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See our recent presentation on how to more thoroughly evaluate GF dining programs and set yourself up for success on campus. NEWS FLASH 2/21/2019!!: N.J. Rider University settles claims it violated gluten-free student's ADA rights ----- It is a bummer that celiac has to factor at all into your college search. Even though it’s been 7 years since Lesley University was found to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for forcing kids with celiac disease to be on a meal plan and then not feeding them, colleges are having mixed results meeting the gluten-free challenge. It is striking how varied the success rate has been. After completing the Beyond Celiac GREAT Schools, Colleges, & Camps Training , I gained an increased appreciation for how hard it is for dining halls to get this right and then keep it that way. (GREAT stands for Gluten-Free Resource Education Awareness Training.) Even once schools and food service companies go through terrific programs like GREAT or AllerTrain and establish good protocols, if ongoing training and auditing is not in place, staff turnover can undo all that hard work. The dining hall is only as safe as its weakest link. Below are some sample quotes from Gluten Free Travel Site just to give you a sense of how varied the experience can be. Please note that most colleges were reviewed by only one student at a single point in time, so research more fully before making any conclusions. (See our GFF College Dining Survey Responses for additional on-the-ground student feedback. We are so excited about our survey initiative and will continue to post as surveys are received!) Thumbs UP “Auburn has a dedicated Gluten-free only Diner on campus- the first one in the country!” Auburn University, AL “... does not have an official gluten free menu but the dining services have been willing to work with me. ...Eating gluten free at college has turned out easier than I expected.” Baylor University, TX “Great meal service, amazing gluten free options for those who are Gluten Free, Celiac, and intolerant.” Bennington College, VT “...GREAT for gluten free students!” Brown University, RI “Risley Dining Room ... now certified 100% gluten-free, tree-nut-free, and peanut-free.” Cornell University, NY “I am impressed with the relationships the chefs are able to develop with students... I received an email saying that he had made an entire flourless cake for me and wanted me to come pick it up.” Rice University, TX “...gluten-free dining facilities are A+....Overall, the school provides healthy delicious meals that make being gluten-free in college very easy” Tulane University, LA “...lots of support for gluten free diets for its students.” Vanderbilt, TN Thumbs DOWN “If it was not for my mom fixing and freezing meals for me, I would be going to bed hungry on a regular basis.” College of the Ozarks, MO “Having worked as a student worker with dining services, I was well aware that there is no allergy awareness for staff. There is no effort to prevent cross-contamination for any student, including even simply changing gloves.” Colorado College, CO “I have visited other schools which have amazing gluten free dining areas. Not here!!!” University of Virginia, VA “It took almost three months of pressuring from me, the Director of Disability Services, and my mother ...to get chefs and staff trained on how to serve gluten-free. My biggest piece of advice is to ADVOCATE. Don't be afraid of kicking ass to get what you want.” Bard College, NY “...once I moved in and was required to purchase a meal plan, I realized there was not much I could eat.” Appalachian State University, NC “Before choosing this college my mother and I interviewed the Head Chef on 3 separate visits and was assured I would receive gluten free meals.... constantly getting sick, often sick enough to require Emergency Room visits.” “Cross contamination is a nightmare, and I continue to get sick.” Butler University, IN So what can students with celiac disease do when selecting a school to set themselves up for safe and satisfying dining? Just like an art student checks out the studios, and a science student explores the labs, you need to seriously add the dining factor. Keep track of your impressions of how each college handles gluten on your phone or in a binder, as they start blending into each other after you visit a few. You will likely be eating most meals in the dining hall at least for the first year. Even if you decide to select the college regardless, you should at least know what you are up against. On most tours, you will be told there are “lots of gluten-free options” and you will see a corner with a toaster and a loaf of Udis. How do you get the real picture of the gluten-free dining experience? Below are some suggestions. Dive deep again on accepted student days. If you are going early decision, you need to do your research early too! The Tour To get a much more specific perspective, ask the guide if she has any good friends there with celiac disease or other severe food allergies and if yes, how he manages the dining situation, or even better, if he could talk to you. It’s also good to understand your housing options. How soon can you have a kitchen or at least access to a fridge and a microwave? The Dining Hall For any schools you are seriously considering, go back to the dining