Gluten-free dining difficult at Penn

While gluten-free diets are one of the fastest-growing alimentary restrictions among students at Penn, as well as in the United States, gluten-free food choices are still relatively difficult to find on campus.

According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, gluten is a protein which can be found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. People with Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of food, for example, cannot eat gluten. Other reasons for such diets include gluten intolerance, wheat allergy or other autoimmune diseases.

The Food and Drug Administration defines “gluten-free” primarily as a food with less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

Alice Bast, a College alumna and founder of the NFCA, warned in an e-mail that gluten-free restrictions are a “medical necessity for three million people and not a weight loss diet.”

The NFCA has trained numerous restaurants in the area on how to follow gluten-free protocol. Bast highlighted Distrito, at 3945 Chestnut St., as an example.

College senior Rachel Gittelman has been eating gluten-free for about two months. She said eating at Penn is now a lot harder for her, since sandwiches, pizza and pasta are some of the most prevalent foods on and around campus.

Terri Brownlee, the regional director of nutrition for Penn Dining’s management company Bon Appetit, said students can indicate their gluten-free status when enrolling in a dining plan and discuss their needs with her via e-mail, over the phone or in person.

While Bon Appetit established this service to alleviate students’ anxieties, Wharton senior and gluten-free eater Ezra Brettler had to take the initiative to meet with the company’s staff, which he said could intimidate younger people or those who recently switched to a gluten-free lifestyle.

Donald Stauffer, executive chef for Bon Appetit at Penn, said students regularly call him on his cell phone before coming to 1920 Commons. If the day’s foods are not gluten-free or not what students want, a cook can prepare individual meals to suit their needs — a feature which Brettler called “very accommodating.”

“If students have questions, they need to let us know,” Business Services spokeswoman Barbara Lea-Kruger said.

When eating off campus, Brettler said trips to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are vital, as the Fresh Grocer near campus has “pretty limited options.”

While the conversion to gluten-free may be challenging, its hardest facet seems to be in social situations. “It’s not that fun to talk about with friends,” Gittelman said.

Beer is a gluten-containing beverage and staple of college life, but not an option for gluten-free students, even during Hey Day’s Senior Toast. However, Brettler said City Tap House and Blarney Stone often carry gluten-free beer.

On Oct. 24, the NFCA will sponsor Appetite for Awareness, a Philadelphia event featuring gluten-free foods from restaurants around the city, including items from Stephen Starr and Jose Garces restaurants, as well as specialty baked goods.

Gittelman said the restriction is “not nearly as bad as I thought it would be,” as there are many foods that she can still eat. However, she added, “I would still be very interested in learning more about what my options are.”