USC students turn to meal services for ‘real food’ and comfort of home cooking
Meal plans at the University of South Carolina have almost everything: 30 different locations with salads, sandwiches, pizza, pasta and well-known retail locations like Panera and Chik-fil-A.
It’s fast, it’s convenient. But it’s not necessarily the same as home cooking.
Daya Jessee, who studied hospitality at Virginia Tech and works in property management, recently launched Food Envy, a catering and meal service business.
Her most popular customers? USC students and parents who want to send their kids meals.
“I’ve worked in professional kitchens, I’ve worked fast food, I’ve worked resorts, I’ve worked kitchen work,” Jessee said. “I really wanted to start something on my own.”
Jessee’s has created a rotating menu that she offers her customers each month for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus some comfort food staples. And she also specializes in gluten-free options.
She often delivers to off-campus student housing and campus residences halls. Her customers have called it “real food,” a comment that makes her laugh.
“Approachable food is what I’m trying to do,” Jessee said. “Especially because a lot of my business is catered towards college students.”
This month she’s offering meals like lasagna bowls, baked chicken wings, apple parfaits and a holiday special: turkey burger sliders and a “Thanksgiving Feast” complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and more.
But her menu has included options like maple glazed salmon with sautéed vegetables, meatballs, french toast bake and more.
Jessee focuses on individual, ready-to-eat meals. But she also offers tailgate catering for Gamecocks football games, and can accommodate for special events, like birthdays.
“I feel like there’s a lot of a lot of good in getting students fresh meals,” Jessee said. “I’m trying to make something that’s reminiscent of, like a home cooked meal, something that just feels comforting.”
Other meal services are also available locally.
Cola Gourmet offers custom-made meals to be delivered, and Kristin’s Kitchen also provides home-cooked meals near Lexington and Columbia.
This story was originally published November 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