hall after the tour. Ideally, try to eat there. Talk to the dining staff and see how well they can show you what is safe to eat. If possible, e-mail head chefs ahead of time and schedule a proper walk-through. Things to evaluate by observing or asking questions... Are food items clearly labeled? How do they avoid cross-contact, or do they even know what that means? (Food service industry refers to cross-contamination as cross-contact.) Are there select stations at some dining halls that do not use gluten to reduce risk of cross-contact? (Seems to be the trend for enlightened schools. See Cornell University post for best practices.) Is food thoughtfully organized to avoid mixups? (e.g. dedicated serving pieces, top allergens in a separate area. Again, see Cornell University post for best practices.) If a student is not comfortable eating from the line, are there safe options available from the back, or even pre-ordered? Are there enough quality choices in comparison to unrestricted students? How much do you think you would you need to supplement? Do they have a safe allergen-free pantry area? Evaluate whether it is there to avoid having to provide safe line food, or to genuinely enhance sufficient offerings. Is the soy sauce used on campus gluten-free? How do they get regular feedback from gluten-free students to ensure their needs are well met? What’s the process if someone reports a reaction from the food, or simply has suggestions to improve things? Is there a dietitian on campus? What type of coordination is there among dietitian, student disability services and dining? What ongoing training programs are in place for the constantly changing dining staff (often students), and how does it vary based on their role? Who is authorized to answer food allergen questions? What auditing is done? Are safe options available in all dining halls and places students use their university currency? Student Disability Center Consider calling or stopping in at student disability services and find out what accommodations they recommend for students with celiac disease, and the process for securing them (e.g. access to special foods, housing accommodations, time to make up tests if you are exposed to gluten). Inquire how they coordinate with school dietitian (hopefully there is one!) and dining. The U.S. Colleges Directory: Comparing Food Allergy & Gluten-Free Policies has information on 126 institutions, focusing on the 3 large food service companies contracted to support hundreds of universities and colleges across the United States. The directory is helpful for understanding a school's official policies on accommodations and gives you an idea of what you should ask colleges that aren't on their list. Dietitian Is there a full-time dietitian on campus? The lack of a dietitian may indicate a lack of school commitment to meeting dietary needs. If there is a dietitian, definitely connect before you commit to the school. Dietitians often work with student disability services to advocate for students with food restrictions. Student with Celiac Disease on Campus Even after asking the right questions from the powers that be, the reality on the ground is often quite different. Do not be shy! Use family, school counselor, and friend connections, to find any college student at the school. In addition to talking about the school, your mission is to ask her to find you a student with celiac disease on campus to talk to, or ideally meet up with on your visit. There is nothing better for getting the real picture than speaking to a student with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. See our GFF College Dining Survey for examples of questions you can ask, and check if we have any responses posted for schools of interest to you. Eat in Town Do some gluten-free searching of the surrounding area for off-campus eating and food shopping options too, as you may choose to get off the meal plan after your first year. --- When you know where you are going you will be resourceful and make it work. If you wind up having to supplement with lots of your own food, you may want a larger than normal fridge/freezer combo, some even have microwaves on top. Some schools rent them so they are there waiting for you upon arrival. Amazon can deliver food. You can have a blender and make your own smoothies. You can keep staples like gluten-free instant oatmeal packets (e.g. Trader Joe, Glutenfreeda), protein bars and canned soup. Ideally, though, you will know what you are getting into before you arrive. Decided already? Here's how to ensure your school situation works best for you ! Good luck! Sheryl There is no substitute for getting feedback from students on campus. Current or recent college students, with celiac or food allergies please take our GFF College Dining Survey ! Responses can be found Here ! --- Useful Links: How Well Does Your College Meet the GF and Food Allergy Challenge? National Celiac Association College Survival Guide The Value of Communication and Providing Safe Gluten-Free Campus Dining Nima’s 2017 Best Gluten Free Allergen Free Colleges Kent State opens GFFS-certified dining hall Cornell opens nut and gluten free dining hall Celiacs of Smith College Organize For Change Michigan State Plans Allergen Friendly Dining Hall The Best Dining Halls for Food Allergies FARE Food Allergy College Search Gluten Free Living college tips Gluten Intolerance Group dining hall tips Gluten Free Living article on gf college students living off campus College Survival Guide Gluten Free Mom struggles with Wash U Affordable Guide for Celiac Students

