Getting Started

Identify Yourself

Follow These Steps:

• Indicate your allergy or dietary restriction when filling out your incoming health form.

• Schedule a meeting with our Registered Dietitian, Elizabeth Allred (704-894-3071 or elallred@davidson.edu.)

• Notify our team when eating on campus at any of our locations, so we can take extra precautions.

• When mobile ordering, indicate allergy needs by utilizing the the Notes section on Grubhub.

• Explore Tool & Resources on the Davidson College website for Food Allergies & Resources.

• If you feel your dietary needs cannot be met by meal plan, please contact the Disability Resources Office to explore available accommodations.

Allergy Support

We are committed to help students with allergies navigate dining safely and confidently.

• We provide full ingredient transparency.

• We’ve implement training programs for all Dining Services employees.

• We collaborate with Health Services, Residence Life, and Disability Resource Services.

• We support each student’s transition to independent living by equipping our wildcat with the proper tools and resources.

Staying Safe

We all play a part in allergy safety!

• Avoid food unless you are 100% certain they’re safe.

• Contact a Dining Services manager or dietitian if you’re unsure about ingredients.

• Regularly check food labels and our Vail Commons e-menu.

• Always carry your prescribed epinephrine with you.

• Know how to recognize symptoms of an allergic reaction.

• Report any concerns immediately to Elizabeth Allred, Registered Dietitian, or a Dining Services manager.

• Advise your friends, peers, teammates, coaches, or anyone else in relation to you of your allergies.

What to Do

Allergy Disclaimer

Davidson College Dining Services takes food allergies seriously and makes every effort to identify ingredients that may cause allergic reactions. Our culinary and service staff train on the importance and severity of food allergies, and we strive to communicate allergen information clearly.

However, due to the large volume of meals prepared daily, the variety of ingredients used, and potential changes in food product formulations by manufacturers, we cannot guarantee that every allergen is identified and labeled. Despite our best efforts, there is always a risk of cross-contact or inadvertent presence of allergens.

Guests with food allergies should be aware of these risks and are encouraged to communicate their dietary needs directly with our team. Davidson College Dining Services cannot assume liability for any adverse reactions that may occur from consuming food at any of our dining locations or catered events.

If you have a life-threatening allergy and carry epinephrine, please always ensure it’s with you. Davidson College Dining Services team members are not trained or authorized to administer epinephrine.

Your safety is important to us, and we are here to support your dining experience to the best of our ability.

We do our best to label allergens, but please note:

• Ingredients may change without notice.

• Cross-contact is possible in shared cooking environments.

• Our staff is not trained to administer epinephrine.

• You are responsible for managing your allergy while dining with us.

How to Prevent Cross-Contact

Here are a few tips to minimize risk:

• Ask our team members to wash their hands and change their gloves before serving you.

• Request the use of our designated purple allergy prep kits. 

• Review online menus or allergen binders before eating.

• To reduce the risk of allergen exposure, especially for those with shellfish allergies, we recommend avoiding deep-fried items. Many fried foods may be cooked in shared fryers that have also been used for shellfish items.

• The Friendly Fork stations are an exception, as they are specifically designed to avoid cross-contact with the top nine major allergens, including shellfish.

• If you have concerns about cross-contact in our self-service or buffet areas, please don’t hesitate to ask a team member for a fresh serving from the backup pan in the kitchen. We’re happy to meet your needs and help you dine safely.

What to Do in Case of Reaction

Here’s what to do in a severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis:

• Use your epinephrine auto-injector.

• Call 911. 

• Lay down and elevate your legs (unless you’re vomiting or struggling to breathe.)

• If symptoms persist, take another dose after five or more minutes.

• Stay in the ER for observation for at least four hours.

For mild symptoms:

• Take an antihistamine.

• Inform your RA within 24 hours. Contact Student Health for support.

Do not depend on antihistamines! When in doubt, give epinephrine and call 911!

Get to Know Your Options

Campus Resources

Need help on-campus dining with your food allergy or dietary restriction?

• You can schedule a private consultation with a registered dietitian.

• RA’s and housing staff are FARE-certified in allergy response. 

• Explore our online menus for full nutritional details and ingredient lists.

  • Vail Commons

  • Davis Café

  • Wildcat Den

  • Qdoba

• Friendly Fork stations at Vail Commons include allergy-conscious options.

• Purple gloves and utensils are used at the Friendly Fork stations for safe food preparation.

• Gluten-free toaster, bread, and packaged condiments are at Vail Commons.

• Allergy indicators and icons are displayed on all digital boards.

• Your go-to contact for help are our Dining Services supervisors in red polo shirts.

• Please contact Health Services for prescriptions and medical care.

Ingredient Information

Follow these steps to explore our nutritional information for the Vail Commons menu.

• Explore the e-menu for Vail Commons.

  1. Click View Menu.

  2. Select the meal period and menu you’d like to explore.

  3. Click Ingredients.

Follow these steps to explore our nutritional information for our other Dining Services locations.

• Explore our Dining Locations.

  1. Select the dining location you’d like to explore nutritional information.

  2. Click Nutritional Information to access full ingredient lists.

Our Commitment to Safety

All Dining Services chefs, managers, and supervisors complete AllerTrainU and ServSafe certification training. Dining Services associates complete the annual food allergy and safety training. We are also in active collaboration with Health Services, Residence Life, and Disability Resources Office to ensure a comprehensive support network.

Top Nine

The Top Nine Food Allergens

At Davidson College, we prioritize student safety by clearly identifying the top nine major food allergens across all Dining Services locations. These allergens account for over 90% of food allergy reactions in the U.S. Our allergen labeling system appears on nutritional information, the Vail Commons e-menu, and digital menu boards.

Learn more about the top nine allergens at Food Allergies & Resources.

Allergen-Friendly Products

At Vail Commons, we offer a large variety of allergen-friendly items for students with dietary requirements or food allergens. Here’s a list of what allergen-friendly items this location offers daily.

• Gluten-free breads, such as buns, bagels, tortillas, and sliced bread

• Udi’s gluten-free muffins and granola

• Gluten-free Rice Chex, Amy’s and Evolv meals

• Dairy-free milk, such as soy, rice, almond, pea, and oat

• Sun Butter, butter, and jellies

Allergen-friendly items at our retail dining locations, like Davis Café, Chick-fil-A, Qdoba, and Wildcat Den.

• Gluten-free sandwiches and chicken nuggets.

• Fresh salads

• Gluten free bread on request

Allergen-friendly items at The Commons Market.

• Certified gluten-free snacks and meals

• Enjoy Life Products, beef jerky, popcorn, Silk soy milk

For more information on allergen-friendly items we offer at our locations, explore our Food Allergies & Resources.

Additional Resources

Contacts

Please contact one of our team members for support and resources.

FAQs

How is cross-contact handled?

Our team follows rigorous protocols and receives allergy-specific trainings. You may request food directly from the kitchen to avoid buffet exposure.

I have a food allergy or dietary restriction. Will there be something for me to eat?

Yes! Every dining location offers allergy-friendly items with rotating menus to ensure variety.

Who should I talk to with allergy questions?

For questions regarding food allergies, please speak with the location’s manager, a registered dietician, or Pinky Varghese, Director of Dining Services.

Additional Resources