Celiac.com 07/04/2017 - Once upon a time, maintaining a gluten-free diet was a challenge, especially for college kids. In many ways, it still is, as college students face numerous challenges that others do not.
However, things are changing, and much of that change is being driven by colleges and universities seeking to better serve their students with food sensitivities and allergies. More and more, colleges in America are doing more to step up their food services for their students with food allergies and sensitivities.
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Cornell University has quietly worked to phase gluten out of its main dining hall. For the last several years, students and others have been enjoying various gluten-free meals at Risley Dining Room without fanfare. From rice noodles at stir-fry station, to gluten-free flour in the brownies and biscuits.
A recent gluten-free facility certification from Kitchens with Confidence, allowed Cornell to re-introduce Risley Dining as a 100% gluten-free, tree-nut-free, and peanut-free kitchen. In 2016, Kent State University became the first university in the country to feature an entirely gluten-free dining hall on campus. The move to convert Kent State's Prentice Café to gluten-free facility has helped the university emerge as a leader in gluten-free campus food services.
Meanwhile, out west, Mills College is working hard to make sure the meals are good to eat and good for the planet. Their dining facility serves local and organic ingredients as much as possible, and prepare food from scratch in small batches to keep dishes fresh and healthy. Mills' website describes their food as "fresh, locally sourced, and delicious." Food and drink website the Daily Meal regularly lists Mills in its 75 Best Colleges for Food in America, while the Princeton Review consistently names Mills as one of the greenest colleges in the nation.
Other colleges and universities that earn high gluten-free food marks are Baylor University, Tennessee University, Georgetown University, Oregon State, Bard College, University of Wisconsin Madison, Southern Methodist University, University of Arizona, Ithaca College,Texas A&M, University of Notre Dame, University of New Hampshire, SUNY Potsdam, and Tufts University.