A February 2019 settlement reached between Rider University and the United States reaffirms that properly accommodating students with celiac disease, serious food allergies, or other food-related disabilities is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This case should make colleges and universities reassess how well they are meeting the needs of these students. “The ADA defines ‘disability’ to include any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as eating, or a major bodily function, including the digestive system” according to the settlement. The terms of the Rider University settlement are consistent with those reached in the 2012 Lesley University settlement. Students with food-related disabilities may reasonably suggest to their schools that they are entitled to similar accommodations for their dietary restrictions. The government was represented by U.S. Attorney Daniel Meyler and Michael Campion, chief of the Civil Rights Unit, of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Division in Newark. A detailed complaint by a Rider student with celiac disease was received in July 2016. After an independent investigation, the US determined that Rider’s “policies and practices” did not comply with Title III of the ADA, and that there was no adequate plan to enable these students to fully enjoy Rider’s meal plans and food service. Rider had “improperly delegated responsibility for accommodating students with food-related disabilities to the service vendor". “We commend Rider University on working to ensure that its students with severe food allergies have options that meet their needs,” US Attorney Craig Carpenito said in the press release. “This agreement will improve the experience of students with food allergy-related disabilities and help them to focus on getting an education.” Rider disputes that it has violated the ADA but per the agreement decided “it is in its best interests to amicably resolve the investigation” without admitting liability, and has agreed to do the following: CREATE STUDENT DISABILITIES SERVICES FUNCTION Rider is required to name a person responsible for registering students with food-related disabilities and ensuring each is properly accommodated. The school’s website now directs students to Dr. Barbara Blandford, Director, Student Accessibility and Support Services (SSD). The settlement specifies that SSD will work together with the student to create a documented individualized plan, allowing updates as needed, and advocate for the student with the food service vendor to ensure requests are addressed. Reasonable accommodations must be provided, and a timely appeal process put in place. SSD must also allow students to be exempt from the mandatory meal plan. Appropriate communications to ensure awareness of this function among current and new students is specified in the agreement. Rider will make sure that any modification plan “is provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of the individual with the disability". ADAPT DINING SERVICES All registered eligible students will have the option to eat from the lines or to pre-order lunch and dinner meals. There will be a new full-time dietitian, designated safe food preparation areas, and good options available across campus. Detailed actions include: Label Allergens and Avoid Cross-Contamination: Notices will be posted in each dining hall in a 40-point font with food allergen warnings, and will identify the person in that location qualified to answer food-allergy related questions. Foods that are made without allergens will be labeled, nutritionally comparable to standard options, and prepared with proper protocols to reduce cross-contamination risk. Provide Pre-Ordering Service: Students will be able to review online menu items and email preferred daily lunch and dinner options (at least) 24 hours in advance and have these meals, or reasonable substitutes, delivered to their dining hall of choice. These meals will be prepared in a designated allergen-free zone and delivered to dedicated spaces to avoid cross-contamination. Designate Safe Food Prep Area: An Allergen Awareness Food Preparation area will be staffed by a dedicated chef and consist of a separate kitchen and food prep area with glass walls, counter, fridge, freezer, cooking pots and utensils, as well as a food warmer for pre-ordered meals. This area will be free of top 8 allergens: milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, wheat, soy, and fish. Reasonable steps will be taken to avoid cross-contamination. Students can provide written requests for allergen-free items and reasonable efforts will be made to purchase and maintain these items or reasonable substitutes. In Daly’s Hall, Cranberries and Westminster Commons, Rider will continue to provide a separate area with a refrigerator, freezer, cabinet space, separate microwave, and toaster dedicated to gluten-free items. Employ Full Time Dietitian and Establish a Teaching Kitchen: The food service vendor will employ a full-time dietitian under Rider’s oversight, to help these students develop diets or meal plans. One dining hall will host a teaching kitchen, used for food allergy