Meet the on-campus dietitian, Liana Bontempo


Liana Bontempo is a new addition to the McMaster campus. For the past year, this registered dietitian has been working with Hospitality Services to support students with serious food allergies or dietary restrictions, plan different programming and working closely with the culinary team on menus and new food stations for the University.

With a master’s degree in public health, Liana specializes in Community Nutrition and became a dietitian thanks to her love of food and interest in understanding the science of what we eat and how it impacts our health and wellness.

Having a campus dietitian is a relatively new role for University campuses. With McMaster’s focus on health and well-being, it only made sense to have someone dedicated to helping our students eat better when they are on here. From campus meal plans, to new menu items, Liana is involved in many decisions that impact the diet and nutrition of our students.

“Food plays such a huge role in our lives,” says Bontempo. “Students are living away from home for the first time, and spending hours in classrooms – making the right food choices can help with concentration and energy levels, both important when in a learning environment.”

The role of the campus dietitian also includes interacting with different groups on campus including staff, students and parents, all while supporting our culinary teams.

When asked about her favourite place to eat on campus, Liana shared, “It’s so hard to choose just one! But, I do love eating at Centro, because there are so many different options there. I’m also really excited about the two new stations we’ve just added – The Plantry (plant-based eating), and SMPL (for allergen free options).”

If you’d like to get in touch with Liana about managing a serious allergy, dietary restrictions or anything else nutrition related, contact her at bontempl@mcmaster.ca.

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