BU goes gluten-free

What is Boston University doing to accommodate its Gluten-free students?

Some may say we eat to live, while others may say that that we live to eat. Whatever your philosophy, Boston University Dining Services seems to have risen to the challenge of satisfying nearly any craving you can muster. Whenever you are feeling hungry, there is always an option right there for you. However, for students with food allergies, it might not be so easy.

With the ever-increasing awareness of food allergies and alternative-dietary lifestyles today, BU Dining Services is prepared to offer its students the alternative choices they may need. Both the George Sherman Union and the dining halls around campus now have gluten-free options. West Campus has even added a secluded gluten-free area, and a separate gluten-free kitchen is anticipated to open this fall at the new Marciano Commons dining hall located in the new Center for Student Services at 100 Bay State Rd. However, despite all the hype, some students are discovering that finding food options to fit their dietary needs can be much more difficult than BU makes it sound.

WHY GLUTEN-FREE?

Lisa Ferreira is a registered dietitian at Sargent Choice Nutrition Center who has special interest in dietary management of food allergies and intolerances. She said students, and even a handful of staff members, bear a variety of different dietary limitations.

“It is the nutritionist’s responsibility to connect these students with dining so they can find a way to sustain themselves on campus,” Ferreira said. “All students are entitled to one free meal planning session with a dietitian. If we see that they have another type of need, they can get up to six free visits before coming in on insurance.”

To register with one of Sargent’s four staff dietitians and director, students can call the office or register through the student section on the nutrition center’s website.

The dietitians not only work with approximately 300 students a year on counseling, but also collaborate with the dining halls to create the daily cycle menu. Ferreira said there is a common conception that the Sargent Choice options are always vegan or gluten free. But she said that that is not always the case.

BEWARE OF GLUTEN

The signs in the dining hall at each meal station may be stamped with a Sargent Choice, vegetarian or vegan emblem, but not with allergen disclaimers. In fact, the only food stamped “gluten-free” is the cream of rice at breakfast. So why are the other stations, which are also gluten-free, not clearly marked?

Ferreira said it cannot be guaranteed that there has not been cross-contamination with gluten products, which is a prevalent issue. The Charles River Bread Co. at the GSU uses squeeze bottles for their condiments and has gluten-free bread, but the bread is frozen and there is no designated toaster due to a lack of an available outlet to plug it in.

Students still have to ask the staff to change their gloves and ask for their food to be prepared separately, Ferreira said. Simply ordering gluten-free is not enough.

Ferreira encourages students to build relationships with dining so they can feel like the chances of cross-contamination have been reduced as much as possible. However, she said that oftentimes students do not take advantage of this relationship.

“Not many [take advantage],” she said. “Only a handful of students that managers really know when they see them, come in. Joe, the manager at Warren, however, goes and checks on students he knows to see how they are doing.”

Although BU Dining Services presents itself as completely open to catering to the special needs of its students with allergies or intolerances, some of these students believe that in reality their allergy is still misunderstood. College of Arts and Sciences junior Michael Melkonian said in his opinion BU does not offer enough gluten-free options.

“It’s nice because it’s an effort that they put forward, but the problem is that we’re not trying to feel any more isolated than we already are,” he said. “We’re paying so much to come here and the fact that we have [approximately] four places to eat as opposed to the 20 everyone else has is ridiculous.”

GLUTEN GROUPS

After two years of navigating the BU dining experience with anaphylactic allergies to both eggs and wheat, Melkonian has become a mentor to other students with food allergies. He founded the Food Intolerance Network here on campus, which is an official group registered through BU’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. The group met twice last semester, and students were able to discuss their allergy-related issues with local doctors, BU Dining Services and Sargent Nutritionists and Dietitians.

“The only problem is that I haven’t gotten as much interest in membership as I would have wanted,” Melkonian said. “I want it to be a group that acts as a support network for people with any kind of food allergies to come together, find ways to support each other, realize there’s resources available for them not only at BU.”

While food allergies are certainly a physical issue, Melkonian points out that they take physiological tolls as well, which no one really considers.

“I used to get really anxious,” he said. “I was so worried about something happening. I would trick myself into thinking I was having a reaction. It was socially isolating.”

Melkonian also said the gluten-free cubicle in The Fresh Food Co. at West Campus, which is blocked off from the rest of the dining hall, feels isolated. He also dislikes the food selection that this section offers.

“It’s terrible. It’s awful. It’s nothing. They had fish sticks, they had pasta and bread,” he said. “The gluten-free area is stocked with bad brands. There are better brands that cost more.”

However some students, who do not have a gluten allergy, do not feel as passionately about this problem. CAS junior Amira Downes is even unsure of what foods are gluten-free. Though she said she knew the basics, she could point out which meals at each station would be gluten free or not, she admitted that it would be a challenge.

Yet Melkonian is optimistic for the future of gluten-free options for students with the allergy.

“It’s a tough issue to tackle. It’s even a hard issue for Sargent Choice, an established BU institution, to implement change,” he said, adding that dining services need to “start small.”

GREAT GLUTEN

Some students find the alternative-dietary options at BU satisfying and efficient. College of General Studies sophomore Ali Lifton was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and gluten intolerance at the beginning of her freshman year. While adjusting to the new experience of college life, she was also adjusting to an entirely new diet.

“Eating gluten-free here is really hard. I order in a few times a week,” she said. “Being gluten free I can’t just walk into T. Anthony’s like everyone else and grab a slice of pizza.”

However, Lifton sees BU’s recent additions as an improvement in making students feel like they have more options available to them, which they can enjoy as other students do.

“The GSU got some gluten free bread last year which has been great,” Lifton said.

She also said the gluten-free kitchen in West Campus is a “great addition” overall.

Looking ahead, Ferrerira said progress could be made as awareness grows about gluten-free food.

“I did learn about celiac disease and gluten in school but I spent a lot of time researching it to get more information because more has been coming out,” she said. “It’s just like anything, the more you are willing to put into it and the more you’re willing to advocate yourself, the better outcome you’re going to have.”