food prep education, programming and cooking demos. Spread Safe Food Availability Campus-Wide: Online menus will provide weekly meal options that are allergen friendly. Food made without allergens will be made available at all locations that accept Rider's student currency, “Bronc Bucks”. Information will be made available online advising students that the University will provide food options for students with food-related disabilities in the dining halls and food eateries controlled by the university. Dining Training: A detailed training plan for all food service managers and staff is outlined, including some specific courses and timing (e.g. before each fall and spring semester), and the United States will be provided with proof of training completion. Training includes instruction on celiac disease and food allergies, procedures for avoiding cross-contamination in food storage and preparation, handling student questions, communicating with SSD, and monthly staff meetings focused on allergy awareness and food safety. ADA TRAINING FOR RIDER All Rider’s employees and contractors in Residents Life and SSD who have contact with students and families will undergo educational training focused on its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and provide proof of completion to the United States. COMMUNICATION PLAN The school website must make it easy to find the information for requesting accommodations due to a food restriction, including opting out of mandatory meal plans. The policy will be physically posted in the SSD office, dining facilities, and emailed to all students. Detailed communication requirements are specified in the settlement. ----- What does the Rider settlement mean for the celiac community? This is the second university settlement determining that accommodating students with celiac disease and other food-related disabilities is covered under the ADA. Yet there is much work to be done to increase awareness and bring about change! Like Rider, many colleges are operating under the false assumption that they have outsourced this responsibility to their food service vendor. We encourage parents and students to help enlighten their schools on the Rider and Lesley settlements. Some schools may respond favorably to this input and others may only respond to legal action. Food service vendors have the products and training to meet these dietary needs, but only when colleges take ownership and demand them. Our Celiac College Student Surveys show that there is tremendous inconsistency in managing dietary needs even among schools that use the same food service vendor. By undertaking an honest assessment of current offerings and learning from successful programs, schools can take incremental steps forward. Hiring a dietitian to lead the charge, and starting with a few top-8-allergen free stations, could be an example of a first step. All schools must find a way to be ADA compliant, even if solutions vary. There is a recognized marketing advantage when schools go beyond the basics to genuinely making these students feel safe and comfortable with their dining options. Leaders in this area have taken steps similar to those required in this settlement. They employ and empower a dietitian, engage student disabilities services, educate dining leadership, and maintain continuous training. Structural changes, like providing the allergen-free food prep areas and limiting who handles allergen-free foods, reduces cross-contamination risk. Many opt for top-8-allergen free stations, and a few have eliminated nuts and gluten from entire dining halls. When students with celiac disease join together with those with other food restrictions they can make a larger impact on their campus and bring about real change. Creating food allergy awareness clubs to advocate and provide feedback can be very effective. Current or recent college graduates with celiac disease, please also complete our Celiac College Student Survey to increase transparency and share experiences with the larger celiac community. Thank you U.S. Attorney Daniel Meyler, Michael Campion, and your team for taking on this complaint and protecting the rights of students with celiac disease, food allergies and other food-related disabilities! Sheryl How well does your school meet the gluten-free challenge? Current or recent college graduates with celiac disease, please complete our Celiac College Student Survey! Source Documents: Press Release: U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches Agreement with Rider University to Resolve Allegations Under the American with Disabilities Act Rider University settlement agreement Press Release: Justice Department and Lesley University Sign Agreement to Ensure Meal Plan is Inclusive of Students with Celiac Disease and Food Allergies Lesley University settlement agreement Related Links: National Celiac Association Gluten Free College Survival Guide Celiac Complicates Your College Search Cornell #1 at Meeting Gluten-Free and Food Allergy Challenge FARE College Food Allergy Program Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may file a complaint with the U.S Attorney’s Office at http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement/complaint or call the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Complaint Hotline at (855) 281-3339. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TDD).

Twin sisters, Hallie and Rayna Katzman, and their mom, psychologist Lori Katzman, have written a new book for the celiac community. “Everyone’s Got Something: My First Year with Celiac Disease” tells a fictionalized version of the twins’ celiac diagnosis at age thirteen. The friendly diary style format, based on their own journal entries, is well suited to young readers, parents, and anyone looking to support someone with celiac disease. Hallie and Rayna will graduate from high school in a few weeks, and are heading off to play tennis for Union College in the fall. The Katzman Family joined Gluten Free Friends when the twins were first diagnosed five years ago. They were kind enough to answer some questions about their book and their celiac journey. What made you guys want to write this book? Hallie and Rayna: We wrote the book originally as a way to get our thoughts and feelings out and to document our journey after our diagnosis. We’re both avid readers and when we were diagnosed we wanted to find a book that we could relate to. There were many amazing options, but most were targeted for young children and others were the scientific, more detail-oriented books targeting adults. As freshly diagnosed 13 year olds, we didn’t find many resources appropriate for our age group. As time went on we realized that the ideas and experiences we were compiling could be made into a very useful resource that we didn’t have when we were diagnosed! How has the response been? Rayna: The amount of people that have reached out to tell us that they had been helped by our book or learned something has been truly humbling. It’s an irreplaceable feeling to know that we’re making a difference. One mother wrote to us saying that her child “got so much out of it, really hung on every word and started answering the questions at the back of the book.” She also called it “a wonderful resource” which has been really reaffirming. Hallie: Yes, it’s amazing to know that people feel like they’re able to better understand and help their loved ones with our book! How did support groups help when you were first diagnosed and ongoing? Hallie: It was so helpful to find people who were experienced and could help guide us and relate to the struggles and victories of living with celiac. It was through the Kogan Celiac Center support group that we actually met our amazing nutritionist Nicole who played a key role in our adjustment to living with celiac. Rayna: The people we met in the celiac community early on in our diagnosis continue to be our close friends to this day. Without them, we probably wouldn’t have had the motivation or inspiration to write our book in the first place. I feel a sense of pride and that feeling of paying it forward when we can help someone else early on in their adjustment. Another mom wrote to us “Honestly the girls’ book has been so helpful! It’s such a great resource in an area where there is so much loneliness for these kids.” Tell us about the Food Sensitivities Awareness Club (FSA) you started at your high school. Do you recommend other students with food restrictions start a club? Hallie and Rayna: We started FSA with our two older friends, one of which has celiac. It was an awesome way to build a community within our school for people with food sensitivities and others that want to support them. We met with a dietitian, participated in the Food Allergy Research and Education walk, promoted the Teal Pumpkin Project and collected allergy-friendly non-perishable food for the Community Food Bank in Hillside NJ. We also promoted awareness and shared information through our FSA Facebook page All schools have different processes for creating clubs, but if it’s possible to create a community through a club at your school, it’s so worth it! Finding a group of people who are going through the same thing creates an irreplaceable support system for you and them! How exciting that you both plan to play tennis for Union College in the fall. What research did you do on their food service before heading there? Hallie: We did a lot of research! The best strategy for us was being able to be on campus, be in the dining halls and talk to staff to see what it might be like if we were to go there. We did this after the regular campus tour and on re-visits. Union College has an extremely understanding dining staff! Rayna: Hallie and I were looking at colleges within driving distance. If you can’t make it to a college campus, I would recommend calling the school and talking to the dining staff on the phone to hear how knowledgeable they sound. Websites can be misleading. We came across many schools with good gluten-free options, but they were not publicized that much online. On the contrary, some schools made their options sound really promising online, but in reality we saw they were quite unsafe and underwhelming in person. What are the added challenges of being a student-athlete with celiac disease? Hallie and Rayna: The hardest part will definitely be the traveling and away matches and figuring out if there will be safe places for us to eat when we are not at Union. Trusting other college campuses and new places will be challenging for sure. This will require some research ahead of time to evaluate our options and whether we will need to travel with some food. In general, we don’t really find it that difficult to fuel up before and during a match. We like to stick to naturally gluten-free snacks like apples and carrots, but we also love the occasional bag of chips or pretzels! Do you plan to register with disability services at college? Have you thought about what accommodations you might request? Hallie and Rayna: Yes, we do plan on registering with disability services at college. We know some older college students with celiac and know what they requested at their colleges, but we have not met with school officials for this yet. Any more advice for those heading to college with serious food restrictions? Rayna: Don’t discount the importance of food on campus! Food is not optional. I’d highly recommend going to the dining halls and talking to dining staff as a part of your campus visits. Also, once you choose your school, keep making connections with the dining staff and the school dietitian. Put yourself out there. This way if you have concerns or requests you know who to go to and they already know you! Hallie: As we said, many college websites aren’t clear about how well they serve people with celiac disease and other dietary restrictions. Call or visit and see exactly what they can do. Ask the tour guide if they have any friends with food restrictions, and how they handle it there. Many colleges want to help, so don’t get discouraged! What’s next? Hallie and Rayna: We definitely plan to continue advocating and spreading awareness for the gluten-free community. Education is key for those that have celiac disease and their family and friends that want to support them. We will also continue in our role as Student Ambassadors with the Celiac Disease Foundation. To keep up to date with our advocacy for the gluten-free community and where we will be speaking in the future, please follow us on our Facebook page and our mom’s Instagram @lakatzman.  Thanks for the support! ----------------------- It has been wonderful to watch Hallie and Rayna’s transformation from newly diagnosed and overwhelmed middle schoolers, to confident young adults helping others. I appreciated the chance to provide feedback to early drafts of the book and I think it came out great. The book’s “Bread is Not Dead” chapter describes our Gluten Free Friends google group, and the breadmaking lesson I gave Lori in my kitchen. Lori has since taught others to make bread too. This bread making lesson is posted on our site. Give it a try! Congratulations to Hallie and Rayna on their book and upcoming graduation, and best of luck at Union College! They are lucky to have you, on and off the court! --Sheryl

Gluten-free diners rarely have the joy of choosing among lots of safe options on the dessert table. For a recent gluten-free family celebration, I baked 220 mini chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, with 7 different icings, enabling lots of fun permutations. Cupcake decorating became a pre-party activity for my houseguests. It was such a hit that I thought I’d share it with my GFFs! As noted in my earlier post, Annalise Robert’s GF Baking Classics is our family’s go-to baking book. To bake with this cookbook, you need xanthan gum and Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend flour blend. I baked and froze the mini cupcakes and frostings the week before the event. I already had mini muffin pans and decorative tips, but decided to purchase: Reusable containers for storage and transportation Pastry bags Connectors Mini cupcake liners The Mini Cupcakes I baked two of Annalise’s two-layer cake recipes in lined mini muffin pans. The Yellow Layer Cake recipe made 120 mini cupcakes and the Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe made 100 mini cupcakes. These volumes assume that you are making very small cupcakes. To keep them bite-sized and maximize volume, I used a single cookie dough scoop (approximately 1 TB) in each mini-cupcake liner. Baking on convection at 325 enabled me to stack the pans on two racks in my oven. Mine took about 10 minutes to bake but follow Annalise’s guidelines for testing doneness. If you don’t have a convection oven, bake at 350 one rack at a time. Once cooled, keep the cupcakes in their liners and freeze them in Tupperware with parchment paper between the layers. The Frostings, Yum! Coffee, Vanilla, Maple, Lemon, Mint, Mocha & Chocolate So it doesn’t fly all over, add the confectioners sugar slowly after the liquid ingredients blend with the margarine. It took me years to figure this out:). Grandma Pearl’s Coffee Icing One box confectioners sugar (16 oz) 1 stick softened margarine/butter (½ cup) About 5 TB cooled strong coffee (start with 3 TB and add one at a time until desired texture) Mocha: Separate out some coffee icing and add Hershey's cocoa to taste Chocolate: See the recipe on the back of Hershey’s cocoa:) For these variations, replace the coffee in Grandma's Pearl's recipe with the specified ingredients: Vanilla: 1tsp vanilla, 3 TBSP milk Maple: 1tsp maple extract, 3 TBSP milk, a tad real maple syrup (optional) Lemon: 1 tsp lemon extract, 3 TBSP milk, lemon zest, yellow food coloring (optional) Mint: 1 tsp mint extract, 3 TBSP milk, green food coloring (optional) I used unsweetened original almond milk and margarine, instead of milk and butter, because of some lactose intolerant guests. I made half recipes for everything except coffee (our favorite) and vanilla (can accent differently for very different flavors, e.g. coconut vs. sprinkles). Freeze the frostings in labeled Tupperware. Take them out of the freezer the night before decorating day so they are room temperature. Leftover icing can be refrozen. Decorating Day Tips Keep cupcakes frozen and in their liners, and place them in their transport containers before decorating Plan which cupcake/icing combos you want, and the quantities of each. You may want to purchase additional toppings ahead of time. For example, vanilla cupcakes with maple icing and crushed walnuts are one of our favorites. (Trader Joe’s has walnuts without wheat or peanut warnings) Use consistent decoration for those of the same type so it's easy to identify them Before loading up pastry bags, place the chosen tip and inner part of the coupler inside the bag. Cut bag so it can poke through and then attach the rest of coupler so it's secure. Rollback the edges a few times, load the icing, and then unroll and twist closed Let your helpers be creative and have fun! The leftover iced cupcakes froze very well. For a smaller crowd, try it with a single cake layer. Special thanks to my visiting Virginia cousin, Shayna, for contributing her decorating skills to this project and being a very patient teacher. You are awesome, Shayna! Grandma Pearl would be so proud. Happy gluten-free baking, Sheryl

See our presentation on how to evaluate GF dining programs and set yourself up for success on campus. Gluten Free Friends joins FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), NCA (National Celiac Association) and AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) in this joint letter to colleges across the country. U.S. Department of Justice Reaches Agreement with Rider University In February of 2019, the United States Department of Justice determined that Rider University violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to accommodate students with disabilities as a result of food allergies. In light of the settlement, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) and the National Celiac Association (NCA) encourage all colleges and universities to carefully assess how well they are meeting the needs of students with celiac disease, food allergies and other food-related disabilities to ensure compliance with the ADA. “The ADA defines ‘disability’ to include any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as eating, or a major bodily function, including the digestive system” according to the settlement. The US determined that Rider violated Title III of the ADA in several ways, including that it “did not provide adequate information on its website for students seeking to obtain reasonable modification...; has improperly delegated responsibility for accommodating students with [food-related] disabilities to a food service provider; and in certain instances Rider does not readily offer exemptions from its meal plans for students seeking exemption due to a food allergy or food-related disability.” The terms of the Rider University settlement are consistent with those reached in the 2012 Leslie University settlement. Students with food-related disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations from their college. Please read some of the important actions Rider is now required to take to comply with the settlement agreement. Even among schools that use the same food service vendors, there is tremendous inconsistency in how well colleges manage dietary needs. Most college food services, whether they are contract-managed or self-operated, can meet these challenges when given the proper resources and support. The most successful programs have taken steps similar to those required in this settlement, and some have gone even further. By undertaking an honest assessment of current offerings and learning from successful programs, schools can take incremental steps forward and ensure they are in compliance with ADA. Schools may find different ways of tackling the challenges of celiac disease and food allergies, but they must find a way to meet this need. FARE and NCA are here to support your efforts, and summer is a great time to implement changes in your dining halls. Read here for first steps. Being proactive and implementing solutions now will not only help colleges and universities avoid legal trouble, it is an enormous marketing advantage. There are 35 million Americans with food allergies and/or celiac disease, and this number is only increasing. Between 1995 and 2011, the CDC found a 50 percent increase in food allergies among children. These children are growing up and attending college in record numbers. Going beyond accommodating to genuinely serving their needs can only help colleges recruit students in a competitive market. Please visit www.foodallergy.org/collegeresources or email