Celiac College Student Survey completed October, 2019

Food Service Vendor

College Chefs

What stage are you in college?

Junior

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.

sorority house meal plan through college chefs

How many years ago were you diagnosed with celiac?3-5How sensitive to gluten are you?

Extremely: React to even small traces

How would you describe the worst reaction you have had since diagnosis?

Moderate

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

Not at all what I expected

Grade your college on feeding celiac students

C-

Explain your rationale for that grade

React at least once a week if I eat something other than food off the salad bar. Am told things are gluten free when they are not. Don’t listen to suggestions. Very few options. Very expensive and extremely frustrating. The school’s dining halls are worse in my experience

Check all that apply

My school is large with many dining halls, Ability to feed me varies greatly across dining halls, I avoid certain dining halls that I don't think are safe, I can't find any good options in the dining halls at all, I assumed they could feed me and didn't think about it before I arrived, I asked alot of questions before I came but the reality was different

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

No, but i met with a director of the dining hall and I met with the chef at my sorority house several times freshmen year to voice my concerns

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

The are nutritionists, but they have no effect on what food is available to me.

How many times have you been glutenized in your dining hall?

More than 3

If you didn't select NONE, what happened and how did school respond?

I didn’t tell the school’s dining hall after being glutened because the employees don’t seem to care or understand what gluten is. My sorority house gave me a discount, but I’m forced to be on the meal plan and can’t opt out.

Describe your biggest celiac challenge at college and how you manage it

There is little understanding about celiac, allergies, how to prepare food for people with allergies. All I feel safe eating is salad, and no matter what I do or suggest nothing is changed.

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

I don’t think the school would make big enough changes. There are other people with celiac I talked to and they’ve been glutened several times at the school and sorority house. I would overhaul the system they have completely, add more options, and hire people who will actually follow allergy training.

Did celiac impact your housing decision? How? Is there a certain dorm you recommend for celiacs? Why?

I would stay in a suite style dorm because there are kitchenettes so you can cook for yourself so you feel safe eating.

Your advice to new celiac kids for managing the dining halls? Favorite dining hall(s)?

Lakeside will tell you their allergy station is gluten free. However, it isn’t often open, there is only one dish per day, and I have been glutened there before.

Your advice to new celiac kids for eating in the dorm? Favorite snacks? Places that deliver?

Frutta bowls, chipotle, Zoe’s, tropical smoothie cafe, blaze pizza, heat pizza, the five, central Mesa, and Jim n nicks are great for celiac if you explain the condition. I mircrowave a lot of oatmeal, veggies, and rice if I need a meal in my dorm.

Your advice to new celiac kids on preparing before they come? Or doing upon first arrival?

Make sure to talk with your parents about needing to budget to buy a lot of snacks and food to have in your dorm. If you are extremely sensitive to gluten, be very careful of the dining halls because they say they will accommodate you, but me and other celiacs have gotten sick. If you’re joining a Greek meal plan, many won’t let you off the meal plan and are not accommodating. There are salad bars but most of the time that’s all you can eat.

Your advice to new celiac kids on managing keg parties and alcohol scene?

Bring your own. Do your research.

Grade your college town area for celiac friendliness

C+

Favorite places to eat in town or foodshop?

Frutta bowls, tropical smoothie, chipotle, Jim and nicks, central Mesa, real and rosemary. The five, heat pizza, baked bear, heat pizza

Anything else you would like to add?

I love Alabama, but to be completely honest with you the situation for celiac is not good. Be prepared to eat a lot of salads and buy yourself a lot of food. Don’t trust when people in the dining halls say something is gluten free because there seems to be a lot of issues with cross contamination.