Step 1: Widen Your Viewpoint

Allergy-friendly dining is about helping students feel seen. It’s stressful enough to navigate dining choices when you’re living away from home for the first time. Imagine needing to prevent life-threatening allergic reactions on top of that.

As you work with your foodservice team to build safe and inclusive menus, consider how students with food allergies feel when they arrive on campus.

According to an American College Health Association survey, 13.1% of student report being diagnosed with a food allergy, and 10.3% say that having allergies negatively affected their academic performance.

Students with food allergies …

• Don’t want to feel “different,” or feel like a burden to staff
• Simply want to eat in dining halls without hesitation, like everyone else
• Commonly feel anxiety, panic, and fatigue about their allergy
• Fear an allergic reaction and may limit their food intake as a result

The bottom line is that students may choose to go elsewhere if their needs are not fully addressed.

Step 2: Define Inclusivity for Your Menus

An Inclusive Menu Is:

• Built on empathy
• Student-centered
• Collaborative
• Supportive
• Representative
• Allergy-friendly
  

Step 3: Check Best Practices

Warm Welcome

• Allergy policies and accommodations are clearly addressed in orientation materials and housing forms
• Admissions offers 1:1 consults with students who have special dietary needs, engaging dietitians and dining staff

Expanded Options

• Allergy-friendly menus promoted as food everyone can enjoy
• Dedicated allergy-free stations (e.g. gluten-free, nut-free, top 9 allergen-free)
• Top 9 allergen-free dining facilities – providing a safe place for students managing allergies to work or dietetic students to intern
• More allergy-friendly grocery, retail, and grab & go choices around campus like SunButter® Sunflower Seed Butter and Jammies® Sunflower Seed Butter & Jelly Sandwiches
  

Clear Information

• Allergen labeling at all points of ordering and service
• Allergen icons displayed on menus and buffet items
• Ingredient lists available for all foods
• Use of QR codes or digital menus for easy access
• Online allergy information platforms or dining apps
  

Safe Serving

• Allergy training to prevent, identify, and respond to food-related allergic reactions
• Physical separation of allergy-safe prep areas from general food areas
• Separate pans, utensils, prep surfaces, and storage
• Staff-served (not self-serve) allergy-safe food to prevent cross-contact
• Ability for students to order allergy-friendly meals in advance
  

Personalized Support

• Ongoing collaboration between dietitians and dining staff
• Personalized meal planning based on individual allergens
• Direct communication channels (email/text/meetings) between students and dining staff
  

Cross-Campus Coordination

• Formal accommodation processes via disability or health services
• Full integration of services (housing, health, dining services)
• Allergy-friendly housing options (e.g., private kitchens, nut-free halls)
  

Community Awareness & Culture

• Campus-wide culture that supports food allergy awareness
• Peers educated about food allergy risks
• Continuous improvement based on student feedback
• Dining staff regularly assess their spaces, signage, communication strategies, and student interactions