TCU Dining creates healthful isolation meals

Overcoming the complexities of COVID-19 is a new integral role for campus dining teams. One of these challenges is feeding students healthy and delicious meals while quarantined.

At Texas Christian University, residential housing worked closely with dining partner Sodexo to devise a smart and responsive plan for the isolation meal process.

There are three residential housing care coordinators who work with the TCU Health Center. If a student tests positive, the designated care coordinator ensures all the student's needs are met.

“No one could have ever imagined COVID isolation meals,” said Amy Schroer of Fraternity and Sorority Life. “It was awesome to see how quickly our student delivery staff, whom I lovingly call the Corona Foodie Crew, stepped up to disperse meals to their fellow Frogs in need.”

Schroer says this group of student leaders is a large part of this program’s feasibility.

“Between the student crew, in conjunction with hall directors, graduate assistants, professional staff and the tireless work the Sodexo team, we have a remarkably successful system in place,” said Schroer.

Twice daily, a current list of required isolation meals is compiled and submitted to the chefs. Details include any food allergies, dietary restrictions, and assurance that athletes can follow their diet while isolated.

Lunch is ready for delivery by 10:45am. Wagons are loaded to deliver the meals, water, and utensils. Dinner is served at 4:45pm with breakfast for the next morning.

The catering team makes breakfast; allergy-free meals are prepared in a dedicated kitchen, Sodexo’s allergy-free kitchen; and regular meals are made in the resident dining kitchen.

All prepared food is brought to Brown Lupton University Union where an isolation meal prep area has been created on the first floor. This area is sectioned off from the public. Once deliveries are complete, all carts and the prep area are sanitized, ready to go for the next meal service.

Meals are well-balanced and have not been altered in any form for isolation meals.

“Although it was a challenge at first since this was new to us, our team and the housing team have come with a seamless process in communication, production, and deliveries,” said Swati Bharathi, Unit Marketing Specialist. “Our entire team has come together from all units to make this program a success.”