Campus guide: how to eat on campus with special dietary needs

When venturing a new campus, there are some locations everyone should know about. It is vital to know where the restrooms are, where your classrooms are and where you can grab delicious food to keep your brain functioning. For those with special dietary needs, navigating a food court can be quite intimidating. If you need help finding allergy-friendly options, or maybe you are vegan or vegetarian, this guide is for you. Please note that it is important to let your server know about your dietary needs prior to ordering.

 

Gluten-Free

Whether you have Celiac disease or just prefer to cut gluten from your diet, the restaurants on campus are packed full of choices. One of the top places for a quick meal is Chick-fil-A, located on the second floor of the Sorensen Student Center. UVU’s Chick-fil-A manager, Asmik Sargsian, ensures that the restaurant has a designated fryer for fries in order to keep them gluten-free. They also offer gluten-free buns, grilled chicken, lettuce wraps, salads and much more that can be ordered gluten-free.

Other gluten-free options include all enchiladas, tacos, salads (without the flour or wheat tortilla), nachos and the chicken tortilla soup from Costa Vida, located on the first floor of the Sorensen Student Center. Taco Bell, located in the P.E. hallway across from Jamba Juice, also serves gluten-free Power Bowls, which contain rice, meat, beans and vegetables..

 

Dairy-free

Finding foods that are safe for your dairy intolerance or allergy can be done as well. For a quick-bite, you can enjoy a hot dog from J-Dawgs, which is located in the Sorensen Student Center on the first floor. Sandwiches from Subway are also a safe pick, as long as you hold the cheese and most sauces.  Make sure to steer clear of the flatbread, multigrain flatbread, white bread and the italian herbs and cheese breads as they all contain dairy. Costa Vida also has dairy-free options, but make sure to get double beans rather than the rice as it contains dairy products.

If you are looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth, Scoops, located in the Sorensen Student Center and the Clarke Building, often has dairy-free sorbets to choose from.

Farr’s Fresh & Incredible Edibles, located right next to Chick-fil-A serves Dole Whip, which is free of dairy. Jamba Juice, located in the P.E. hallway also serves dairy-free smoothies and smoothie bowls to keep you energized throughout the day. Not all smoothies are dairy-free, so make sure to check with your server before ordering.

 

Vegetarian

Any vegetarian, or even those who like to kick off their week with meatless Mondays, know that Taco Bell is a good place to get a full meal at an affordable price. You can swap meat for black or refried beans on any item on their menu, free of cost. That way you are still getting flavor without missing out on protein. You can also pick-up a classic bean burrito, which is packed with 14 grams of protein.

Guru’s Cafe, located in the Clarke Building, has many vegetarian items. These are all marked on their menu as such. You can also swap tofu for meat on any item.

Crepes are another alternative and are made fresh with sweet and savory fillings at Roll-Up Cafe located in the Computer Science Building.

 

Vegan

Eating a vegan meal on campus may seem impossible, but there are more options than one might think. Taco Bell, as listed above, is full of possibilities. Not only can you swap beans for meat on any item, but you can also order your item fresco style, which takes off all dairy-based sauces and cheeses and replaces them with pico de gallo. “Fresco style” just might become one our your favorite phrases. Cinnamon twists from Taco Bell are also vegan, so you can get a sweet with your meal.

Most smoothies at Jamba Juice are vegan as well. Primo Bowls are another option that are packed with nutrients from açai juice to soy milk, blueberries, strawberries and bananas. They are also topped with organic granola, fresh bananas, fresh blueberries and coconut. Just ask to have the honey left off to make them completely vegan. The steel-cut oatmeal is also vegan as long are toppings such as the brown sugar crumble and apple topping are omitted as they contain butter.

Chick-fil-A fries are also a vegan option if you are looking for something to satisfy your salty cravings. They are vegan approved because they are fried separately from the chicken. You can spice things up with sauces as well, with the Polynesian, Sriracha and barbeque sauces all being vegan.

While this is not a comprehensive guide, it is the start to navigating UVU’s food scene. Along with the items listed above, fresh fruits, vegetables and other snacks can be found all over campus at places such as the Green Line next to Taco Bell, Mom Fulton’s Cafe in the Fulton Library, Scoops and so on. These places also serve drinks like kombucha, soda, juice and coffee with dairy-free options for those who need it.