As college students, finding food, and more particularly, food that we like, is a daily challenge. That challenge is heightened, however, when you have excessive food allergies to worry about. For those who can relate, you may have faced the following problems when dealing with food on and off campus.
1. When someone offers you food, and you don’t want to seem rude, but you also don’t want to suffer a reaction. So you piece together an awkward “no, thank you.”
2. Eating out. And taking ten minutes to explain your circumstances to the waiter.
And when the gluten-free menu is just that – only gluten-free. “But is it dairy free and nut free, too?”
3. This tends to be your motto when eating out:
“I’m not on a diet, I just literally can’t eat anything in here except the salad. And no croutons, please.”
4. Accidentally eating something you shouldn’t have, taking allergy medicine, and being half asleep for the rest of the night.
5. When people suggest cooking or baking something for fun…
…and you’re more focused on how to strategically suggest another, less complicated, “fun” activity.
6. You appreciate the little things, like this. Even if you don’t intend on eating it.
Because in reality, the world seems more like this:
So as you trek on through the world full of gluten, nuts, and other allergens, at least know that you’re not alone. Somebody else out there is figuring out their restaurant explanation spiel as well. And at the end of the day, your diet is most likely the healthiest of the people you know, because you likely can’t just pick up a chocolate bar without reading all of the labels (and at that point, you just end up not even trying).