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No matter how hard we try, we all have those times when we accidentally ingest gluten. When you are away at college this will be no different; you will need to be prepared to take care of yourself if you have a gluten attack.

1. Stay calm and give yourself time to get better. While this is uncomfortable and no doubt inconvenient, you will get better
2. Colleges have provisions for being sick and making up work. A gluten attack falls into this category and your professors should work with you to ensure you do not miss a beat. If you have problems making up work, see your school’s office of disability services or dean of students for assistance.
3.  We all have our comfort foods, movies, books and such that we turn to when we are ill. Make sure you have them with you when to pack for school. Having these items will help make you feel better.
4.  We also all have our favorite medicine when we have a gluten attack. It may be pain medicine or a heating pad for cramping, anti-nausea or anti-diarrhea medicine, etc. You know what works for you. Again, make sure you pack it and take it to college with you. Your roommate is unlikely to make a 3 am run to the drug store for you. You want to have what you need in the room before you get sick.
5.  Think about where you were exposed to gluten. If you suspect it may have resulted from contamination in the school kitchen, advocate for yourself. Talk to the dietitian and/or the dining hall manager to ensure this does not happen again.
6.  Don’t be afraid to call or text home. We all need a hug from our parents/loved ones when we are sick. Reaching out for comfort when you are away at school is totally acceptable.

1. Do your research and find right college for you.
   It’s always a good idea to eat in the dining hall on your college visits. Make sure to talk to the dining staff and ask if they can accommodate a GF diet (shockingly, some schools I visited didn’t know even what gluten was!).
2. Once you’re moved in to your perfect college, talk to the dining staff and work out a plan.
   It’s a good idea to make sure you know you’ll be accommodated. Work with the dining staff at your school to make sure that they can provide both food and an environment that is safe for you and educate them if you notice something that might be problematic. Don’t be demanding but ask if they might be open to suggestions about which specific foods to carry. At my school, for example, there is a suggestion box for GF issues, we have different plates for GF food and even a newly formed GF student committee that meets monthly to talk about issues or concerns.
3. Splurge on a mini fridge for your dorm room!
   Sometimes, even at the most accommodating of schools, you just don’t like the food that being served that day. I’ve found that it’s really helpful to keep some food in my room for late night cravings when the only thing open and available is non-GF pizza delivery.
4. When your friends want to go out for late night pizza…
   Suggest trying ethnic food instead. In my college town, I’ve found that the Greek, Thai, Mexican and Indian restaurants have lots of inherently GF items on their menu.
5. Don’t avoid special events just because they involved food.
   Just tell whoever is organizing the event that you’re GF, and more often than not, they’ll work something out for you. I’ve done this at my school lots of times and it’s never been an issue. Don’t miss out on an event you’re interested in just because food is being served!
6. Don’t be afraid to take the opportunity to educate other people about Celiac Disease.
   A lot of people have misconceptions about Celiac and being GF, and you’re in the perfect position to clear up any myths.
7. Host a dinner party!
   This may not be possible at many schools, but at mine, not only do they provide three GF meals a day, but they also maintain an entirely GF kitchen for the GF students to use, stocked with ingredients. Make dinner for your friends and let them experience for themselves that being GF isn’t a big deal and the food can be really good!
8. Even though movies make it seem like all college students do is sit around and eat…
   Don’t worry, there are a lot of other things to do that don’t involve food! Don’t be afraid to explore the community around your college if there doesn’t happen to be anything that interests on campus.
9.  Being GF is a great reason to get out and explore the neighborhoods surrounding your college.
   What restaurants have GF food? Who delivers GF food late at night? Where can you buy GF beer (if that’s your scene)?
10.  Find a support group or, even better, start your own.
    Sometimes having Celiac Disease makes you feel different – I know I felt like that a lot at first. Talking with other people who are in the same situation can make you feel better. Plus, it’s a great way to make new friends.

Finally, college is the time to try new things – don’t let Celiac Disease hold you back!

There are so many resources out there to help students select a college. There are books, websites, school counselors and private consultants that you can hire. And, there are the lists. You can look at schools based on best academics, best value, best college town, happiest students etc. There is even a list of the hairiest colleges.

