I had no idea how difficult mealtimes could be until I found out that I had a gluten allergy. Prior to being notified of my allergy, I could eat whatever I wanted. I could go out to eat and order anything off the menu, I could eat everything at Thanksgiving dinner, and I never had to ask people about what was used to prepare a dish. Yeah, it may have made me sick after, but since I never realized that it was due to gluten, I lived a blissfully ignorant and gluten-filled life. Flash forward to today, and meals are much trickier. I can’t eat breads, pasta, breaded chicken, cookies, flour, and a host of other foods. And, I have to be careful when eating out because gluten is often hidden in sauces and dressings. On top of that, it is still a mystery to most people what gluten actually is, so it’s always my job to make sure that whatever they are handing me actually doesn’t have gluten in it. It’s not fun, but reactions to gluten exposure are substantially worse, so it has just become something that I live with.
One of the great things about being at Kenyon is that Peirce and the AVI staff are really great about working with students who have allergies. Over the three semesters that I’ve been here, I’ve gotten to know all of the chefs really well, and I enjoy stopping by to see them at meal times to chat and get some yummy gluten-free food. It’s awesome because there have been foods that they are able to make gluten free here that I haven’t had since I stopped eating gluten. They do an amazing job, and I always leave Peirce feeling full and happy.
Unfortunately, the dining experience that a gluten-free individual has in Peirce is relatively atypical compared to the rest of campus. I still find that going out to eat is less exciting now that I’m gluten free because there are often times when the only food that I can eat is the house salad (with gluten-free dressing). And, although this has definitely made me come to appreciate salads more, it can be frustrating when gluten-free options are few and far between.
This becomes especially apparent on the weekends. Although mealtimes tend to be fairly regular during the week, once it becomes Friday night, people are out so late that snacks and extra meals are often consumed well past the time that Peirce has closed. Additionally, many people choose to drink on the weekends. It’s important to have a hearty and substantial meal before ingesting a bunch of alcohol, and, I can tell you definitively that a salad is not that hearty meal that you want before a night of drinking and partying. This becomes an issue for gluten-free individuals because once Peirce is closed, there are significantly less places on campus to find gluten-free food. As I’ve become more acquainted with the campus though, I’ve found some great ways to juggle a gluten-free lifestyle on the weekends. Here are my top tips:
Eat a lot at dinner
As I already mentioned, once Peirce is closed, you’re kind of on your own when it comes to obtaining gluten-free food, and when it comes to be after midnight and the market has closed too, you’re really out of luck. So, instead of waiting until you’re starving before bed, prepare for the night early. Eat a healthy and hearty meal at Peirce when you get dinner, and make sure that you drink a lot of water too. The more you eat now, the less hungry you’ll be later. And it’s free, so why not take advantage?
Keep snacks on hand
If you eat your dinner at Peirce and you find yourself hungry later, make sure that you have gluten-free snacks around. Often times when you go to parties they’ll have pizza or other gluten-filled foods, so it’s not a good idea to rely on places that you end up at to have something for you to eat. Instead, pack a snack for the road, or leave out something for yourself to eat when you get home. If I’m planning on going out one night and I know that I don’t have a lot of food back in my room, I also like to pick up something from Peirce while I’m at dinner, so I can save it for later.
Drink Water!
You know what’s gluten free? Pure, refreshing water. Drink some. If you’re like me, nights out mean lots of dancing, walking, and general fun, but they also mean dehydration. Don’t let yourself get dehydrated because not only will it make you feel tired and sluggish, but it may lead you to be tempted to drink or eat something that you shouldn’t (Gluten!). And, I promise that you will definitely regret that the next morning
Speaking of drinking, be cautious of the punch
For those of you who are of age and able to drink alcoholic beverages (weekends are still fun if you don’t!), you know that party punch is a big hit at college parties. It’s a general rule of thumb that you should always know who made the punch before you drink it, but this is even more important for people with gluten allergies. Beer punch is a thing, and it doesn’t taste like beer at all. So, you could be drinking a fruity punch with no idea that it has an allergen in it. Make sure that you ask the host if you aren’t sure!
And, be informed on which drinks have gluten
There are a surprising amount of popular fruity drinks that are made with gluten. Ritas, for instance, are a very popular, but also very gluten-y beverage that you will often find at parties. Avoid them. Go for hard cider or a mixed drink instead.
Keep breakfast on hand for the morning after
If any of you are like me, you get up way before Peirce opens on Sundays, which means that you’re on your own for breakfast. I like to keep oatmeal and cereal on hand so that I have something to sustain me for the morning while I do my work. It beats shelling out a ton of money for overpriced gluten-free food at the store.
Although a gluten-free lifestyle can be inconvenient at times, it is by no means impossible to manage. As long as you prepare for your weekends and plan ahead when going out, you shouldn’t have to worry about gluten exposure. Parties are fun; gluten, not so much.
Image Credit: Social Broadcast Network, Her Campus, CDN