Dorm Life

[biomech-athlete]

I am in my junior year of college and still living in the dorms which means I also have a meal plan. I have been diagnosed in the past few weeks with Celiac Disease I have talked to the head of food services here and they go above and beyond to highlight the weekly menus with items that are gluten free. However, the amount of choices fluctuate from week to week. I am finding that there are very few appealing choices. Mainly I eat fruit and salad (but even then, the salad dressings are not gluten free). I am starting to get burned out with the repetitive good choices and I'm afraid I'll damage my health by eating gluten-free junk food which I have found is fairly accessible on campus. I also have very few, if any, options to cook myself (also, I usually mess up big time in the kitchen, even with supervision). I am going to be stuck almost choiceless while I'm at school, or is there another route I can go?

[Sarah-0608]

WOW i am in the exact same position, I just got diagnosed with celiacs four weeks ago and since they force freshmen to eat on the mealplan I've been forced to live on gluten-free granola bars, salad and fruit. Dining service says they are willing to help me but I still would have to convince the cooks to cook me something special and they are not usually happy about it. Its so frustrating since I know I could cook for myself but I'm stuck with this instead.

Sorry that probably doesn't help you...but I guess we both need answers now.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

If they can't provide properly for you then you can ask to be off the meal plan and fend for yourself. There are laws and stuff about this sort of thing and being Celiac is considered as having a disability, so, they have to take it seriously. There is no reason that they can't give you nutritious and healthy food like they do the other students. . .eating only fruit and nuts isn't healthy.

I recently graduated and went to a University that didn't do meal plans. However, when I did study abroad I was to either be on the meal plan or get the money back and find my own food. Luckily, the staff at the kitchens in Spain were the sweetest and most wonderful people ever and made me something for each meal that was gluten-free and vegan.

Good luck and don't give up!

[kbtoyssni]

You could try getting yourself on a 504 plan. It's a legal document that will require them to provide food for you, and I'm sure you could put something in there about fruit and salad and the same meal over and over not counting as providing proper food. If they can't provide food, I think they'd have to either put you in a dorm with access to a kitchen or allow you to opt out of the meal plan.

[purple]

Here is a thread with some ideas:

Open Original Shared Link

[biomech-athlete]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I had no idea that Celiac is covered in the ADA. I already go through disability services and counseling services for depression, so that is definitely something I can bring up to them. I know someone who was able to get a dorm room to himself by going through disability services. I'm going to look into getting off the meal plan. Does anybody know of any easy recipes I might be able to start out on? I suck horribly at cooking and our kitchens (if they can be called that) set off the fire alarms very easily. Thanks again for your suggestions!

[bbuster]

One staple at our house is frozen Taquitos - several kinds are gluten free. All you have to do is heat them.

Tacos are easy too - you can make up extra taco meat and freeze it. Just read the label carefully for the taco seasoning - some have gluten. We use McCormicks.

[purple]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I had no idea that Celiac is covered in the ADA. I already go through disability services and counseling services for depression, so that is definitely something I can bring up to them. I know someone who was able to get a dorm room to himself by going through disability services. I'm going to look into getting off the meal plan. Does anybody know of any easy recipes I might be able to start out on? I suck horribly at cooking and our kitchens (if they can be called that) set off the fire alarms very easily. Thanks again for your suggestions!

No cooking, and healthy: Layered Bean Dip

Get a flat dish or bowl (can opener too) and spread a can of refried beans on it. Sprinkle with some McCormick taco seasoning if desired. Top with salsa. Then start stacking on some favorite fresh veggies or whatever you like: sour cream, cheese, tomato, green onion, olives, avocado, peppers, etc. Serve with tortilla chips. Great to take to a dorm party too.

Nachos...chips, cheese, beans, canned or fresh tomatoes, green onions. Melt the cheese on the chips in a microwave and top. Heat chili too if desired and pour on the chips.

[MollyBeth]

One staple at our house is frozen Taquitos - several kinds are gluten free. All you have to do is heat them.

OMG!!!! Taquitos are gluten free!?!?! You just amde my month BBuster!!! I've not gone gluten free yet but am mourning the loss of all my favorite foods and those were on the list of things I had planned to do away with!!!

