day, as seen in BC Magazine.

A Guide to Making the Most of Your Meal Plan

Featured in The Heights, "A Guide to Making the Most of Your Meal Plan" highlights BC's various dining locations and provides an inside scoop about how to beat the lunch rush, where to find the best cup of coffee and more.

BC Dining employment offers students opportunity, flexibility

A free meal, flexible shifts, and the two-minute walk back to her residence hall with an extra 50 bucks in her pocket are what first attracted Jade Keene ’22 to work at Late Night three years ago. Read more.

BC Dining Ranked #19 on College Consensus 2022 Top 25 Dining Halls

BC Dining cracked the top 20 on College Consensus' 2022 rankings of top dining halls.

BC Dining and Heights Catering Awarded Gold by NACUFS

BC Dining and Heights Catering won GOLD for the Catering-Special Event category for the 2020 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards for its Ramen Pop-Up Event.

Dining Intern's Essay Wins 3rd Place in NACAS Student Author Contest

Dining intern Will Peter wins third place for his essay, "BC Dining Services: Rapid Innovation in Rapidly Changing Times," in the NACAS student author contest. Read the essay here.

BC Dining Operating Costs

BC Dining Services (BCDS) is self-operated. Rather than contract a corporate provider to run our dining services, BCDS is responsible for labor, food costs, rent, and utilities. BCDS does not receive tuition money. Here's a breakdown of BCDS' operating costs resulting in a break-even bottom line. 

BC Dining's Executive Chef Brad Shannon's Chicken Salad Featured in Food Management

Food Management featured BC Dining's Executive Chef Brad Shannon's mexican street corn chicken salad in its "Chicken salad gets fabulously firece" article.

Green2Go Reusables Program Featured in FSD

BC Dining's Green2Go reusables program was featured in Food Service Director.

BC Dining Pasta Dishes Featured in Food Management

BC Dining's pasta dishes were featured in Food Management's list of 25 amazing pasta dishes from food service chefs.

Food Management Goes Behind The Scenes At BC Dining Services

Check out Food Management Magazine profile of BC's Dining Services. The magazine goes behind the scenes to show what makes us Innovators of the Year! 

FRESH to Table Wins NACUFS Gold for Sustainability

BC Dining’s new initiative this year, FRESH To Table, based out of Corcoran Commons, won the NACUFS Gold Award for Sustainability in the category of Outreach and Education!

Last year, BC Dining received a grant from the Henry P Kendall Foundation to increase our purchases of food grown in New England.  Stay in the loop on upcoming “FRESH” showcases by following @bc_dining on instagram.

BC Dining Wins College Innovator of the Year

Menu updates, sustainability initiatives, mobile ordering, and communication with students cited as key elements in recognition by Food Management magazine.

Check out the Food Management article as well as a piece by University Communications.

Best Sustainability Concept: Taco Tuesday Re-imagined

Check out the Food Management article about the award and amazing dish chefs created with an underutilized seafood species.

BCDS Featured On The Front Page Of The Boston Globe

In the article "Colleges Refine Dining," our GET mobile ordering system and delivery is featured. Director Beth Emery shares, "You have to try to keep up with everything going on and be attractive to students, and most of what they’re doing is ordering on their phone."

EPA Food Recovery Awards

Our hard work and success in improving sustainable food management practices were recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency. Read more about our 2016 and 2017 EPA Food Recovery Awards.

BC Dining Awarded Gold in Sustainability by NACUFS

BC Dining’s new initiative this year, FRESH To Table, based out of Corcoran Commons, won the NACUFS Gold Award for Sustainability in the category of Outreach and Education!

Food Recovery Challenge Regional Award Winners

And we are listed in the Recycling Works newsletter as one of the participants in preventing and diverting wasted food.

Best Sustainability Concept: Taco Tuesday Re-imagined

Boston College chefs created an appealing dish that uses underutilized seafood species instead of overfished alternatives, which has proven beneficial both for the ecology, for seafood-loving students and for the program’s bottom line.

Check out the Food Management article about the award.

One On One With Director Of Dining

Listen to Food Management's One on One podcast with BC's Director of Dining, Beth Emery.

BC Dining Awarded Bronze By NACUFS

NACUFS selected BC DINING to receive the prestigious Loyal E. Horton award in Retail Sales, Multiple Concept/Marketplace for the Eagle's Nest.  The award was given out at the national convention in July.

BC Named A Power Player In College Dining

Check out Food Management's article about BC's innovations in college foodservice from sustainability to variety.

Food Management Magazine Covers Green Week At BC

BC Dining's focus on Seafood during Green Week is the feature of Food Management's article.

