BGSU campus dietitian, Rechelle Bischoff has been helping students with their nutrition since July 2023.

Bischoff is there to help all students, especially those who have allergies or are suffering from diseases.  She provides students with different dining and food options and, in some cases, meal plans.

“A dietitian helps people manage their nutrition in some way shape or form, so it really truly depends on what’s going on with them,” Bischoff explained.

Bischoff said many BGSU students don’t know what a dietician is, or what resources they provide.  Knowledge of healthy living and eating is what Bischoff intends to promote.  To Bischoff, a diet is “just the food that we eat every day.”

“A lot of times, people think dieticians are just those who write meal plans and talk to people about losing weight, but it is so much more than that,” Bischoff said. “ I mean, we know of almost every disease state that you can think of and how to manage most of them with nutrition and help with different treatments and things like that.”

The BGSU dietary team creates meal plans for students who need them, such as students dealing with diabetes. They also provide foods high in antioxidants, for example, berries and dark chocolate, that reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

“Of course, nutrition can’t treat any disease state but it can help it, whether it reduces the risk of further complications or helps in the treatment of it,” Bischoff said.

Since BGSU dining already fulfills nutritional needs for those who find it necessary, they also provide a variety of nutrients from different foods for all those eating in the halls.

“On every line, we have a protein, a starch and a vegetable, and then we incorporate other foods in there as well,” Bischoff said.

Proteins include meat, fish and vegan alternatives like tofu.  This gives every person an option based on their diet.  

Bischoff has not always been a dietitian by trade, but said she fell in love with the profession while pursuing other passions. 

“When I was working in marketing, I kind of fell in love with exercise and working out and just kind of a love for how the body works,” Bischoff said. “And with that, I decided to get a certification in personal training.  When I had to do a recertification in personal training, I did my recertification in fitness and nutrition and that’s what got me into dietetics,” Bischoff added.

Bischoff worked in marketing for six years before deciding to go back to school to become a dietitian. She got her master’s degree in food and nutrition at BGSU.

“So I got my master’s degree and did my internship through BGSU,” Bischoff said. “It’s a great program, so if anybody wants to get into dietetics, I strongly approve; Might be biased a little bit but I think it’s a great program.”

After getting her degree from BGSU, Bischoff went down a different career path.

“I worked at a long-term care facility for people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. I was their dietary manager and dietitian, and I still do part-time work there as the dietitian,” said Bischoff.

She started at BGSU around the end of the pandemic while restrictions were being lifted.  Now that dining is back to normal, students have noticed a positive difference in the food they are eating.

“We are able to do a lot more things with the food than we were during that COVID-19 era.  Right now in the dining hall, we’re doing what we call a global table here at the Oaks, and so we’re featuring a different cuisine every week which is really cool,” Bischoff said.

Along with this, BG Dining has also increased its allergen program, has its food truck, Falcon Eats, travels all over campus, and hosts classes at the Teaching Kitchen.

“The chefs are coming in and teaching students to cook or maybe elevate their dining experience with an upscale meal,” Bischoff explained when talking about the Teaching Kitchen in the Oaks.

With multiple dining halls and other food sources here at BGSU, Bischoff has her own personal favorites.

“Over at Carillon, I love the Indian barbeque; the food is phenomenal,” Bischoff said.

But to Bischoff, all food is good, especially the food at BGSU.

“I just love food, I love to eat, I love to cook.  There are not many foods that I say ‘nope I’m not eating that.’  If you find a dietitian that says they ‘don’t like food,’ that might be a red flag.  I’m a dietitian who loves food, and it’s just a perfect fit,” Bischoff said.

For more information reach out to BGSU Dining at dineoncampus.com/bgsu or email [email protected].  If you have any nutrition needs and would like to contact Rechelle Bischoff directly, you can email her at [email protected].