Kent State Dining Services introduced the Bite app to help students make decisions on what to eat before they get to dining halls.

The app has menus from dining halls on campus, excluding the HUB in the Student Center, and has various features to help students stay informed on what they are eating.

“The app was developed to provide (a) one stop shop for all locations on campus to provide menus, nutritional information, hours of operation and to get students who wonder where they want to eat to be able to scroll and see what’s open and what is being served,” Richard Roldan, director of Dining Services, said.

The app lets students look at the breakfast, lunch and dinner options, and they then can choose which dining hall to go to based on what is available.

“I (can) scroll through, and say that I’m looking for fried chicken. I can see who may have it today,” Roldan said.

He also said the app can be connected to a Fitbit or used with MyFitnessPal, which helps students achieve their fitness goals.

Dining Services nutritionist Megan Brzuski said the app is a tool to help aid a student’s diet and health.

“(You can) use it as a tool to help you make educated choices before walking into the dining hall,” Brzuski said.

She said though many students usually know about healthy options and are good at picking out choices to meet their dietary needs, students have problems with knowing what options they have when they are in a rush between classes.

“If you’re in a hurry and you don’t have time, that helps you look ahead and be able to get that option,” Brzuski said.

Aside from nutritional value, the Bite app offers another way for students to connect with the university by using a rating system for students to give feedback on food items and the dining halls.

Roldan said using the rating system is a way students can voice their opinions and be understood.

“(Students can) review (food), and we get immediately ‘Hey, that this was not something we like,'” Roldan said.

Roldan said this helps Dining Services decide what menu items to keep on the menu.

Social media director Nicole Losi said social media and apps like these help student communication with the college.

“It provides an outlet for students so they know that they can come to us and pretty much ask any questions, that we are listening and we are just one more resource,” Losi said.

Losi said social media is a huge role in students’ lives and staying on the same page is important.

“I think it can help keep everyone on the same page and know what’s available in the dining halls, especially with our healthy campus initiative,” Losi said.

Students can visit the iTunes or Google Play store to download the free app, and they can use the code A57P4 to connect the app to Kent State dining halls.

Linda Stocum is the room and board reporter, contact her at [email protected].