Within all colleges, many students deal with major allergies and dietary restrictions. University dining halls must cater all meal options to these students, as it can be hard to navigate. Fairfield University has many dining options and plans that can help support students who can’t eat everything that is provided.
Stags Hospitality has catered special stations to those who deal with all kinds of allergies and different dietary needs; “We are committed to nourishing all guests by providing nutritious options that fit each need, no matter where they dine on campus. We support students with food allergies and special diets for medical, religious or personal reasons by providing the knowledge and resources necessary for students to make informed food choices in our dining locations.”
One station in the Tully, True Balance, where chefs prepare meals without ingredients like eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, soy, wheat, fish, sesame and gluten. These chefs strive to give students many options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. True Balance is an allergen-safe service that has received a Certificate of Achievement from the nation’s leading food allergy experts, MenuTrinfo®, LLC. AllerCheck™.
Audrey Youngen ‘27 who has a high gluten sensitivity agrees that the True Balance station at the Tully provides her with options she enjoys; “At the Tully, the True Balance station which is free of the most common allergies supplies me with a safe place to get my food as I know that everything that they serve is gluten-free,” she said. “Additionally, as it is made in small batches, the food at the True Balance station is always changing and they are always making new recipes and it is always very good.”
Not only does the Tully provide this station but it includes a pantry named Peace of Mind that makes sure there is no cross contamination. It provides students with a safe space to get snacks and meals when they are in the Tully.
Although True Balance is a great option for those who have dietary restrictions and allergies, many other dining options on campus don’t provide these same services. The Stag Diner, although has options, is very limited. The salad station is one of the only places that provide students with allergy-safe meals. The Levee provides limited to no options for students with common allergies and dietary restrictions.
This pushes many students to continue to eat at the Tully, where they know they are getting allergy-free meals. It is important that all students feel like they have options and variety and that their needs are met, and Tully does a great job doing just that. Youngen states, “I have never felt like there is not something I can eat at the Tully, which when I talk to my friends at other schools they often say they can’t imagine being gluten-free at their dining hall as there are very limited options.”
Fairfield Hospitality does a superb job of catering to students’ needs, especially those with major dietary restrictions. Fairfield University students feel safe eating the food provided and enjoy the meals that are prepared.
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