College dining trending: Boston College gears up for increased grab and go and 6 ways Ken Toong and UMass Dining plan to preserve food culture

In Massachusetts, both Boston College and UMass spoke with Food Management about what to expect for the fall semester.

Frank Bailey and the team of Boston College Dining Services are tightening up plans for an Aug. 31 return to on-campus classes. While remote learning is an option, the dining team is focused on those students and staff who will be physically on campus, where everyone will be required to wear masks while indoors and abide by safety rules from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Executive Chef Frank Bailey outlines realistic plans that still leave room for the culinary creativity the program is known for.

In a back-to-campus season different from all others, the always-pioneering dining program at UMass, helmed by Ken Toong, executive director of auxiliary enterprises, is developing a plan with an eye on convenience, value and above all, the one-of-a-kind dining experience this program has become famous for.

Toong and his team are innovating to adjust to the new student need. Curbside pickup will be added to allow students to avoid the parking garages. The campus food truck will have a resurgence. In addition, c-store/grocery offerings like fresh whole food items will play a bigger role this year.

See what else was trending in college dining this month on Food Management.