Northwestern University

Verified
Dining Services
Made-to-order items
Made-to-order items
[Yes, for all stations]
How are ingredients available?
Table: Ingredient Info Availability
Top 8 allergens, online database
[No]
Full ingredients, online database
[Yes]
Top 8 allergens, a list is posted in the dining hall
[No]
Full ingredients, a list is posted in the dining hall
[Yes]
Top 8 allergens, available on request in the dining hall
[Yes]
Full ingredients, available on request in the dining hall
[Yes]

 
Top 8 Allergens
Full Ingredients

Other
Ingredients are listed in the dining commons by each dish and online. Ingredients and nutrition information is also available on line via a dine on campus app for Northwestern (for dishes in the dining commons) up to one week in advance.
Additional Information

Digital and paper signage of ingredients is found in dining commons by dishes. This information is also easily found online through a dine on campus app specific to Northwestern. If ingredients are not listed, students can ask a chef and they will share the ingredients or show students the ingredients on a box or package. Recipes are also shared with students is necessary as there are no secret recipes.

1. We provide access to ingredient information for made-to-order* items. *Made-to-order - Meals that are prepared on request and to your specification in the dining hall. Examples include a sandwich station, omelet station, burrito station, etc.

Self-Serve Items
Self-Serve Items
[Yes, for all stations]
How are ingredients available?
Table: Ingredient Info Availability
Top 8 allergens, online database
[No]
Full ingredients, online database
[Yes]
Top 8 allergens, a list is posted in the dining hall
[No]
Full ingredients, a list is posted in the dining hall
[Yes]
Top 8 allergens, available on request in the dining hall
[Yes]
Full ingredients, available on request in the dining hall
[Yes]

 
Top 8 Allergens
Full Ingredients

Other
Pure Eats stations, available in all of the dining commons, avoid gluten and the top nine allergens.
Additional Information

We post all of our ingredients in the dining commons, by the dish, as well as online. If there is a question, students are encouraged to ask a manager or chef or dietitian. Because we are a food service operation with open kitchens (and not in a manufacturing facility) we focus on listing ingredients rather than listing allergens as you might see on packaged goods. Pre-packaged goods use allergen "contains" statements. 

2. We provide access to ingredient information for self-serve* items. *Self-serve - Meals that are served buffet-style in a dining hall. These are typically high risk for cross-contact and are best avoided by diners with food allergies.

Made-To-Order Areas
Made-to-order areas
[Yes, in all stations]
Additional information

We take care to avoid cross contact as much as possible. Our associates are trained to avoid cross contact by changing their gloves and cleaning and changing out utensils when they change tasks and make or serve different recipes. Chefs and associates have taken allergen trainings at least once a year. Informal allergen trainings (such as pre-shift) are frequent.  For Pure Eats stations (these stations avoid gluten and the top nine food allergens), associates are careful to prepare ingredients in separate areas and cook foods for our allergy-friendly stations in separate ovens. Purple-handled utensils, cookware, cutting boards and thermometers are used when prepping Pure Eats dishes. Pure Eats stations are located in all of our dining commons. In one dining commons (Foster Walker Plex East), the entire area is Pure Eats and students have an opportunity to serve themselves.

3. We have procedures in place to lower the risk of cross-contact in made-to-order areas.

Self-Serve Areas
Self-Serve Areas
[Yes, in all areas]
Additional Information

All cooks and chefs are allergen trained at least once a school year, and often more frequently. We focus on cross contact as much of our food is self-served.  We work to educate our associates (cooks, frontline associates) to follow standardized recipes as written so as not to introduce any item to the dish that is not on the recipe card. Frequent production audits are performed to assess recipe adherence and production processes and to stay informed of new products being purchased. Separate serving utensils are used to serve each dish or food item and utensils are changed frequently to mitigate guest cross-contact. We also work to get to know students with food allergies so they feel comfortable speaking up as we are here to help them navigate dining safely.

In addition, Northwestern University has been working closely with Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, a pediatrician, leading allergy researcher at Northwestern, founder of the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR), and author of Food Without Fear, a book on living with food allergies. Dr. Gupta's team worked with NU Dining to create an educational video, allergy passport and toolkit to help incoming students prepare to navigate dining and advocate for themselves.

4. We have procedures in place to lower the risk of cross-contact in self-serve areas.

Pre-Order Meals
Do students have access to pre-order meals free from their allergens?
[Yes]
Additional information

We work closely with students to determine what they need and help them any way we can including pre-order meals when necessary. Our preference is to help students be their own advocate -- help them choosing safe food given their likes and food restrictions.   

5. We have pre-order meals* available. *Pre-order meals - Custom meals that can be ordered in advance by a diner so they are ready for pick up at a specific time. Typically these can be ordered online or by phone/text.

Allergy-Friendly Station
Do students have access to an allergy-friendly station(s) that is free from specific allergens?
[Yes]
What is the station free from?
Peanut
Tree nut
Fish
Shellfish
Eggs
Wheat
Soy
Milk
Gluten
Sesame
Additional Information

We have Pure Eats stations in all of our four residential dining commons. These stations avoid gluten and the top nine food allergens including sesame. These stations are all served by a cook or chef (never self-served, except in Plex East dining common, which is all Pure Eats) and consist of a main dish, vegetable side, grain or starch side, salad and cut fruit. We also have an Avoiding Gluten breakfast pantry area in all dining commons that features gluten-free cereals and gluten-free bread with toaster.

