Managing Dietary Needs and Accommodations
Students with food allergies and special dietary considerations are encouraged to be self-advocates when managing their dietary conditions to promote safety and minimize the risk of a reaction.
Allergen Disclaimer
Here at WSU, your safety is our top priority. We endeavor to serve you food that is safe and free from allergens. However, cross-contact is still a risk, no matter the level of care taken to prevent it. WSU Dining Services does not assume liability in the event of an adverse reaction to foods consumed or contacted at university establishments. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dining Services and ask to speak with the Registered Dietitian. We will work with you to ensure your dietary needs are accommodated.
Dining's Responsibilities
What We Do For Students
- Have a full-time dietitian on staff who is available for any questions or concerns you may have
- All staff attend an annual allergen training conducted through Food Allergy Research and Education.
- Ingredient identification- every ingredient that is brought into the kitchen is vetted through multiple people to verify allergens, ingredients and nutritional content.
- Have epipens on site available to students in case of a medical emergency where a student finds themselves without their own.
- We stay up to date on allergen-friendly brands and foods. Double check our ingredients to ensure use of allergy safe options such as egg-free mayo, gluten-free soy sauce, fish free Ceasar and more.
Student Responsibilities
- Due to the nature of the dining halls and retail locations, if you have been prescribed an epipen, carry it with you at all times.
- Self-identify your allergy to the WSU dining team. Schedule a time to meet with the dietitian at dining.wsu.edu.
- Self-management of your allergy by avoiding foods you are allergic to, and recognizing symptoms of an allergic reaction.
- Carry your epinephrine autoinjector if you have been prescribed one.
- To avoid cross-contact risk, you can always:
- Ask a dining employee to change their gloves
- Ask a dining employee to get fresh, unopened products out
- Ask dining employees to use a new utensil or serve from a fresh pan
- Take caution with deep-fried items. Although we do try to separate fryers, like one for fries and one for chicken strips, we cannot guarantee that other items were not fried in the same fryer
- Take caution with our baked goods. Our baked goods are made fresh on campus at our Culinary Support Center and are made in the same space in which foods with peanuts, nuts, wheat/gluten, eggs, milk, soy and sesame are also made.
-
Resources
- Dining Dietitian and Assistant Director of Health and Wellness: martha.flores@wsu.edu
- Access to our online menus.
- Download the campus dining app, GET, to order ahead and check open campus locations.
- Signage is located at each food station in our dining locations, marked with our Nutrislice labels.
- Natural station is free of all the top nine allergens, including gluten.
- A more strict meal program for those who have allergens extending past the top nine (peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, egg, milk, wheat, soy, and sesame), we have our Natural+ program, with availability to help with housing placement to be closer to dining locations.
- You do not need to have an Accommodations form to get dining accommodations. Learn more about the accommodations process through Student Accommodations and Disability Resources.