If you have Celiac Disease, come talk to me
We all know university can be extremely stressful at times. What we don’t often realize is how much more stress can be added when trying to manage chronic diseases like Celiac Disease.
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease (CD) is a common autoimmune disorder that permanently affects the digestive system (1). CD is triggered in people who are genetically susceptible when they eat gluten. When a person with celiac disease eats a food that contains gluten, it causes an immunological reaction in the small intestine, which inflames and flattens the villi in the interior of the small intestine (2). This damage causes malabsorption of the nutrients needed for good health. There is no cure for CD, and the only way to manage it is with a gluten free diet.
If you are one of the 1 in 133 people who suffers from Celiac Disease in North America (3), let me take a little bit of stress off your plate. Whether you have CD or a gluten sensitivity, it’s important to know that your dining hall team takes these conditions seriously. And even though our kitchens are not completely gluten free, we have measures in place to accommodate gluten-free dining.
Here’s your guide to gluten-free (GF) dining:
- Homezone – We use GF sauces for our proteins! We keep them this way so that more people can enjoy.
- Pasta station – GF pasta option and pasta sauce are always available. Just ask!
- Raman station (Shirreff): GF ramen noodles are available every day.
- Mexican station (Howe): We have GF tortillas, hard-shell tacos and nachos available — just ask. Enjoy your burrito, taco, nachos or quesadilla your way, any day.
- Soup station: GF option available at every meal.
- Grill: We use a separate fryer for products containing gluten, but always ask the cook to make sure no cross-contamination has occurred.
- Gluten-free pantry: Available in Howe. Other GF options also available in fridges at other dining halls. Bread, bagels, cookies, brownies, muffins, cereal and more. Is there something else you want? Just let me or your dining hall manager know.
- Pizza: We have GF pizza crust! Just ask one of our staff to make you a GF pizza
- Sandwich station: Just ask for a sandwich on GF bread or wrap (found in pantry or fridge), grilled on our panini press wrapped up in parchment paper.
- Salad bar: Make your own salad! Tip: look out for crouton contamination! Our staff is trained to be aware of this, but unfortunately other students sometimes cause cross-contamination on the line.
Communications is key
It would also be important to let the cooks know who you are, so that they know they can make a separate meal for you as requested. This also helps our staff stay on high alert, being diligent to avoid cross-contamination. Come set up a meeting with me, (your friendly neighbourhood dietitian) to introduce you to the people and facilities, or just say hi! dietitian@dal.ca
Tips to minimize stress
- Know that we understand. Every year, our staff goes through refresher training on cross-contamination. They are trained to change gloves between tasks, and accommodate any requests you have.
- Identify yourself. This keeps your safety in the forefront of our minds.
- Reach out to me. I’d be happy to take you on a tour around our dining hall or arrange an education session. Just email me at dietitian@dal.ca for more info.
What we do to support you
- We train our associates each year on food safety, allergies, and cross contamination.
- Each dining hall has a separate refrigerator containing individual butter and condiments, as well as a separate toaster set up for students avoiding gluten.
- We do accommodate for students asking for plain proteins (ex: chicken without the sauce) to avoid gluten.
- Each station at each dining hall has a separate and clean pan, cutting board, knives, etc., to make a gluten-free pasta dish, pizza or sandwich on gluten-free bread, etc., for students with Celiac Disease. All you need to do is approach one of the chefs and ask.
- Our rice, potatoes, and vegetables are almost always prepared without gluten ingredients. (Just be sure to look for the label at the serving station.)
- Some of our gluten-free products we keep on-hand include:
– UDI’s bread
– Pizza crust
– Pasta
– Soup stocks
– Soy sauce
– Cereal
DINE at Dal
Our menu options, which offer no gluten ingredients, are identified using our DINE at Dal program. Take note of the above icons used to identify an item made without any gluten ingredients.
1. Mendoza, N. Celiac disease: an overview of the diagnosis, treatment and management. Nutr Bulletin. 2005 [cited 2013 Nov 1];30(3):231. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230005046_Coeliac_disease_An_overview_of_the_diagnosis_treatment_and_management
2. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Celiac disease. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment Number 104. AHRQ Publication No. 04-E029-2. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2004 [cited 2013 Nov 1]. Available from: http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/celiac/celiac.pdf
3. Freeman HJ. Risk factors in familial forms of celiac disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2010 [cited 2013 Nov 1];16(15):1828-31. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20397258
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