In addition, peanuts and tree nuts do not enter our residential kitchens, so we do not cook or bake with them.  We use sunflower butter instead of peanut butter, and have individual portions of sunflower available to students to help prevent cross contact. 

Ingredients are listed at each stations; this information is also available on-line on our dine on campus app: https://dineoncampus.com/northwestern/whats-on-the-menu

Our chefs know to share ingredient labels with students.

We also make a point of providing individual tours for any students/parents who would to meet our chefs and ask questions and have a more personal view of how we handle foods to keep students safe.

6. We have an allergy-friendly station*. *Allergy-friendly station - A food station where specific ingredients are banned, typically including many or all items in the Top 8 allergens and gluten.

Dining Services Staff Member Trained?
Dining services staff trained?
[Yes, all staff]
How often?
At least once a year
Which course(s) are used?
FARECheck Certified course
ServSafe Allergen by National Restaurant Association
We developed our own food allergy training.
Compass Group (contract caterer for Northwestern) has partnered with FARE to create robust allergen training for all chefs, managers and associates. We also have created individual training specific for Northwestern. We make the training interactive
Additional information

We conduct allergen training for our associate at least twice a school year, and we have frequent reminder training. We show associates our food allergy video recently created and provide information pocket cards to reinforce information. We also have a scenario training program in which cooks and associates work on different scenarios in the kitchen and share what they would do. This helps cooks understand and work through real-life situations with food allergies.  

7. We train dining services staff members.

Registered Dietitian on Staff?
Do you have a registered dietitian on staff?
[Yes]

8. We have a registered dietitian* on staff. *Registered dietitian - Registered dietitians are food and nutrition experts who are often tasked with helping students with food allergies navigate the dining halls.

Campus Life & Disabilities
RAs Trained
RA’s trained
[Yes]
What training?
University-developed training
Our dining director presents to the RAs in the fall and shares tools and a video featuring NU students with food allergies and what to do. The video provides real life stories from students to help RAs know what to do and to be empathetic to their needs.
What topics are covered?

Food allergies, symptoms of anaphylaxis, what to do in case of an emergency and who to speak with to help students

9. We train our RA's.

Inclusive Resident Life Programs Including Food
Inclusive resident life programs involving food?
[Yes]
How can students access safe foods for resident life programs?

Yes, dining works closely with housing and AccessibleNU to help students with food allergies or diet restrictions. This may be in the form of room mate matching, introducing students to others with similar food restrictions (buddy system) or providing accommodations in housing or dining.

10. We have inclusive resident life programs* including food. *Inclusive resident life programs - Programs in the resident halls often include food. Inclusive resident life programs will offer students with food allergies the opportunity to request safe food alternatives for events they attend in the dorms.

Accommodations for Roommate Assignments
ROLLUP - Accommodations for roommate assignments
[Not answered]
How does the school provide accommodations?
Trying to match students with food allergies for room assignments upon request
Facilitating roommate agreements involving food allergies upon request
Working with students to change roommate assignments if it becomes necessary
Does the housing office process requests?
Yes
Where can students get more information?

11. We offer accommodations for roommate assignments. *Every accommodation request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. A housing accommodation cannot be guaranteed prior to an individual evaluation.

Disability Services Office Processes Food Allergy and Celiac Disease Accommodation Requests
Disability services office processes food allergy and celiac disease accommodation requests
[Yes]
How can students submit an accommodations request?

https://www.northwestern.edu/living/current/housing-dining-accommodation-requests.html

Students wishing to request housing and/or meal plan accommodations may do so via Northwestern's Housing & Dining Accommodation Portal. All requests are reviewed by a University committee comprised of members from Undergraduate Financial Aid, Counseling and Psychological Services, Residential Services, University Health Service, Northwestern Dining, the Dean of Students Office, and other campus partners.

Every effort is made to accommodate students’ needs within our housing system and meal plan using the alternatives available. The meal plan contract does not permit exceptions based on religious dictates, personal food choice or preferences (e.g. vegetarianism), or other non-medically-based, dietary requirements. If a request for a meal plan accommodation is received, the University’s dietitian will be consulted and recommend a final decision.

12. Our disability office processes food allergy and celiac disease accommodation requests.

Health Services
What health services are offered?
Seasonal allergy shots

See what health services we offer >

Emergency Response
Stock, Undesignated Epinephrine Available for Emergency Response
Stock, undesignated epinephrine for emergencies
[No]
Additional information

We strongly encourage students to carry their own medications (including epinephrine) with them at all times. This is one of the first steps we encourage students to take to advocate for themselves. We also encourage students with food allergies to share their allergies with their roommate, RA and close friends and how they can help if they experience an allergic reaction. We believe college is the perfect time for students to actively participate in their own allergen management and advocate for themselves, with our help.

13. We have stock, undesignated epinephrine* available for emergency response. *Stock, undesignated epinephrine - Epinephrine that is prescribed to a college or university rather than to a particular student. This epinephrine is kept on hand to use for any student that experiences anaphylaxis.

Campus Emergency Responders Carry Epinephrine
Campus emergency responders carry epinephrine
[Yes]
Who are the emergency responders?
On-campus emergency responders
City emergency responders
County emergency responders

14. Our campus emergency responders carry epinephrine.

Contact Info
Dining Services Staff Contact
Madeline McDonough, MS, RDN, LDN
stacey.brown1@northwestern.edu
Disability Staff Contact
Last updated on:
February 15, 2023
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