[babysteps]

A few things that worked well for me when I was in grad school:

Make a big batch of pasta sauce - in a (non-stick makes clean up easier) soup pot brown some ground beef or ground turkey with chopped onions, add canned tomatoes, fresh plum tomatoes cut in eighths, seasoning (salt, pepper, oregano, basil, or what you like), garlic if you wish. When it's done, eat some over rice or gluten-free pasta, let the rest cool, put single servings into separate plastic containers or zip-locs, put in the freezer. You can make enough for a couple meals a week for months this way! Defrost by either microwaving, putting in the fridge the day before you want to eat it, or cooking it in with your rice. If you are vegan or veggie, can substitute some beans for the meat. If you like a sweeter sauce, put in sliced carrots with the tomatoes. You can also use pre-made sauce instead of the individual ingredients (more $, less time).

Rice - you can cook a week's worth at once and put in the fridge, cuts down on total time spent cooking during the week. Same with quinoa if it's in your budget, re-heated it holds up very well (can add more seasoning the second time around & saute it a bit if you wish, but even just microwaved it's fine).

An entire pan of lasagna - gluten-free noodles, as much or little meat as you wish, eggplant helps stretch your meat dollar and can act as a visual guide for cutting portions - again, can freeze portions individually if you don't want lasagna for dinner all week.

Hearty stews - rice, gluten-free pasta, or bean-based with sausage, veggies, seasoning - again, make a huge batch and refrigerate or freeze the 'leftovers' - cook once, eat many times!

Chicken - depends whether $ or time is more critical to you. If $, buy whole chicken, section, can cook the bones with water, veggies & seasoning for your own stock. Freeze what you won't eat right away. Saute individual pieces or bake. The frozen pieces you can actually cook right from the freezer in the same pot as rice - if white rice, chicken & rice are done at the same time. If brown rice, check - chicken takes about 20 minutes or so.

Baked macaroni & cheese - cook gluten-free elbow macaroni, put in a casserole with a mixture of egg & milk - I used the dump method, here are some guesses as to amounts if using a smallish, square baking dish - likely 3/4 cup raw pasta, 1c milk, 1 egg (scramble the egg in the milk then pour over the cooked pasta). grated or cubed cheese (cheddar works great) and canned tuna, or ham, or spinach (fresh or frozen). bake at 350 until slightly browned on top.

For most veggies, steaming is quick & easy. I used lots of broccoli and cauliflower, which both hold up well as re-heatable leftovers.

If you have too much 'pale' food, buy some tumeric (the poor person's saffron) to jazz things up -- with all the rice, pasta, cauliflower, turkey, chicken - it can start feeling like a blizzard

Good luck, happy safe eating!!

[biomech-athlete]

Very cool! These sound like great (and yummy) ideas. I'm hoping to get a refund on my meal plan that I've barely used so I can go out and buy good food to eat. Everybody who knows me would keel over in shock at this, but I actually miss pasta. I'm really excited to try the gluten-free stuff. Fortunately, I can still have some of my favorite cereals like Captain Crunch and Kix.

[bbuster]

OMG!!!! Taquitos are gluten free!?!?! You just made my month BBuster!!! I've not gone gluten free yet but am mourning the loss of all my favorite foods and those were on the list of things I had planned to do away with!!!

Yes, two brands that I know are gluten free are El Monterey and Delimex. Just check closely, as they can be made with (wheat) flour tortillas or corn tortillas.

[modiddly16]

I got diagnosed my junior year of college as well and had a similar situation. The food staff went above and beyond but even that was limited and you can only eat fruits and salad for so long. I went to my director of res. life and asked if we could work out a special meal plan...that didn't take me off of it completley, because I certainly couldn't afford that, but was less expensive than the other since I wouldn't eat the full cost for 3 meals. I've often found that most colleges and universities will be willing to work with you as best as possible, they often make acceptions if you go about it in the proper way. I know it's frustrating but good luck!

[Phyllis28]

Fortunately, I can still have some of my favorite cereals like Captain Crunch and Kix.

Sorry to take away the smile but Kix is on the questionable list for cereal. It has oats in it. Oats, as long as they are certified gluten free, are thought to be ok for Celiacs but some Celiacs can not tolerate them. Most oats can not be eaten by celiac due to cross contamination during the growing and harvesting process. Rice Chex have recently become gluten free. Look for gluten free on the front of the box to make sure you don't get an old box with malt in it.

[modiddly16]

Captain Crunch has barley malt......I believe.....or oats. Which many don't consider safe.

Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles are safe!

[biomech-athlete]

Both Captain Crunch and Kix don't bother me. I eat them by the handful (especially peanut butter Crunch). But I actually didn't know that about the Kix being questionable.