But, what about food and in particular can the college accommodate your gluten-free (GF) diet? There are lists of colleges with the best food, the worst food and the healthiest food. There also have been a few attempts at making lists of schools that best handle the GF diet. But some students at schools on these lists claim very different GF experiences.

While making sure that your GF diet is accommodated in college is important, it is probably not the number one reason for choosing a particular school. Students who need a GF diet should start the college search process looking at college the same as any other student. They should narrow the thousands of options out there to a manageable list of 10 – 20 schools that they would seriously consider. Once you are here, it is time to look at food options. Based on what you learn you can keep that school on your list or eliminate them based on their ability to provide GF meals.

Here are the steps you can take to determine if the school can accommodate your GF diet. Many of these questions can be answered on the Dining Services page of the school website. Other questions will require that you call the school.

• Find the Dining Services page on the school website. See what they say about accommodating special diets and what GF options are listed on the menu.
• Connect with the Registered Dietician at the school as early as possible in case additional testing or documentation is needed. The dietician can work with the dining services to help ensure there are gluten free options available.
• If you visit the school, ask if you can get a tour of the dining facilities in addition to the group tour of the school.
• Find out where GF food is available. It may not be available in all dining halls
• Find out if there are GF self-service areas available with dedicated toasters or specialty GF products.
• What steps does the school take to avoid cross contact
• Find out if GF options are readily available or if you need to order in advance.
• If the school cannot accommodate the GF diet, do you have other options? Can you provide your own food and is there a safe place for you to cook and store that food.
• Is the meal plan required? If a school cannot accommodate the diet and you are purchasing your own food you do not want to have to also pay for a meal plan.
• Even if the school has great options for the GF diet, you will likely want to have food in your room for emergencies. Where is the nearest store for purchasing GF food? Is that accessible to you?

Once you have chosen a school you are not done. You will need to talk to dining services, the school dietitian and review other school resources in order to ensure that your GF needs are known and met. To help you we have a DVD “Gluten-Free at College” that can be purchased from Amazon. The DVD contains information that is useful for both the student and the dining hall staff.
Click Here to go to Amazon for video.

By Colleen Fennessy

It doesn’t make sense to get enough dishes for a fully stocked kitchen if you live in a dorm, but there are definitely some essentials you should buy. At least one plate, one bowl, and two sets of silverware are necessary, as well as a pot big enough to cook pasta or rice. Along with that pot, you’ll need a strainer and a bigger spoon for stirring the pasta. I found that the collapsible strainers are really great for saving space, and they’re pretty cheap. An electric tea kettle is essential for many things; but especially for coffee and tea. If you’re like me, and eat a lot of quesadillas and eggs, you’ll want a non-stick frying pan and a spatula. I personally don’t eat a lot of rice, but if you do a rice cooker is a worthwhile purchase. If you think you’ll use it, a cheap knife and cutting board can also be worth investing in, but be honest about what you’ll be cooking. Even the savviest of chefs probably won’t be making gourmet meals every night in a dorm kitchen, and buying too many things will just clutter your room.

One of the most useful things you can buy if your dorm kitchen has a toaster is a toaster bag or two. Obviously it’s impossible for someone with celiac to use a communal toaster, but amazon.com sells these amazing toaster bags that you can put your bread into, and then put that into the toaster to avoid cross-contamination. I also found that a cheap cookie tray was something I used a lot; it was great for cooking frozen pizzas and anything else that you wouldn’t want touching the oven rack and getting contaminated.

A lot of colleges have cabinets in the communal kitchens that the RA will tell you to put your cooking implements in for convenience. While this is very convenient, it also means that anyone can use your pots and pans. Of course, they shouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean they won’t. I personally felt much better storing my dishes in a bin in my dorm room, even if that meant carrying them to the kitchen every time I wanted to cook.

Meal plans are a nice part of the college experience—you get to have the freedom of living on your own without the added responsibility of feeding yourself every day. However, even people whose diets aren’t restricted will invariably get sick of dining hall food, and having a few basic pots and pans at your disposal will be very helpful in spicing up your college diet.