danielle sinclair

Meet Our Dietitian

Danielle Sinclair is a Registered Dietitian and joined Campus Dining in 2011. She graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. Danielle brings her passion for health, wellbeing, and sustainability to our UC Santa Barbara community.

Danielle is available to help individuals who have food allergies and special diet restrictions navigate our dining commons. She is also available to help answer any nutrition-related questions. (dsinclair@ucsb.edu)
 

"Being a dietitian, I view life through the lens of food and people. I cultivate my passion and purpose by connecting with others and facilitating change. My role as a dietitian has influenced and embedded my core values of health, sustainability, compassion, and support. I live these values every day, and you will find them interwoven in the work I contribute and the relationships I build. I feel passionate that we go farther together with real ingredients that are safe for us and our environment."

Our Commitment to You

Our menus are designed with you in mind. We are committed to optimizing your health and providing the tools and resources that allow you to make informed choices.

Our Food Facts Tool provides ingredients, nutrition, and common allergen information on all dining commons menu options. Food options can be filtered by the nine common food allergens, plus commonly-requested special dietary needs, including vegetarian and vegan.

If you have a food allergy, intolerance, or special diet consideration, Campus Dining is here to assist you. Campus Dining has developed a transparent approach to support our customers. Our culinary team is committed to providing safe and nutritious food for any student or guest.

  • Food Allergies
    • Nine food allergens account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions in the U.S., and Campus Dining labels for these allergens on our Food Facts website. The nine most common allergens include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, and coconut), wheat, soy, fish, shellfish and sesame. In order to meet the needs of students with allergies and special dietary considerations, Campus Dining has a dietitian who will work one on one with student residents.
       
  • Made without Gluten
    • To support our students and guests who require a gluten-free diet due to Celiac Disease, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, or wheat allergy, Campus Dining has developed a gluten-free pantry. A gluten-free pantry is accessible at De La Guerra, Carrillo, and Portola dining commons and is stocked with the same item selections.
    • Students and guests will find menu offerings made without gluten at all dining common venues. To discover menu offerings without gluten quickly and easily, check out our Food Facts website. We avoid cross-contact but cannot guarantee menu offerings are without gluten.
    • If you have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, or have a wheat allergy and require a gluten-free/wheat-free diet, please contact our Dietitian, Danielle Sinclair, at dsinclair@ucsb.edu or (805) 893-5519. Summer guests are required to contact Danielle Sinclair prior to their visit to campus.
       
  • Kosher and Halal Friendly
    • What can kosher-keeping and halal-keeping students expect when experiencing Campus Dining? 
    • We offer resources to help students and guests identify Kosher and Halal Friendly options in our dining commons. To discover Kosher Friendly and Halal Friendly menu offerings, check out our Food Facts website. Filter menu options by selecting Kosher Friendly or Halal Friendly under the Preference section. 
    • Our Kosher Friendly and Halal Friendly definition is a suggested designation rather than one based on the laws of Kashrut.
    • Kosher Friendly meals in our dining commons do not contain meat from forbidden animals according to the Kosher laws, such as pigs and shellfish, do not contain meat and milk together, and are free of ingredients considered to be un-Kosher. 
    • Halal Friendly meals in our dining commons do not contain meats from forbidden animals according to the Halal laws, such as pigs, do not contain alcohol, and are free of ingredients considered to be haram.
    • Please note that products used in the creation of these menu items are not prepared in a Kosher facility that practices Kosher food preparation methods with designated cooking equipment or utensils.
    • Carrillo Dining Commons offers a variety of OU Glatt frozen prepared Kosher meals. These meals are reserved for individuals who follow a Kosher Diet. Please inquire with  our management staff in Carrillo dining commons to obtain a hot meal. 
    • For those following a Halal Diet, we are pleased to offer Certified Halal chicken at Carrillo Dining Commons. This is specific to  all bone-in chicken. When you find rotisserie chicken, drumsticks, breast on the bone, or leg on the bone on the Carrillo daily menu, it will be Certified Halal chicken. If for any reason , Certified Halal chicken is not available and a conventional chicken product is offered instead, signage will be placed at the food station to inform patrons of the temporary change. 
    • You will find a variety of Certified Kosher snack options throughout campus convenience stores. For assistance locating items, please inquire with register staff for assistance.
    • Miramar Food Pantry maintains a section of Certified Kosher items available for free to all patrons. Check out the Miramar Food Pantry web page for information on accessing the pantry, hours, location, and more.
       
  • Plant-Based
    • Campus Dining’s venues offer an array of options for a variety of lifestyle choices. We are proud to offer many vegetarian and vegan options. We celebrate the wellness and environmental benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet through various educational events throughout the year. Follow us on social media for details, or please visit our sustainability page to learn about our education events.
    • Vegetarian options include foods that do not contain animal products except dairy (with microbial rennet) or eggs. Multiple options are offered in all dining commons venues.
    • Vegan options include foods that do not contain any animal-derived products, including honey, dairy, or eggs. A variety of vegan options are offered in each dining commons venue.
    • To discover vegetarian and vegan menu offerings quickly and easily, check out our Food Facts website. Filter menu options by selecting vegetarian or vegan under the Preference section.
       
  • Gaucho Bright Bite
    • When your time is divided between school, work, and friends, you may not have the time or energy to figure out the healthiest options in the dining commons. Look no further than Gaucho Bright Bite. Gaucho Bright Bite options are limited in calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Eating these food choices more often may help you feel more energetic and healthy. Menu options meeting the Gaucho Bright Bite criteria will be identified on our Food Facts website. Filter menu options by selecting Gaucho Bright Bite under the Preference section. 
       
  • Menus of Change
    • Campus Dining is committed to the menus of change principles. These principles integrate nutrition and environmental science to develop recommendations for our operations. This collaboration allows us to focus our recipes and menu development towards healthier, more sustainable, but delicious menu offerings.
    • We are currently a partner of Menus of Change and the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative. Over the past years, we have participated in a number of research projects.
    • Some of the practices we are currently engaging with include:
      • Focus on Whole, Minimally Processed Foods
      • Make Whole, Intact Grains the New Norm
      • Think Produce First
      • Serve More Kinds of Seafood More Often
         
  • Nutrition Week
    • Campus Dining believes that nutrition education is vital to the overall success, health, and wellbeing of our students. Nutrition week is a campaign designed to share resources and promote visual and verbal nutrition information. We invite our customers to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating.
       
  • Food Nutrition and Basic Skills
    • Campus Dining has partnered with Food Nutrition and Basic Skills. We are committed to providing at least two educational demonstrations per quarter. We value our partnership and the commitment to help our students learn about nutrition, food preparation, grocery shopping, and budgeting.
       
  • Wellness Resources
    • Campus Dining takes tremendous pride in serving our UC Santa Barbara student community. Our teams are dedicated to advancing our students' health and wellness by offering nutritious and sustainable food. We offer our customers nutritionally balanced meals by integrating menus of change principles and sustainable food sourcing practices throughout our menu offerings. Below you will find some nutrition highlights from our dining commons.
       
  • All dining commons feature nutritionally balanced meals that meet a myriad of dietary needs.
  • We focus on whole, minimally processed foods. Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and a variety of grains, nuts, and legumes are always available.
  • Menus are designed to include choices for vegans and vegetarians.
  • All dining commons offer milk alternatives, including soy and almond milk.
  • We source a wide variety of organic and seasonal products when possible. Please visit the sustainability section of our site for more information about our sustainable sourcing practices.
  • We minimize the use of trans-fat-containing products.
  • We offer whole grain alternatives, such as whole wheat breads, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta in addition to their refried or white counterparts.