Allergy friendly or just ‘please wait’?

Whether you have forgotten your lunch at home or you are a regular, most of us haveat some point been grateful for the cafeteria. We might complain about the prices, andsometimes about the quality, but a good meal can do wonders for your motivationbefore the next lecture. At the same time, the cafeteria is not such a relaxing experiencefor everyone. A lot of students have special diets because of allergies, intolerances orviews of life, and not everyone feels catered to in by SiÅs’ food offers. With this inmind, Tuntréet organised a survey among students with such diets. How well is thefood on offer catering to their needs?

Journallist: Isabelle Damhaug

Illustrator: Marwa Nader

Of the 40 students who responded, 33 of them reported following some kind of special diet. This is of course only a small selection of the people using the cafeteria, but it does offer an interesting look into students’ experiences. Most marked this asceliac, gluten allergies or lactose intolerance, but nut or onion allergies, vegans and vegetarians were also represented. In spite of different needs and restrictions, there are multiple common denominators in the answers.

95% of respondents says that at least to some degree, the food SiÅs offers has not met their dietary restrictions, and more than a third of respondents report that this happens often. At the same time, the survey does not paint an entirely negative picture. When asked to evaluate it overall, the mean is 3 stars out of 5. This may suggest that the students think the cafeteria works, though not optimally.

Lack of variety

A selection that is too small and a lack of variety are two things that are regularly mentioned. A student with a gluten allergy writes: “When I eat in one of the cafeterias, the food I can have is usually limited to a yoghurt, or maybe some cake or chocolate. I want something more filling and nutritious.” Similar experiences are shared by people on vegan or vegetarian diets. People point out that the dishes sometimes feel repetitive and that they lack protein, especially at events and food servings outside of the regular cafeteria service. One person had a story about being served a whole cauliflower at a banquet, not necessarily very filling.

Lack of labelling

Another recurring feedback concerns labelling of allergens and displaying information about ingredients. Around 1 in 5 respondents reported discomfort or reactions after having bought food from SiÅs. Multiple people also point out that the lack of labelling forces them to avoid food they could otherwise consider. One respondent reported avoiding dishes they should usually be able to eat after having had a reaction to them previously. In other words, this is not just about a lack of options, but being able to trust the information given.

SiÅs responds

In their answer to the survey responses, SiÅs points out that they understand that students with allergies and special diets can feel that the food on offer is a stressful factor, but they also mention that it’s not always possible to make all dishes fit all dietary restrictions every day. They emphasise that all their cafeterias label all of the 14 allergens required by law, and that the food served should be correctly labelled. Regarding ingredients that are not included in the labelling requirements, the staff should be able to inform when asked. SiÅs also points out that the kitchen is working on making a big percentage of the dishes gluten- and lactose-free through choice of suitable ingredients, and that there are vegan and vegetarian options at all cafeterias.

Room for improvement

SiÅs also write that they admit there is still room for improvement, especially when it comes to vegan and vegetarian options. They emphasise that feedback is taken seriously as part of the continuous work to develop the food offered. Hopefully, the selection in the cafeteria will soon reflect this, and more people will be able to enjoy a nice, worry-free lunch in a hectic everyday life.