GFF College Dining Survey Responses

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore

Maryland

Colleges

Survey Date:

Mar 5, 2023

Survey 1 of 3

Student:

Recent Grad

With:

Celiac Disease

Student's Summary Assessment:

College Dining:

B-

Surrounding Area:

B+

Rationale for Grades Given

Providing signage and some additional options but didn’t make them very accessible/easy to acquire. Also made it very difficult to discontinue meal plan when it did not serve me.

Medium sized city that had many places with great staff and knowledge. However, city it spread out and these things are relatively inaccessible without a car. Also as a college student these options were generally on the pricier side.

Details About this Student's Food Restrictions

How many years ago were you diagnosed with food allergies or celiac disease?

5+

If you indicated celiac or gluten intolerance, how sensitive are you to gluten?

Moderate: React sometimes

Add details to help us better understand your food restrictions (e.g. sensitivity level, potential reaction, need for EPI pen)

Not sensitive/reactive to cross contamination but will get sick if eaten larger portions (i.e. wrong pasta). Reaction usually nausea, vomiting, fatigue, stomach cramping/pain, body aches

Details About this Student's College Dining Experience

Does your college handle food restrictions as you expected when you decided to attend?

Somewhat what I expected

Have you had a reation from eating in your dining hall?

NO

If Yes, describe each incident and how your school responded

Did you register your food restriction with the disabilities office? If yes, describe

Yes, but primarily only because it was required in order to cancel/reduce my meal plan as a freshman.

Are there resources to help with nutritious, safe dining (e.g. dietician)? If yes, describe

No, or not that I knew of.

If you were in charge of dining, what would you change? Would your school be open to suggestions?

I think they would be open to listening but I doubt changes would be implemented. I would potentially have a station for GF.

Describe your biggest challenge managing your food restrictions at college and how you deal with it

Not a lot of options in main dining halls. Other eateries on campus left me guessing about whether it was safe or not. Also extracurricular events often had no options at all (i.e. sporting events, concerts, alumni events, etc)

Advice for Incoming Students:

Housing:

Did your food restrictions impact your housing decisions? Any dorm recommendations

Freshman year was tough because there was no kitchen, thinking back I may have opted to be in a different dorm that provided me that security in meals. Other than that it did not impact my decision as dorms became “apartment style” sophomore year onward.

Dining Halls:

Any advice for managing dining halls? Favorite dining halls? Any to avoid?

I honestly chose to cancel/greatly reduce my meal plan and mostly cooked my meals. However I would still get things at the dining hall for snacks that I viewed as safe: yogurts, fruit, etc.

Meal Plans:

Describe your meal plans over the year(s). What's mandatory? Any suggestions?

Freshman year was mandatory and then onwards was much more flexible. As mentioned, halfway through freshman year I registered with disability to be able to cancel my meal plan as it really was not serving me.

Dorms:

Any advice for eating in the dorms? Favorite snacks? Places that deliver?

Getting Started:

What should students do before school starts or when they first arrive?

I would speak to someone with dining services and be upfront and candid about your needs and what they offer and if they can’t meet them make a game plan on how you want to move forward (ie cancelling plan ahead of time, choosing dorms with kitchens, etc)

GFF College Dining Survey Responses

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore

Maryland

Survey Date:

Mar 5, 2023

Survey 1 of 3

Student:

Recent Grad

With:

Celiac Disease

Student's Summary Assessment:

College Dining:

B-

Surrounding Area:

B+

Rationale for Grades Given

Details About this Student's Food Restrictions

How many years ago were you diagnosed with food allergies or celiac disease?

5+

If you indicated celiac or gluten intolerance, how sensitive are you to gluten?

Moderate: React sometimes

Add details to help us better understand your food restrictions (e.g. sensitivity level, potential reaction, need for EPI pen)

Not sensitive/reactive to cross contamination but will get sick if eaten larger portions (i.e. wrong pasta). Reaction usually nausea, vomiting, fatigue, stomach cramping/pain, body aches

Details About this Student's College Dining Experience

Does your college handle food restrictions as you expected when you decided to attend?

Somewhat what I expected

Have you had a reation from eating in your dining hall?

NO

If Yes, describe each incident and how your school responded

​

Did you register your food restriction with the disabilities office? If yes, describe

Yes, but primarily only because it was required in order to cancel/reduce my meal plan as a freshman.

Are there resources to help with nutritious, safe dining (e.g. dietician)? If yes, describe

No, or not that I knew of.

If you were in charge of dining, what would you change? Would your school be open to suggestions?

I think they would be open to listening but I doubt changes would be implemented. I would potentially have a station for GF.

Describe your biggest challenge managing your food restrictions at college and how you deal with it

Not a lot of options in main dining halls. Other eateries on campus left me guessing about whether it was safe or not. Also extracurricular events often had no options at all (i.e. sporting events, concerts, alumni events, etc)

Advice for Incoming Students:

Housing:

Did your food restrictions impact your housing decisions? Any dorm recommendations

Freshman year was tough because there was no kitchen, thinking back I may have opted to be in a different dorm that provided me that security in meals. Other than that it did not impact my decision as dorms became “apartment style” sophomore year onward.

Dining Halls:

Any advice for managing dining halls? Favorite dining halls? Any to avoid?

I honestly chose to cancel/greatly reduce my meal plan and mostly cooked my meals. However I would still get things at the dining hall for snacks that I viewed as safe: yogurts, fruit, etc.

Meal Plans:

Describe your meal plans over the year(s). What's mandatory? Any suggestions?

Freshman year was mandatory and then onwards was much more flexible. As mentioned, halfway through freshman year I registered with disability to be able to cancel my meal plan as it really was not serving me.

Dorms:

Any advice for eating in the dorms? Favorite snacks? Places that deliver?

​

Getting Started:

What should students do before school starts or when they first arrive?

I would speak to someone with dining services and be upfront and candid about your needs and what they offer and if they can’t meet them make a game plan on how you want to move forward (ie cancelling plan ahead of time, choosing dorms with kitchens, etc)

Socializing:

Advice on managing parties or dinners out with friends?

​

Other:

Any other advice or comments?

​

Meal Plans: