Food Allergy and Celiac College Student Survey submitted August 2022

Describe your food restrictions by checking all relevant boxes

Celiac Disease, Other (describe below)

Grade your college on feeding students with your food restrictions

B-

Explain your rationale for that grade

I’ve gotten sick a few times, and the ordering process is confusing for people with allergies sometimes. And one of the staff didn’t know what I meant by gluten free, the rest of the staff I’ve interacted with have all been great though. There’s multiple options and they usually have a gluten free special everyday but the repetition of meals makes it harder to eat.

What stage are you in college?

Sophomore

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

5+

Food Service Vendor (if known)

Bob Appetit

Please use this space to provide details that would help us better understand your food restrictions. Include your reaction if exposed to the foods you are avoiding. Please mention if you carry an epi-pen.

Lactose intolerant

If you indicated that you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, how sensitive are you to gluten?

Moderate: React sometimes

Does your college handle food restrictions as you expected they would when you selected your school?

Somewhat what I expected

Check all boxes that apply to your college experience

My school has only a few dining halls, I cannot eat safely at any dining halls, Ability to eat well was a small part of my college selection process, I asked alot of questions before I came but the reality was different

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

YES

Describe each incident. How did your school respond?

I’ve had a few reactions and mess-ups, and I would leave message/suggestion in the dining hall complaint/suggestions email, but I never really got any response

Please describe your meal plan for each year there so far. Include if your school required any of these decisions. If you are eating in a greek house or other club type arrangement include that as well.

There’s a required meal plan depending on the dorm you’re living in but if you have a reason you can get the balance reduced. You can also have it upgraded if needed

Did you register your food restrictions with your students disabilities office for accommodations? If yes, describe.

Yes, I didn’t do it the first year because I didn’t realize I needed to. But I have registered with the disability office this year. They were accommodating, but not as accommodating as I would’ve liked.

Are there resources (nutritionists, chefs, peer support groups) to help ensure you are receiving safe nutritious food? If yes, describe.

Yes, I have a direct line to one of the chefs and can talk to the staff about questions if needed

If you were in charge of your school's dining, what changes would you implement to better feed students with your food restrictions? Would your school be open to these suggestions?

I’m not sure if my school would open to these suggestions or not. But I would definitely have better labeling options. When ordering I think it would be smart to have the ability to flag an allergy for gluten or vegan since those are the most common things. Also make sure the staff knows what gluten is.

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

I just didn’t feel safe all the time, sometimes it was really confusing ordering food because I wasn’t sure if it was “actually” gluten free or not.

Did your food restrictions impact your housing decision? How? Is there a certain dorm you recommend for those with food restrictions? Why?

No it didn’t

What's your advice for managing the dining halls with your food restrictions? Favorite dining hall(s)? Any dining halls to avoid?

Just ask a lot of questions and make sure to talk to the disabilities office

What's your advice for eating in the dorm with your food restrictions? Favorite snacks? Places that deliver?

I used DoorDash a couple times last semester every one or two weeks. I would buy snacks from the student store which had many gluten free options

What do you recommend new students with food restrictions do before school starts? Or when they first arrive?

Talk to disability office and get a tour of the dining facility with a chef

What's your advice on managing the party scene with your food restrictions?

I don’t really party so I don’t know- but bring your own snacks maybe?

Grade your college town area for feeding people with your food restrictions

A-

Explain your grade. What are your favorite places to eat in town or foodshop?

There’s lots of different places to eat gluten free around the city. There’s even a gluten free bakery that has amazing pastries. The only issue is a lot of them are further away and some are not on doordash

Anything else you would like to add?

no I think that’s all