We understand that eating away from home with food restrictions can be very stressful, and we’re dedicated to providing the necessary support. To better serve you, we strongly encourage anyone with dietary restrictions to self-identify and contact our Registered Dietitian or Ingredient Specialist. They can give you information on menus, how to navigate the dining halls and create a menu plan as well as offer other information and resources.
Food allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly treats proteins found in food as a threat to the body. Major food allergens include milk or dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, fish and shellfish, wheat, sesame and more. Reactions can range from mild to severe. Food intolerance occurs when an individual has difficulty digesting a particular food.
Please contact our registered dietitian or ingredient specialist for any questions or help with personalizing dietary plans for food allergies or intolerances.
For special request meals, our staff is trained to take every precaution in preventing cross-contact among foods. This is done by using separate serving utensils and equipment among various food items. Great care is taken by the Campus Dining staff to ensure best serving practices are followed. There are still some dining situations in which cross-contact is a possibility. For strict allergen concerns, please ask a manager who can assist you in selecting appropriate food options.
In addition, ingredients and nutritional content may vary. Manufacturers may change their product formulation or consistency without our knowledge and product availability may fluctuate. While we make every effort to identify ingredients, we cannot assure against these contingencies. It is, therefore, ultimately the responsibility of the customer to judge whether to question ingredients or eat selected foods. Regarding sesame, manufacturers are not required to list sesame when in natural flavors, flavorings and spices. For questions regarding ingredients, please consult a Campus Dining manager at any time.
Campus Dining understands dietary needs for Gluten intolerance or Celiac disease and how it can affect your overall health. For most people, gluten is a good thing. But for individuals who are genetically predisposed, gluten leads to an immune reaction which can cause damage and the inability to absorb nutrients.
Gluten-free menu items are offered daily throughout many of our dining locations. However, we are not a gluten-free campus. So, if you suffer from Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, please reach out to our dietitian or ingredient specialist to discuss your options.
Plant-based menu items are offered daily and are widely available throughout a variety of dining locations on campus.
Halal-friendly and Halal-certified foods are served at select dining locations on campus.
Marked decals used to label and bring attention to Halal, Gluten-Free and Plant-Based diets can be seen on grab-and-go food items in the markets throughout campus, as well as in the dining halls.
If you believe your food allergy or special dietary consideration substantially limits one or more major life activities, and could require a classroom accommodation, please contact Accessibility Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at ou.edu/adrc
The following tips can help you be proactive in self-managing your food allergy or special dietary needs:
Fran Olsen Sharp, MS, RD, LD
Registered Dietitian
franos@ou.edu
Dorothy Flowers
Ingredient Specialist
dflowers@ou.edu
