Food Allergy and Celiac College Student Survey submitted October 2022 (Scroll for multiple responses)
Describe your food restrictions by checking all relevant boxes
Milk Allergy
Grade your college on feeding students with your food restrictions
A-
Explain your rationale for that grade
At Farmingdale, the dining halls are very good with disclosing what is used in the processing of food if asked. However, I feel like the only thing they can improve in is to maybe make a separate station to prepare certain foods to be 100% sure that no outside substances are able to enter and set off people’s allergies.
What stage are you in college?
Senior
How many years ago were you diagnosed with food allergies or celiac disease?
5+
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.
I am lactose intolerant so whenever I contain lactose whether it is directly through milk or if it is a heavy part of a meal I get severe cramps and diarrhea. I do not carry an epi pen.
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, Ability to feed me is fairly consistent across dining halls, I have at least one safe dining hall, but avoid some dining halls, I have sufficient options at some of the dining halls, I assumed they could feed me and didn't think about it before I arrived
Have you had a reaction from eating in your dining hall?
NO
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.
At Farmingdale we receive “declining balance dollars” which, in short, compared to the normal dollar we use outside of campus. Using these dollars we are able to go to the campus dining halls( there are 2) at any time and are able to choose to eat whatever they have. I am also able to use this as a way to buy from other vendors on campus such as Starbucks and other small chains implemented in the dining hall area.
Did you register your food restrictions with your students disabilities office for accommodations? If yes, describe.
Yes. At Farmingdale, we are able to register and it is alerted next to our profile that I contain an allergy
Are there resources (nutritionists, chefs, peer support groups) to help ensure you are receiving safe nutritious food? If yes, describe.
Yes. There is a school nutritionist that is in the dining halls that is able to give you a breakdown of everything they make. You can also mention to them that you have allergies and what is safe and unsafe to consume and they will be able to break everything down for you.
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 would add another food prepping station in the dining hall that is specialized in working with food for those who contain allergies rather than just being cautious in a general food prep environment.
Describe your biggest challenge with managing your food restrictions at college and how you deal with it
When I have my classes there is only a 15-minute gap between them sometimes and if I want to run to the dining hall to grab something quick to eat I normally don’t even look at the ingredients because I am in such a rush. Therefore if I grab something that contains lactose I get bad cramps in class and often have to leave in the middle to go to the bathroom.
Did your food restrictions impact your housing decision? How? Is there a certain dorm you recommend for those with food restrictions? Why?
No it did not impact my housing decision. When touring the campus I asked a counselor how dorming works with a food allergy and he reassured me and stated that there are certain dorm rooms that are specialized in allergy prevention. Even the roommate selection helps pair those with similar food allergies so that there is an extremely small chance of anything occurring.
What's your advice for managing the dining halls with your food restrictions? Favorite dining hall(s)? Any dining halls to avoid?
I would definitely stick with what you feel comfortable with when it comes to dining halls. If there is 1 that you prefer over another then continue going to that one. If your friends want to eat in a separate area I would just explain to them that you have food allergies and you don’t feel safe eating in an unknown environment.
What's your advice for eating in the dorm with your food restrictions? Favorite snacks? Places that deliver?
When in the dorms at Farmingdale I am lucky enough to not live that far away from my home that I can visit frequently. I am able to bring all the snacks that I enjoy that I know are safe for me. We also have a target and a BJs Whole Sale Club very close to campus that most students go if they need anything regarding snacks or supplies.
What do you recommend new students with food restrictions do before school starts? Or when they first arrive?
Ask questions! No one in college will look at you differently just because you have food allergies. If you have a question about any sort of dining hall or food don’t be afraid to ask. People want you to feel safe and secure just as much as you do.
What's your advice on managing the party scene with your food restrictions?
When going to parties I would be extremely cautious. Often times drinks are already prepared ahead of time so I would stay away from that. I normally bring my own drinks and food just to be safe in case there is nothing there for me. I am lucky that I have to consume lactose in order to have a reaction but for those who just the touch can cause allergies I would be extremely careful around any patty.
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?
My favorite place to eat is Chick Fil right outside of campus. They are extremely polite when mentioning your food allergies and often prepare you food in a different station to make sure that it is safe for consumption. I do stay away from the milkshakes just because of my allergy but the menu is so vast I am able to enjoy their lemonade or soda freely.
Anything else you would like to add?
Nothing else! These questions really covered everything.
Food Allergy and Celiac College Student Survey submitted February 2020
Describe your food restrictions by checking all relevant boxes
Celiac Disease
Grade your college on feeding students with your food restrictions
D
Explain your rationale for that grade
Little to no options, i usually end up eating from a vending machine. There are also no microwaves available so bringing food from home is also difficult.
What stage are you in college?
Junior
How many years ago were you diagnosed with food allergies or celiac disease?
5+
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.
Brain fog, poor balance, joint pains, headaches, skin rashes, nausea, stomachaches. A very tiny amount of gluten can cause an unpredictable combination of these reactions for a few days to a few weeks
If you indicated that you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, how sensitive are you to gluten?
Very: React to small amounts
Does your college handle food restrictions as you expected they would when you selected your school?
Mostly 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, I do not have sufficient options at any dining halls, Ability to eat well was a small part of my college selection process, I assumed they could feed me and didn't think about it before I arrived
Have you had a reaction from eating in your dining hall?
NO
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.
I refuse to eat anything other than packaged foods while on campus. The few times i have attempted to eat freshly prepared foods, i didn’t go through with it after seeing how food was handled by staff
Did you register your food restrictions with your students disabilities office for accommodations? If yes, describe.
No, unaware if this is even an option here
Are there resources (nutritionists, chefs, peer support groups) to help ensure you are receiving safe nutritious food? If yes, describe.
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?
More options, considering the keto diet crazes out there, I am surprised there aren’t more carb-free options.
Describe your biggest challenge with managing your food restrictions at college and how you deal with it
The fact that I simply don’t eat while on campus, or I will order food from nearby restaurants, which gets expensive and wastes time with either delivery or picking up the food
Did your food restrictions impact your housing decision? How? Is there a certain dorm you recommend for those with food restrictions? Why?
It would be absolutely impossible to dorm here.
What's your advice for managing the dining halls with your food restrictions? Favorite dining hall(s)? Any dining halls to avoid?
N/a
What's your advice for eating in the dorm with your food restrictions? Favorite snacks? Places that deliver?
N/a
What do you recommend new students with food restrictions do before school starts? Or when they first arrive?
N/a
What's your advice on managing the party scene with your food restrictions?
N/a
Grade your college town area for feeding people with your food restrictions
B+
Explain your grade. What are your favorite places to eat in town or foodshop?
Restaurants in the area are great and have options. Chipotle is close and will deliver to the school, however, the delivery people often get confused with finding the buildings so it takes time away from studying (sometimes over an hour on multiple occasions) to try and figure out where the delivery person is to be able to direct them to you.
Anything else you would like to add?
N/a