Vanderbilt University Campus Dining has been recognized with the prestigious 2023 Best Overall Food Allergy Program for Universities award, presented by AllerTrain. This award acknowledges Vanderbilt’s continued commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students, regardless of food allergies or dietary restrictions.
Vanderbilt’s Campus Dining team understands the impact food allergies and intolerances can have on students and takes great care in providing students the support they need to manage their food allergy or food-related medical condition on campus.
Central to this effort is the NetNutrition tool (available at vu.edu/menus), a user-friendly resource that allows students to easily locate allergy-friendly options across campus dining locations. In addition, dining halls are equipped with Nutrislice menu display boards and digital menu tags, clearly indicating allergen information for each dish.
Vanderbilt proudly offers specialized dining options, such as gluten-free meals at the Kitchen at Kissam and made-to-order smoothies and sauté bowls, free from the top nine9 allergens, at the 2301 dining concept in Rand Dining Center. Several residential dining halls have also achieved certification as peanut- and tree nut-free environments. These dining halls and kitchens are regularly swab tested to ensure compliance with allergen certification.
For students with the most severe allergies, Vanderbilt offers the OrderIT online ordering system, enabling students to pre-order meals customized to their dietary needs, ensuring a safe and enjoyable dining experience. All students, regardless of food allergies or intolerances, have access to confidential one-on-one dietary and nutrition counseling services. To schedule a consultation, students can email dietitian@vanderbilt.edu.
Moreover, the dietary assistance program, headed by registered dietitian Emily Svennevik, provides personalized consultations to develop tailored meal plans and address specific dietary requirements.
Most recently, Campus Dining implemented epinephrine pens in dining halls, making it the first university in Tennessee to adopt this life-saving initiative. Inspired by a student with severe food allergies, this commitment to student safety exemplifies Vanderbilt’s dedication to fostering a secure environment.
Svennevik recently received a note from the parent of a Vanderbilt student with severe food allergies. Expressing their gratitude, the parent wrote, “I wanted to thank you and the dining staff for providing my daughter with wonderful gluten-free meals this year at Vanderbilt. Her diet has felt natural and easy to her because of the great care you all have taken to plan and prepare meals. It really means a lot to us.”
For more information on Vanderbilt’s commitment to dietary assistance and food allergy support, visit the Campus Dining website.