Dietary Needs and Food Allergies

Simple Servings, our award-winning resident dining option, provides safe and appetizing food choices for our customers with food allergies, gluten intolerance, and those who prefer simple food. Simple Servings proactively addresses most ingredients that account for 90% of all food-allergy reactions: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, and sesame. Fin fish is served at the station. However, it is only ever included in ‘obvious’ fish dishes- whole pieces of fish. No fish sauce, etc., is ever allowed at Simple Servings.

Simple Servings also recognizes the current skyrocketing demand for gluten-free foods, which certain students may require out of medical necessity (celiac disease) or simply by choice. Simple Servings is a made without gluten station, which means we prepare recipes without using any gluten and only gluten-free ingredients. Simple Servings staff members are carefully trained to avoid cross-contact with food allergens and gluten, and thus, food is prepared on separate equipment to limit the possibility of cross-contact.

My Zone is a safe customizable pantry style station where students with food allergies or celiac disease, can select items free of gluten, tree nuts, and peanuts to augment their meal. Options include cereals, bakery items, milk, yogurt, breads, buns, bagels, tortilla, condiments, and other items. This is a card access only room. This is to ensure students with food allergies will have precautions against cross-contact. This special area gives students the ability to be involved in their own allergy safe meal preparation as this room contains a microwave, refrigerator, toaster, and waffle maker. Documentation will be needed to gain card access through Bentley University. Please email Hayley Ruff to start this process.

At The 921 dining hall, Halal options are marked with the Halal logo. Guests can find Halal chicken available daily at the salad bar, deli, and pasta station. Simple Servings and the Serrano station also rotate Halal chicken and beef options, while Halal hamburgers can be requested at the Grilled station.

At Currito, Halal chicken is available, allowing fresh and flavorful wraps or bowls. At LaCava Café, Halal chicken is served daily at the deli and pasta station, ensuring a variety of convenient and satisfying meals for those observing Halal dietary practices.

Menu items with the vegetarian icon contain no meat, fish or poultry, or any meat products such as soup base. Our vegetarian offerings meet the needs of lacto-ovo vegetarians and may include eggs and/or dairy products.

Utilization of our website and filtering to your preference is the best way to get an idea of the meals that will be available to you. Some other options are:

• You can customize your meal at stations like the pasta, grill and omelet station inside the 921 as well as at Harry's, Currito, and Einstein Bros. Bagels.
• Two salad bars on campus that have a wide variety of options for items as well as dressings.

Vegan offerings contain no meat, fish, eggs, milk or other animal-derived products such as honey.

Utilizing our website and filtering to your preference is the best way to get an idea of the meals that will be available to you. Some other options are:

• The vegan station at the 921 dining hall offers vegan breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, as well as a rotation of Vegan desserts.
• You can customize your meal at pasta, grill station, and Be Fresh inside the 921 and at Harry's, Currito, and Einstein Bros. Bagels.
• Two salad bars on campus that have a wide variety of options for items as well as dressings.

Kosher offerings are those that comply with a strict policy of kosher food laws, including cleanliness, purity, and quality. The Kosher Corner at 921 is located inside the servery by the pizza station 7 days a week. Here you will have the option of selected pre-packaged meals for lunch and dinner that are currently being provided from Catering by Andrew. Catering by Andrew is supervised by KVH Rabbinical Council of New England.

What are your safety measures to avoid cross-contact with gluten or other food allergies?

When dining at Bentley Dining Services, we encourage you to notify our staff if you have a food allergy or need something prepared without gluten. Our hourly employees and management team are trained on how to properly handle food to reduce cross-contact through the following:

• Changing of gloves and proper hand hygiene
• Checking ingredients
• Items made on separate deli paper
• Specialty color corded knives and equipment to utilize to reduce cross-contact
• Keep it made without gluten options, sealed, and stored separately from gluten-containing items.
• There are separate locations for designated gluten-free, nut-free, and tree-nut-free toasters, microwaves, and waffle makers. Please note that this is our My Zone, located in the 921 Dining Hall, and it requires key card access.

How do I know if a menu item contains a specific allergy or gluten?

We pride ourselves on using wholesome ingredients and preparing dishes with precision. Our menus at each dining location will display whether a dish contains gluten or any of the top nine allergens, which include fin fish, wheat, soy, egg, shellfish, milk, sesame, tree nuts, or peanuts.

Our online menus also display what is being offered daily at each location, as shown on our website. We provide detailed nutritional analyses and food allergies. Additional ingredient information is available upon request to keep you fully informed about our recipes.

Please note: If you are attending an event catered by Bentley Dining Services, please disclose to your event host if you have a food allergy so this can be communicated to our team.

What if I have an allergy or intolerance that is not part of the top 9 allergies or gluten?

Our online menus provide transparent information about the ingredients we use. However, if you are having any challenges navigating any of our dining spaces, we encourage you to speak with a staff member or manager in the dining location. Please reach out to our registered dietitian, Hayley, for a dining tour and further conversations on how to best meet your needs and dine safely on campus.

How do I get access to My Zone?

Email Hayley Ruff with the reason you need access to the My Zone, your class year, and your Bentley ID.

What are some gluten-free items that you offer daily?

• Gluten-free breads at all delis
• Gluten-free rolls at all the grills
• Gluten-free pasta at all pasta stations and Simple Servings
• Gluten-free retail items at LaCava Café and the Falcon Mart
• Gluten-free pantry items from My Zone include cookies, brownies, waffles, muffins, and more!