By Lucia Ray Oshirak, Reporter
ROME, Ga. — Nearly one-third of Berry College students report food allergies or dietary restrictions, according to Sam Cooper, general manager of Berry College Dining Services.
In response to student feedback, in August 2023 the dining hall added the True Balance station to serve allergen-free meals. Dining Services plans to expand True Balance service to weekends, as well, Cooper said.
It’s a rapidly changing landscape,” said Cooper, who is in his third year at Berry. “Food allergies in general, generation upon generation, are on the rise. We will adapt the dining hall as well as we can to make sure that the students have a safe place to eat.”
In fact, the True Balance station was a direct response to students expressing the need for safe dining options, he said.
Meals dispensed by the station lack the nine most common food allergens: Eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, soy, wheat, fish and sesame. They are also gluten-free.
In addition, Dining Services requires staff to take certified food allergy training, and the station is in an isolated location away from the rest of the dining hall’s food dispensaries to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.
Since it opened more than a year ago, the True Balance station has been getting overwhelmingly positive student feedback, Cooper said.
On the move
However, the dining hall realizes that there is a need for constant adaptation.
“I think there’s always things that we can learn,” said Eric Warner, location manager and director of retail operations. “We always meet new people with new needs, but that inspires us to keep trying to find and provide solutions.”
He said it is his nightmare that he meets a student well into a semester who reports having been dealing with celiac or a microbial peanut allergy on their own.
“I like to meet them at the beginning of the semester when we can come up with a game plan about how they can eat comfortably and safely in the dining hall,” said Warner, who has been with Berry Dining for more than 10 years. These game plans can include personalized meal plan developed in consultation with the student, as well as with chef Shawn Lawrence and dietician Marissa Castano.
“In some cases, they even prepare individual meals with specific ingredients to accommodate unique needs,” Warner said.
Religious beliefs
Junior accounting major Harvy Patel said she appreciates the inclusive options. As a Hindu, she was raised a vegetarian.
“A lot of Hindus practice vegetarianism because we value animal life and view all life as being sacred,” she said. “I’ve been going out of my way to consume a lot of beans and tofu and making sure that I eat enough of that for proper protein intake. And it’s easy to do that because D-hall does provide a lot of tofu.”
She said she also appreciates being included in the conversation about what to offer.
“A manager approached me just last week and asked me what my thoughts were on D-hall and feedback on what they could be done better,” she said. “I’ve seen them actually work towards that and incorporate that feedback to make things better.”
And it’s not just about students. Dining Services employs several staff members with dietary restrictions and allergies themselves. They, too, need a safe dining experience, Warner said.
What to do if you have a food allergy at Berry
Berry’s Dining Services has a webpage, Food Allergies & Special Diets, that guides students through the process of securing accommodations for their meals. The webpage advises students to:
- Notify the dining team of your allergies and/or special dietary needs (which can be done through the same website with a contact tab that brings you to the dining team contacts).
- Schedule a meeting with the dining team to develop a plan for navigating dining locations and meal plans.
- Keep in touch with the dining team to ensure ongoing support.