Have you heard of the “Frosh 15”? It’s the extra weight that students are rumoured to put on during their first year at university.

The reality is that most students don’t gain that much, if any – but many struggle with maintaining good eating habits in a new environment, especially those who are living away from home for the first time. To help guide them, Queen’s Hospitality Services has recruited Liana Bontempo as the university’s first Dietitian and Wellness Manager.

Ms. Bontempo, a registered dietitian with a Masters in Public Health, has passion for building healthy communities.

“I love the ability of dietetics to bring together the arts, such as the socio-cultural aspects of food, with the hard sciences of health and nutrition,” she says.

Ms. Bontempo will be developing several programs and providing guidance to all students. She is available to discuss a broad range of nutrition and food-related issues, including healthy choices and allergy management. She’s also a resource for other campus community members who have questions about dining on campus.

It’s all about helping students find the right food to fuel their studies. “I’m excited about helping students eat well,” Ms. Bontempo says. “I look forward to helping them navigate their new food environment and keeping them happy and healthy on campus.”

Students can book an appointment with Ms. Bontempo online.

Hospitality Services also offers a number of other services to help students with their food choices, including nutritional information on their website for dining hall and retail food menus and signs that indicate whether menu items are vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.

Students with food allergies can access a number of specialized services and meet with Campus Executive Chef Colin Johnson, the Allergy and Alternative Diets contact, to discuss their needs.