Gluten-Free Options on Campus

We all know what it’s like being a student. And we have all had those days where the only thing keeping you going is the thought of a nice dinner at Dana Dining Hall. Now, imagine you finally get to Dana. However, you can’t just grab a plate and dig in. You have a gluten allergy, so you must constantly be wary of what you’re eating. You pick out some food, reassured by the “gluten-free” sign that accompanies some dishes.  

You find a seat, but before you can relax and enjoy a nice meal, you begin to think. You remember a time before when you ate one such “gluten-free” meal, only to be unpleasantly surprised. You set down your fork, and suddenly, you don’t feel that hungry anymore.  

Living with a gluten allergy is already a tough and stressful ordeal, especially if you’re a student who now has to worry about if dining services have gluten-free options. And if gluten-free options are available, some students report they aren’t always a safe bet.   

Lucy Postizzi ’26 is one such student. Potizzi has Celiac Disease, which prevents her from consuming gluten products. “When I originally communicated with dining services about having Celiac and needing to be gluten-free, they reassured me I would be able to access gluten-free food with no issues,” Postizzi said.   

However, since arriving on campus, Postizzi has had some bad experiences with dining. “I’ve been “glutened” twice eating food from Dana or the Pub,” Postizzi said. This has led to Lucy and other students believing dining services are not taking proper precautions or not properly labeling gluten-free products.   

“On top of that, there are limited options, and of those options, many of them have dairy as well, and dairy allergies often accompany gluten allergies,” Postizzi said. “I don’t know many other gluten-free people on campus, but the ones I have spoken to told me they have stopped using the meal plan entirely, or they eat naturally gluten-free foods, and still have issues with suspected cross-contamination,” Postizzi said   

Individuals with Celiac Disease who consume gluten can become very sick, and this can be detrimental to academic success. “I’ve been sick consistently for the last two weeks of being here,” said Postizzi. “I can’t go out much other than classes, and even then, it’s difficult to focus and get work done with the brain fog.”   

This also has a negative effect on students’ mental health. “Another huge thing is being anxious about every single piece of food I put in my mouth from dining services,” said Postizzi. “Obviously, I needed to eat, and options are limited on-campus dining. All around, it makes everything more difficult,” said Postizzi.   

Dining Services maintains that they follow proper safe food handling and labeling. “We take food allergies very seriously. We label almost everything on the serving line in Dana, and we accommodate students with very restrictive diets by making special meals,” said Director of Dining Services, Marijo Haggett. Northstar Café Manager, Cathey Henry, echoed a similar message. “We have a dedicated gluten-free station open all day with gluten-free bread, wraps and bun options where we make almost all of our menu items. Our staff is very cautious when making products in that area,” said Henry.  

These concerns are not new, and Dining Services has been adapting to handle and provide students with quality food that meets all dietary needs. When it comes to student complaints about food options or lack thereof, Dining Services recommends students communicate with them directly.   

“My advice is to be an advocate for yourself and come and talk with us. We are always here to help, listen and educate on how to make the dining plan work for you,” said Haggett. “We had a student email asking if we could add gluten-free pasta and a dedicated gluten-free panini press in Dana, and we made it happen. We do our best to plan for as many dietary needs, requests and preferences as we can, but we are not the ones experiencing our services like the students are every day. That is why feedback is so important to us,” said Haggett. 

Henry expressed the Northstar Café offers plentiful gluten-free options but is not perfect in communicating those options to students. “There are many ways to make your order gluten-free, but I do not think we do the best job at marketing or advertising how to do it,” said Henry. “Overall, it is an adjustment and to learn how to dine with us with dietary restrictions or preferences, and I think we can do a better job at sharing what is available,” said Henry.  

Despite incidents of students accidentally consuming gluten products, Dining Services says they do everything possible to eliminate cross-contamination and push for students to communicate with Dining Services. 

“We welcome students to set up appointments with us to give feedback, discuss personal needs, or give suggestions. We see and hear many of the comments about dining on campus through conversations and napkin notes (and yes, I check Yik Yak, too), and when we believe it is a valid issue or an awesome idea, our team talks about ways to address it,” said Haggett. “Remember, we are here for the students and to support you through your college career. And your feedback is the absolute best way for us to continue to shape a program you enjoy,” said Haggett.