Bread, pizza, sandwiches, pasta. These and other grain-filled products are many of the staples in a typical college student’s diet, and they’re much of what is served in the dining halls and off-campus restaurants.
But for some students, eating these foods would make them sick. These foods contain substantial amounts of gluten, which is harmful to those with celiac disease and other health issues. Among Penn students, gluten-free diets are becoming increasingly common.
Bon Appetit Management Company, Penn’s food-service provider, has taken good steps toward accommodating students who need gluten-free food or have other dietary restrictions. Students can indicate their food restrictions when they sign up for a meal plan and discuss their issues with dining personnel. They can also ask chefs at the dining halls to cook foods particularly tailored to their needs if gluten-free food isn’t available on a given day.
Unfortunately, these options may not be widely known to students. And students have to take the initiative themselves to have these conversations and express their concerns — which could be intimidating for freshmen and those who only recently became gluten free. Bon Appetit should increase publicity of its accommodations and work more to facilitate discussion of these issues with students, rather than making students come to them. No one should go hungry because of health issues.
