Back to school may look a little different this year, but as more college students return to campus, or first year students arrive for the first time, the dining hall is open for business. The college dining experience can be overwhelming enough as it is, but when food allergies or dietary restrictions are added to the mix even eating lunch can be stressful. I am calling on my dining hall experience to give insight on how to navigate the dining hall when you have food allergies/dietary restrictions.
When I started my first year of college I was going into it newly diagnosed gluten free and dairy free. I was stressed about having options and cross contamination. My anxieties were verified as soon as I stepped into the dining hall on day one. There was so much food and so many people, Freshman Brynn was lost. Food was labeled and there was an electronic system in place to match the menu that described what the food contained, this was good in theory, but it was rarely correct. Even so options were very limited; for the first week I had sticky rice, chicken, and pineapple for lunch and dinner everyday. You would think: “Okay she’s following her dietary rules and doing the best she can, at least she’s not getting sick.” Wrong. I got sick 2-3 times a day everyday for about two months. I ended up losing about 18 lbs. Part of this was stress related, but a larger factor was getting glutened or accidentally consuming dairy due to mislabeled information. It seemed the more I branched out to try new things labeled “gluten free and dairy free” the sicker I got. This didn’t make sense because I was following all of the labels and eating everything I should be able to.
Even though I was newly diagnosed gluten free and dairy free, I was not by any means new to working with dietary restrictions. I grew up in a gluten free household, and in my home Brooke and I were taught to cook and shop in order to accommodate food allergies from a young age. That was done on purpose so we would become self-sufficient, knowledgeable, and could vouch for ourselves. After 10 years of this lifestyle you understand how it works. As I mentioned above, much of the menu and food placed out was not labeled properly. For example, they wouldn’t account for the malt in carmel coloring within the soy sauce they used, so anything with soy sauce was wrongly labeled gf. Throughout the semester there was an issue like this almost everyday with different foods- I was so frustrated. You may be asking yourself now: “Yikes how do I not end up like her?” Don’t worry I am getting there. From this experience I learned many things that I will summarize for you next.
When you get to campus the first thing I would recommend doing is meeting with your on campus dietitian, make this person aware of your situation so they can help you navigate the dining hall right way. Unfortunately when I arrived on campus my dietician was on maternity leave, so I had to figure out the dining hall on my own. I would suggest you inquire about a weekly menu rotation, that way you can plan what you are going to eat ahead of time. At some colleges and universities you may even be able to call down to the kitchen and place an order that fulfills your needs if there isn’t anything on the menu. You are your own best advocate, so stand up for yourself and your dietary needs. As my Mom says: “Be on team You!” That means telling the dining hall staff to change their gloves, and affirming that yes you need your sandwich made on a separate cutting board with separate ingredients and utensils, even if that means a little more work for them. That said get to know the dining staff so they can help you to the best of their abilities. Don’t be afraid to politely, but firmly inquire about what is in the food if you think it might not be totally safe. As the semester goes on you will be more familiar with the dining hall and you will have your trusted food favorites. College is a lot of fun and there are so many things to experience, make your dining experience a positive one by heeding my advice. If you are going back to campus this year please stay healthy, be safe, have fun, and eat well. Remember you got this! If you have any further questions about surviving the dining hall please feel free to reach out.
Until next time,
Brynn
