With so many colleges and universities dedicated to promoting diversity in the classroom, it makes sense to extend that commitment beyond the lecture hall – by offering diverse food options for all students.

Today’s student body includes people from different cultural backgrounds, as well as those with allergies and dietary restrictions, so having safe, nutritious foods that are allergen-free and compliant can go a long way in helping them feel safe (and well-fed!).

Planning inclusive and equitable campus dining services is worth it — and with expert guidance, completely possible.

Why is cultural diversity in food so important on campus?

Striving for equity and inclusivity in education is an honorable goal that shouldn’t be confined to lecture halls.

Honoring students’ cultural backgrounds

Moving away to college takes a toll on most students, as their surroundings, routines and friend groups change drastically. Homesickness and feelings of detachment are not uncommon. Providing students with a sense of familiarity from back home can help them feel safe, and combat these negative emotions.

Food is a great way to do that. When students have access to foods they recognize from childhood, they feel comforted. According to new research, seeing cultural food options in campus dining services leads to feelings of happiness, decreased stress and a sense of belonging and safety.

This is particularly important for students from minority ethnic or cultural backgrounds. Often underrepresented on college campuses, they tend to have a harder time adjusting and feeling truly at home in higher-education institutions.

Exposing students to new foods

Students from outside underrepresented cultural backgrounds also benefit from diverse food options. They get the chance to try recipes they may have never heard of, thus broadening their culinary horizons.

What’s more, food can be an important conversation starter. Food can be an opportunity for universities to pique students’ interest in learning more about other cultures and ways of seeing the world — a popular key mission of higher education.

Accommodating students with allergies

Students with allergies often don’t feel comfortable eating in unfamiliar settings where they can’t be sure food was prepared safely. This can lead to stress and anxiety. Universities can address this by providing clearly labeled allergen-free meals students can enjoy without worrying about an allergic reaction.

Acknowledging dietary restrictions

Some students have special dietary needs stemming from religious, cultural, and personal reasons. Eating outside of the house can become a hassle when so many restaurants offer no viable options. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Universities can offer restriction-friendly menus to make students feel included and valued.

Seven steps toward more inclusive on campus dining

Taking the plunge into inclusive and diverse food options is easier with these actionable steps.

1. Educate yourself on food allergies

Approximately 10% of adults in the U.S. have common food allergies that can cause an itchy mouth, hives, difficulty breathing, and even life-threatening anaphylactic shock. And although gluten isn’t a life-threatening allergen, students with celiac disease need to stick with gluten-free foods or they could get sick. Take the time to learn about dishes that are safe for everyone to eat.

2. Keep in mind other dietary requirements

Allergies aren’t the only reason students might eat a special diet. Catering for special dietary requirements that stem from moral or cultural preferences is important to help everyone feel included. For example, vegetarian or vegan students need to avoid meat products, while kosher or halal students can only eat foods prepared in a certain way.

3. Conduct a survey on campus

If you don’t already know how many students require allergen-free and dietary restriction-friendly foods, now is a good time to find out. Send out a mass email with a link to a survey. Allow students to check off their allergies and restrictions from a compiled list, but include a field for “other” where students can go into detail.

4. Use a meal catering service

Don’t have the infrastructure to accommodate so many different requests? That’s not a problem: leave the catering to the pros. Search for caterers and restaurants that understand food allergies, sensitivities and dietary restrictions. Look at their menus online to see if they offer multiple food options. 

ezCater makes the ordering process a breeze thanks to a smart filter option. For example, you can choose to only see vegan options if you’re serving a crowd of plant-based students. And with over 100,000 partnered restaurants nationwide, there are plenty of options to choose from.

5. Consider a buffet setup

Buffets are great for serving large amounts of people. Set up stations with different foods students can choose from freely. Label everything clearly with a breakdown of ingredients to accommodate students with allergies and dietary restrictions.

6. Offer individualized food options

Alternatively, you could offer individually packaged meals to students with allergies and dietary restrictions. This eases any concerns over cross-contamination (for example, from serving spoons that accidentally get switched around in a buffet line).

7. Ask for feedback on campus dining services

At the end of the day, the goal of serving diverse food on campus is to make students happy. Asking them for feedback lets you know if you’re on the right track. Send out a mass email monthly or quarterly prompting input about the campus food service. You might even get some easy-to-implement creative ideas.

Simplify diverse food ordering for your college campus

Cultural diversity in food on campus is doable. And when you trust an experienced partner like ezCater, promoting inclusivity and equity becomes much easier. Let us do the hard work so you can focus on creating the best experience for students.