For as long as I can remember, I have had a love/hate relationship with food. Don’t get me wrong, I loved eating as much as the next person, but the repercussions made me regret it every time. Imagine if you were forced to deal with cramps, bloating, and stomach pains every time you ate; you’d hate it too. Allow me to explain: I have a gluten allergy, but it went undiagnosed until this past summer, meaning I ate gluten/wheat products every day, multiple times a day, for the past nineteen years of my life. FAIL.
When I was first diagnosed, I was devastated. I didn’t understand exactly what gluten was, but my elementary understanding was that I could no longer eat bread, cookies, pancakes, or basically anything worth eating. I mean, who wants to eat when they can’t eat what they want? After the initial shock wore off that I would basically have to start living on a permanent diet, I became very nervous about how I would eat at school. My mom was very supportive at home and spent hours preparing special foods for me around the house, but I knew I couldn’t ask her to continue doing that once I headed back to Brandeis. My doctor told me to contact dining services to learn more about my special dining options, but knowing how unaccommodating Brandeis can sometimes be, I was hesitant.
Nevertheless, I called the health center later that day to set up an appointment with Laura O’Gara, the nutritionist on campus. I was pleasantly surprised with how friendly and sympathetic she sounded over the phone, and after speaking with her for a few minutes, she assured me that I would have nothing to worry about. When I finally met her in person, she gave me an in-depth explanation of all my options, plus I got a snazzy little sticker for my ID that gave me access to the gluten free fridge behind the sandwich station. Sure, I get funny looks and even a few comments from my friends asking me when I started working in Usdan when I walk behind the counter, but I think they’re just jealous. HA.
Basically, in my opinion, Usdan is your best bet if you need to eat gluten free. I may be slightly biased because I haven’t set foot in Sherman since freshman year, but Usdan offers a wide range of options at all times of the day. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely times that are easier than others to get gluten free food. There have been days when I get so frustrated with the lack of variety (Sunday night, nearly empty C-store, you know what I mean) that I strongly consider grabbing a box of crackers, which are a gluten-free person’s NIGHTMARE, just because I’m too lazy to get creative with the few options I do have. However, most of the time, there’s more than enough for me to choose from.
For example, the kitchen in lower Usdan will prepare special gluten free meals on a request-only basis for students who call before 10am. All you have to do is tell them exactly what you want from their special gluten-free menu, tell them what time you plan on eating, and they’ll have it waiting in the kitchen for your when you arrive. If you don’t want to deal with special ordering your food, you can still eat most of what lower Usdan has to offer, just be sure to check with someone from the kitchen before you choose something. The C-store has also recently started carrying tons of gluten-free snacks and meals, such as Pop Chips and some of the Amy’s frozen dinners (the Macaroni and Cheese is fabulous).
If you know me at all, I’m sure you’ve heard me complain more than once about how much I despise being on a meal plan because it’s so difficult to eat gluten free. Okay, you caught me – I’m being overly dramatic. Sure, sometimes it’s difficult to stay gluten free, but to be honest, one of the most difficult parts is the temptation. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve wanted to order a sandwich on regular bread because Usdan doesn’t carry gluten free baguettes. I’m not going to lie, staying gluten free isn’t easy. It definitely takes an adjustment period, and I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, but it’s not impossible, even in the dining halls. Brandeis offers a wide range of options, some of which I’ve detailed above, but if you’re struggling with a gluten free diet, I highly recommend using the resources Brandeis provides. Step one is to make an appointment with the nutritionist, and she will help you the rest of the way.