The only made-to-order station within the Union Drive Marketplace Dining Hall is at the deli station. All ingredient information is available online, and with point of sale labels.
All self-serve venues have point of sale labels that include ingredient information, as well as any Top 8 allergens highlighted. The label includes basic ingredients, but using a free QR code scanner application a QR code can be scanned and the full ingredient listing will come up. This is the same listing that is available for all locations on our dining website.
ISU Dining has policy in place with staff to minimize any possible cross-contact as possible. Due to not being able to control actions of students and other guests, we have our Special Diet Kitchen (SDK) that is a separate prep-area that is connected to the main dining hall in the Union Drive Marketplace Dining Hall. The Special Diet Kitchen is designed to be gluten-free, peanut and tree nut-free, and is a self-serve venue. It contains many food items and menus that are free of the Top 9 allergens. Students wishing to eat in the SDK must verify medical need with Student Accessibility Services on campus; this is to keep the high integrity and effectiveness of the Special Diet Kitchen program.
Students who have access to the Special Diet Kitchen can take a "To Go" meal due to slightly limited options in other locations. They need to come into the dining hall, and the Special Diet Kitchen, and then fill up a to-go box and leave the dining hall in a side door.
Students can also order meal/item accommodations on the GET app from various campus locations such as ordering a gluten-free bun or no bun, non-dairy alternatives for coffee drinks, etc. Students can call ahead at one of the dining centers and request gluten-free meal options that will be ready in 10-15 minutes when the student arrives, eliminating their need to wait for something to be prepared while their friends eat.
We offer a unique Special Diet Kitchen located within Union Drive Marketplace that is free from the top 8 allergens and can accommodate various other food restrictions for medical purposes.
Food allergy 101, anaphylaxis, limiting cross-contact, label reading, and university policies related to assisting a student who potentially might have a reaction. The bulk of our training's is related to prevention of a reaction, but we have policy and procedures in place in the rare occasion a reaction does occur.
Department of Residence staff (including hall directors and community advisers) have the option of coming to an annual training with the registered dietitian during their training day. If resident life programs utilize ISU Dining food, then appropriate allergen accommodations can be made.
No; Dining and Student Accessibility Services collaborate with Department of Residence to ensure students who utilize the Special Diet Kitchen are placed in housing assignments on the same side of campus. This is only able to happen if students get Special Diet Kitchen approval prior to housing assignments being placed, but some additional accommodations are able to happen.
Detailed 1-3 steps are located on both the Dining website, as well as the Student Accessibility Services website links that are provided above.
Timeliness is important for accommodations ensuring students utilizing the Special Diet Kitchen are placed in housing assignments on the same side of campus. Please aim to have the required paperwork completed by the end of May prior to starting at Iowa State University in the fall. If given enough time, we can coordinate with the Department of Housing to re-arrange housing assignments to be on the same side of campus if the original housing location is not near the Special Diet Kitchen.
ISU Dining employees are unable to assist with administrating epinephrine. ISU and Ames police are able to assist. The registered dietitian encourages students with allergies to always eat with a friend who understand their allergen needs and are able to recognize a reaction.