Resources

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: Central Michigan University

Central Michigan University

Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan Central Michigan University has a Pure Eats section in each dining hall that is free from the top 8 allergens, and they serve it themselves to avoid cross contamination. There are gluten free sections as well, including a dedicated waffle machine! They have an app that lists every item on the menu and it’s ingredients! I will say that sometimes the ingredients have been vague (ex. “sugar cookie dough”) but for the most part I have a wide variety of safe eating options!  

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Location: Syracuse, New York I’m a rising junior at Syracuse and I have had nothing but great experiences with Syracuse dining. Their menu is all listed online and if you click on the item, it shows you the nutritional information and the allergens. If for some reason there is a food that’s out at the dining hall that isn’t on the online menu, there is usually a QR code on it that will take you to the nutritional info and allergen info. Definitely make friends with the dining hall managers—they are willing and able to help! There is also an on-campus nutritionist that handles allergies and she is a great resource for helping to navigate your allergies. Also, when you fill out your housing form if you choose to have a random roommate, if you say that you have allergies on the form about special accommodations, they can try to pair you with a roommate who also has allergies! I was unaware of that my freshman year but I wish I had been because it would’ve taken away a lot of stress! Overall, I love Syracuse and am so happy that the food situation hasn’t held me back from enjoying everything that the campus has to offer!  

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: Northeastern University

Northeastern University

Location: Boston, Massachusetts Northeastern University offers a station at the main dining hall that is free of the top 8 allergens, as well as a dedicated gluten-free toaster, microwave, freezer and bread box. There are definitely options on campus for gluten-free students, however for other allergies it is limited to one section at just one of three dining halls. The Northeastern staff are extremely kind and helpful, though, and when I needed meals delivered to my room for medical needs, they handled everything incredibly well. The chef personally gave me his phone number so I could text him questions about my meals. While the on-campus options aren’t extensive, being in the middle of a large city undoubtedly helps with more options. There are many grocery stores within walking distance and a wide variety of bakeries and restaurants in the city that cater to allergies. The school definitely has options for students with allergies but has room to improve.  

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: Ohio State University

Ohio State University

Location: Columbus, Ohio Ohio State did an amazing job accommodating my allergies! I registered with Disability Services for housing accommodations because I was worried about living in the dorms with someone else who didn’t have allergies. That process really paid off for me in the long run and I highly recommend doing so. Their dining facilities also have a great labeling policy for allergens that are visible and easy to follow. Certain cafeterias even have dedicated gluten free/allergy-friendly sections. I always felt safe eating on campus and had a dining plan all four years!  

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Location: Waltham, Massachusetts The dining hall worked hard with me to try to accommodate my allergies. They have a top eight free section in each dining hall that has hot meal options, gluten free breads, a dedicated microwave, toaster, allergy safe brownies, cookies, etc. With my long list of allergies they were not able to accommodate everything. I was able to easily get housing accommodations to have my own kitchen in a suite with three friends who all agreed to avoid my allergens.  

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada I recently graduated from the University of Toronto in June 2020. In my first year, I had to live on campus and struggled so much with my allergies. The dining hall that I was assigned to (Morrison Hall at University College in University of Toronto) had very limited dairy-free options. I was basically on my own for food for my entire time at University of Toronto.

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: Tulane University

Tulane University

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana I had an amazing experience at Tulane! I ate so many times at the Hillel which had some of my allergens and they were always so careful and considerate. The dining hall has a specific area without major allergens that are always safe. I loved my time at Tulane and highly recommend!

Allergy-Friendly Campus Guide: University of Nebraska Omaha

University of Nebraska Omaha

Location: Omaha, Nebraska University of Nebraska at Omaha doesn’t have the most allergy-friendly on campus dining options. One great thing about UNO is that all of the dorms are apartment style and have a FULL kitchen! It was so easy to go grocery shopping and cook for myself.