collegeprogram@foodallergy.org if you have questions about meeting this challenge. Lisa Gable, CEO Food Allergy Research and Education Lee Graham, CEO National Celiac Association Sheryl Harpel, Founder Gluten Free Friends Kristie Orr, President Association on Higher Education & Disability After our Rider University post, I reached out to NCA and FARE to ask if we could work together to educate colleges on the case and its implications. I was delighted to find such enthusiastic partners in Carla Carter, NCA, and Kristi Grim, FARE. When Kristi then included AHEAD, the perfect team was created to spread our message. Working together, we can make a larger impact on behalf of college students with food-related disabilities. NCA's college website page now includes a link to our College Student Survey. Kristi, who heads up FARE’s college program, has been very helpful in getting our College Student Survey Results to the attention of the appropriate food service vendors. Please keep those College Student Surveys coming! Distributing this letter is challenging. It has already been sent to 500 colleges, but you can help by sharing this post on your college parent and student facebook pages, in support groups, and anywhere you think it could help. Go here to learn more about our GFF strategy for improving the college experience for students with celiac and food allergies. Thank you! And special thanks to Carla and Kristi! --Sheryl

You can make delicious fresh gf bread in under 5 minutes! Well, it takes about 3 ½ hours to be ready, but your work is done. I have lost count of how many in our group bake this as their daily bread after a quick demo in my kitchen. Your friends eating store bought glutinous bread will be envious. They will ask you to bring it hot to their dinner parties. When the kids were still packing lunches for school, we baked bread every 1-2 days. Our 10+ year old machine has held up great, but I did replace the pan a few times over the years when it started to stick from overuse. Resist the temptation to eat it all when it first comes out hot or you will not have any left for school lunches! I sometimes had to time it to be done when the kids weren’t home so I could keep up. This bread mix can also be made in the oven, which is what I do when I want it shaped like a challah. I have a recurring subscription order on Amazon so bread mix magically appears before I run out. The individual bags make one loaf and include the yeast packet. Yeast packets are sold separately if you opt for the larger bag. This bread can be sliced and kept in the freezer for toasting. Remember not to share toasters with your glutenous friends, and to protect yourself by lining the rack with aluminum foil if you are sharing a toaster oven. I give you two variations here, but you can be creative and try more. The Mix: Pamela’s gf bread mix (6 pack on amazon) Everyday Bread Ingredients Wet ingredients mixed in a 2 cup measuring cup added in this order: ⅓ cup canola oil 2 eggs Warm water from tap to just over the 2 cup line (not too hot) Dry ingredient: Pamela's gf bread mix (includes yeast packet) Optional add-in: Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend Cinnamon Raisin Challah Ingredients Wet ingredients mixed in a 2 cup measuring cup: 3 eggs 1/4 cup melted margarine (or butter) 3/4 cup warm water 1/2 cup plain almond milk (or soy milk or milk) Dry ingredients: Pamela's gf bread mix (includes yeast packet) 1/4 cup sugar (I shake up with bread mix in the bag a bit after removing yeast packet) Optional sprinkle: Cinnamon Delayed addition: 1 cup raisins Baking Both Variations in the Breadmaker Check that pan is snapped in properly and that the spinning pieces are in position Pour wet ingredients into pan Remove yeast packet and dump the dry ingredients on top of the liquid Use edge of the packet to spread out the bread mix trying to keep packet dry, and make a little dry trench in the middle. Add the yeast into the trench Add optional sprinkle ingredient across top Plug in machine and choose your crust control. I usually push it to the dark setting as we prefer crusty bread. Hit Start! Delayed addition ingredients are added when machine gives loud beeps after 35-40 minutes Cool finished bread on rack right side up. Can be frozen whole or sliced. Baking Challah Variation in the Oven with Challah Shape For a beautifully shaped challah, use a challah mold pan. Shout out to Gluten Free Friend, Daena, for first sharing this challah shaped version with our group in 2015. Spray pan with pam Mix all the ingredients including yeast in mixer for 3 solid minutes (I usually blend the wet ingredients first and then add the rest but not sure it matters) Put batter into the prepared pan Cover with warm damp paper towel and let sit for at least 3 hours to rise. Longer is even better. Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven at 350 (Don't put rack too close to the bottom of your oven or could burn the tops of the bread.) Remove from oven and flip over onto parchment lined baking sheet Brush top with a beaten egg Bake another 15 minutes at 350 Slide onto cooling rack Cool before slicing. Can be frozen whole or sliced. ENJOY! Sheryl