Must Try Thai Salad

BC's Salmon Thai Crunch Bowl named one of Food Management's 10 must try Thai Salads. Check it out this summer at Lower!

Dining's Student Employees Interviewed For The Gavel

The Gavel speaks with Student Dining Employees about their experiences working with us. Check out what they have to say as well as how they balance work, school and a social life.

BC Dining Recognized For Innovative Leadership

Boston college, in Partnership with Tufts and Harvard, takes Henry P. Kendall Foundation prize for collaboration in support of regionally-produced food. Check out the article from BC Chronicle.

BC Dining, Again, In Top 75 Best Colleges For Food In America

BC Dining moved up the list as one of The Daily Meal's Top 75 Best Colleges for Food in America. Read about it in The Daily Meal.

Thoughts From A New Foodservice Hire

Check out the Interivew with BC's Sustainability Manager, Juli Stelmaszyk! The FoodService Director sat down with Stelmaszyk, whose official role is manager of regional and sustainable food systems, to talk about her new job and about how to hit the ground running when you’re new to an organization.

Dining Services Provides Updates On Fall Semester Changes

BC Dining speaks to The Heights about the new Fall changes on campus. Meghan O'Neill, the Associate Director of Restaurant Operations discusses the recent changes and provides some insight on the reasoning behind them.

BC Dining to Introduce New Reusable Containers in Stuart

Boston College Dining Services will introduce its new reusable to-go container program at Stuart Dining Hall this fall. The move is part of a series of steps aimed at ramping up sustainability efforts on campus. The program aims to offer an environmentally friendly alternative to the paper containers currently available while also cutting back on lost cutlery and china.

Men, Women, and Food for Others

At the end of every academic year, Boston College Dining Services provides students with an opportunity to donate some of their year-meal plan money to a charitable cause. In collaboration with the student group Every Bite Counts (eBC), volunteers from both groups staff collection tables on campus.

Student-Run On-Campus Delivery Service Experiences Success

Students are able to use the GET Mobile app to have food delivered to them from Hillside to any residence hall on main campus, the libraries, and the academic buildings by fellow students as seen in The Heights.

BC Hosted Recycling Works MA 2018 College & University Forum

Over spring break, more than 20 food service and sustainability leaders from Massachusetts schools gathered to share zero waste practices.  Speakers from Brandeis, Harvard, The Reuse Network, MassDEP and Boston College shared how they tackle furniture reuse, recycling, and food recovery.  The Office of University Communications covered the event.

Many thanks to RecyclingWorks MA for putting on such a great event!

Learn more about how BC Dining keeps it green in "Kitchen Confidential:  Being Green."

Towards Zero Waste

BC hosted the RECYCLINGWORKS event.  Check out the article on the second page in The BC Chronicle.  Dining Services, Facilities, and the Office of Sustainability are working together towards zero waste.

McElroy, Corcoran, And Stuart Opened For 3/13 Blizzard

While student enjoyed the snow, dedicated BC Dining team arrived on campus to feed them, as noted in The Heights.

Haitian Pop-up Dinner Brings Politics, Culture To The Table.

Food Management features BC's Haitian pop-up dinner including a recipe for Haitian soup joumou.

How BC Dining Is Catering To Diners During Lent

As seen in Food Service Director, Megan O'Neill shares BC Dining's strategies to make diners aware of Lenten-friendly meals.

Dining Hires Sustainability Manager

Check out The Environmental Eagle's February newsletter regarding Juli Stelmaszyk who will manage our "Fresh to Table" program.

College Road Cafe And Market Serves Pizza

What was On The Fly @ McElroy morphed into CORO Cafe. Here is what THE HEIGHTS had to say about it.

Bang-Bang Cauliflower Anyone?

Blue-shirted interns serve samples at one of the FRESH demonstrations.  Here is BC Magazine's article in their latest edition.

Page To Plate: What Do You Cook For Michael Pollan?

How BC Dining Services created a rule-based menu for dinner with the esteemed author and food activist as featured in Food Management.

Spell It "FRESH"

Check out the December article in The Boston College Chronicle featuring BC Dining's new initiative, FRESH to Table.

What Desserts Go With Your Plex Workout?

Here's what Spoon University says which BC desserts correlate with your workout.

New Adventures In Breakfast

Food Management features BC's new breakfast options, including trends students have been wanting to try (avo toast!) to tomorrow’s healthiest new breakfast trends (hello, lentil grits, wheatberry porridge and rice omelets!)

What To Eat For Breakfast

Food Management's article on new adventures in breakfast names lentil grits, porridge and omelets as fabulous foods.

BC Dining's New Back To School Menu Items

Listed 4 times in Food Management, our Welcome BBQ Dinner and our Bibimbap Korean Rice Bowl made the cut.

The Bowl-ed And The Beautiful

Food Management features The Eagle's Nest veggie-packed bowls meet students where they’re at, whether they are looking for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or “great healthy veggies with a treat.”

Order From Hillside In Advance

Check out Food Management magazine to how to order lunch or dinner from Hillside Cafe.

Cooking Across Borders - Food From Syria

BC News as well as Food Management covered our February event. Students and faculty represented a variety of cultures and learned how to work together to create various dishes.

BC Dining Welcomes New Nutritionist, Introduces Pitaya Bowls

The February 6th article in The Heights introduces Kate Sweeney and new Pitaya Bowls.

BC Dining Among Top Ten In Nation

The number of dining halls, hours of operations, and special diet menu options catapulted BC Dining into the number 10 spot out of 30 universities according to LendEDU.

The Heights Follows The Screaming Eagle Sandwich And Customized Bowl Station

After 12 years, the Screaming Eagle Sandwich in Corcoran is still popular.  In the Eagle's Nest, you can pick your protein and up to 3 sides in the "Bowl" station.

Menus Of Change Options Unveiled

BC Dining's new program collaborates with over 40 universities and showcases sustainable, healthy, and delicious foods. The Heights explained that students will still be able to get traditional foods, while The Gavel noted that the program promotes better food choices. 

Dining To Implement New Initiatives

From the Eagle's Nest Harmony Bowls to the SHAKE IT UP salad bar station in Lyons, The Gavel notes the abundance of new dining options.

Power Bowl Is Awarded Bronze

This video shows the preparation of the Power Bowl.  The NACUFS committee awarded BC Dining the bronze award at the national conference in July.

Best Menu Winner

Our tapas program was been named the Best Menu Winner in Food Management's Best Concepts Award Program.

Seafood Extravaganza At Corcoran

Seafood expert Andrew Wilkinson serves our students with BC Dining chefs.

BU Brings Food To Campus

When BC beat BU in the Beanpot this year, BU's Raising Cane's chicken fingers were the prize for all to sample in McElroy, as featured in BC News.

When You're Hungry Past 8pm, Go To Late Night

The Heights reveals the most popular Late Night items: mozzarella sticks and chicken fingers.

BC Dining Staff Recognized By The Massachusetts Restaurant Association

BC Dining's Keze Whitlow and Dinh Phat (John) Mac received accolades from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association for 2015 in The Chronicle. Keze Whitlow was awarded the 2015 Line Chef of the Year. Dinh Phat (John) Mac was a finalist for the 2015 People's Choice Award.

BC Dining's 'Test Kitchen' Stirs Up On-campus Meal Options

"With the launch of Test Kitchen, BC Dining continues in its mission to add more variety to the menu and encourage students to become more involved in the campus dining experience." - says the article in The Heights.

BC Dining In The Chronicle

The March 26, 2015, issue had several articles about BC Dining. "Toils of Winter" recognized Dining for staying on campus during the snowstorms to take care of our students. "Assignment Brings Students from the Classroom to the Kitchen" explains how a Food and Culture Writing seminar paired with Associate Director Michael Kann to create a menu and prepare a meal.

BC Dining In The Heights

BC Dining was mentioned in two articles in the February 23rd edition of The Heights: "Caffeine on campus," takes a look at the coffee consumption increase on campus.  "Contingency plan" tells the story of what it has been like to be sure our students are fed during the stormy days of this winter.

Blizzard Kudos

Check out these articles from The Heights and Foodservice Director Magazine to read about BC Dining and their staff's efforts to keep the dining halls running through the blizzards.

BC Dining Provides Quality Food

Check out the December 8, 2014, article from The Gavel, which shares that "we have one of the best dining programs in the country."

Dining Wins Gold!

BC Dining won a Loyal E. Horton award for its "catering special event" of the 2014 POPS on The Heights. In July, NACUFS presented a gold medal in a large school category to our Dining Director. View some pictures of this extravaganza.

May 2014 Sandwich of the Month - Food Management Magazine

Food Management Magazine honored BC Dining's New England Classic as the "Sandwich of the Month" in May 2014. 

2014 NACUFS Gold Award for Most Innovative Wellness & Nutrition Program

The prestigious GOLD award for the Most Innovative Wellness & Nutrition Program was awarded to BC Dining and the Office of Health Promotion. The award was announced during the NACUFS Conference.

2011 Mass. Restaurant Assoc. (MRA) Foodservice Operator of the Year

The Massachusetts foodservice industry honors its own at the MRA Annual Awards Dinner, held in conjunction with the New England Food Show. In 2011, BC Dining won Foodservice Operator of the Year. Honorees are chosen by the MRA Associate Member Committee and Executive Board.