It is important to note that UBC Food Services and residence dining cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free space due to potential cross-contamination. However, we strive to make the dining experience as safe and enjoyable as possible for students. Here are some tips for navigating residence dining while having dietary restrictions, allergies and/or intolerances.
Check Ingredients/Allergens on Nutrislice
Nutrislice is a great resource that lists menu item ingredients and common allergens in residence dining halls and other UBC Food Service outlets. You can use Nutrislice to filter by dietary patterns or priority allergens, and it will show you what meals are appropriate for your needs. You can download the Nutrislice app, or access the website at ubc.nutrislice.com.
Each dining hall station will have a menu label that tells you what dishes are being served along with menu icons for each dish. These icons indicate which eating pattern the dish is appropriate for. There are 6 main menu icons; vegetarian, vegan, made without gluten, Oceanwise, Halal protein, and the climate-friendly food labels. These icons should match what is on Nutrislice. Keep an eye out for purple signs that say “Have allergies?” because they will indicate if an item has changed its ingredients, meaning the allergen content may be different than what is on Nutrislice.
We recommend taking a good look around the dining hall in person as Nutrislice only includes static-menu dishes. Any special pop-ups, spotlights, or meals made with extra ingredients to reduce food waste are not posted on Nutrislice. You may have to ask a staff member to know what the allergens are, or if it is suitable for your needs.
Confirm Restrictions/Allergies with Staff
Let whoever is serving know that you have an allergy, intolerance or dietary restriction. They can tell you if the dish contains anything you need to be concerned about. You can also request omissions of certain aspects of the dish to make it work for you. For example, if chicken is used as a topping for a salad, you can request the server to make one without the chicken to make it plant-focused. Some items on Nutrislice may have “can be made vegan” statements which tell you what to omit in the dish to make it vegan.
Certain staff members like our Managers, Supervisors and Chefs will be wearing purple “Allergy Aware” buttons. This means they are “Allertrained”, so they are best equipped to answer your questions about your dietary needs. Even if a staff member doesn’t have a button, don’t be afraid to ask them as well. All staff receive annual allergy, intolerance, and gluten training. If they don’t know the answer to your question, they will help direct you to an Allertrained employee.
Get Creative!
What’s shown on Nutrislice isn’t the end-all-be-all. Mix and match with what’s available to make yourself something delicious to eat. For example, if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you can take a salad and omit the chicken topping, add in some chickpeas from the side bar and a side of ancho rice from a different station. Here are some other examples:
- Halal: If a rice bowl has pork on top, you can ask for it to be made without it and find protein options like Halal chicken at another station. Or, you could opt for a plant-based option.
- Lactose Intolerant: You can ask to omit the cheese in your burger and check out the salad bar for a dressing that would go well with your burger to spice it up.
- Gluten Sensitive: There is a made without gluten fridge available in each dining hall with breads, buns, and desserts. You can build your own sandwich using bread from the fridge and toppings from the sandwich bar, or any station offering the protein/fillings you want.
Play around with your options and customize to suit your dietary needs. We do our best to communicate your options but there is so much more out there to explore!
Carry Your Epi-Pen With You
Though we have Epi-Pens available in select food service locations, it’s best to carry your own Epi-Pen with you in case of emergency. You may need two doses of epinephrine to treat an anaphylactic reaction. Ensure that you know where you keep your Epi-Pen, and if you eat with friends it may be helpful to let them know where it is and how to use it.
Looking for More?
If you want some more clear, summarized tips on making the best of your meals, check out our previous blog post on navigating All Access Dining confidently.
This post includes links to our “Eating Well with All Access Dining” handouts which break down our top recommendations for general, plant-based, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-aware, Halal, and allergy/intolerance-mindful diets.
Takeaway
Always look out for signage, communicate with staff, and take the steps you need to be safe. If you have further questions or feedback, don’t hesitate to reach out to dining hall supervisors, chefs, or managers. You can also contact the resident dietitian here for nutrition-related questions or further support in optimizing your dining experience.
