By WHITNEY WORLEY/Staff Writer
UT Tyler student Syndey Williamson is constantly on guard because her nut and dairy allergies make it difficult to eat out.
“There is dairy in a lot of things that you don’t think about; I usually eat at home,” Williamson said.
Williamson is not alone when come to living with food allergies and dietary restrictions.
“Every 10 seconds, a food allergy sends a patient to the emergency room,” according to Foodallergy.org. “An estimated 33 million Americans suffer from a food allergy, which can severely limit life activities.”
Sodexo, the company that operates all food services at UT Tyler, helps accommodate students with dietary restrictions. Students who live on campus have a meal plan with food selections in the University Center.
Health and Wellness Coordinator Charlotte Chalder works closely with students who have dietary needs.
“They come through us, and I guide them through what we have to offer,” Chalder said.
Part of Chalder’s job is to make sure all allergy and nutritional information displayed on the menu boards at each station in the Met is correct and up to date.
WORKING WITH SAR
Students with dietary restrictions submit their paperwork to the Student Accessibility and Resources (SAR) Office which processes it and sends the information to UT Tyler’s regional dietician, Kelsey Rosenbaum.
Rosenbaum then meets with the student via Zoom to discuss accommodations.
Once the student and Rosenbaum determine the best option, the information is sent back to the SAR office for processing. If approved to eat on campus, the student may meet with the culinary team to know who to reach out to with concerns.
According to Director of Student Accessibility Dawn Sousa-Hearn, the campus is generally able to meet a student’s dietary needs.
“We want to make sure the student feels comfortable and trusts our services,” Chalder said.
Chef Rommie Thomas said accommodations start with the allergen information postings on the menu boards at the Met, but “if there is something they don’t see on the menu such as our gluten free pizza or gluten free buns, they can come up and ask for it and we cook it to order.”
USE EVERYDAY APP
Students are also encouraged to use the Everyday app, which has meals, allergen and nutritional information posted two weeks in advance.
“That is one way for students who have these issues to check in advance, so they aren’t wasting a meal swipe or know to eat elsewhere on campus that day,” Chalder said.
Students and their dining experience are important to the Sodexo team.
“We want to help them get through college because it can be a challenging time for students,” Thomas said. “That is the biggest thing, interacting with the students so they know that someone cares.”
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