Dietary Needs & 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 or 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.

All Halal items will have the Halal logo next it to help identify them. At The 921 Halal chicken will be offered daily at the salad bar, deli and pasta station. Currito's also has Halal chicken available. Halal chicken and beef is offered at Simple Servings and the Serrano station on a rotating basis as well as Halal hamburgers available upon request at the Grilled station. At The LaCava Café we have Halal chicken at the deli and pasta station every day.

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.
• Fruit and parfait bar every morning at the 921 dining hall.

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

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:

• Vegan station at the 921 dining hall offers breakfast, lunch and dinner vegan items. A rotation of Vegan desserts are served at this station.
• You can customize your meal at stations like the pasta, grill station, and Be Fresh 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.
• Fruit and parfait bar every morning at the 921 dining hall.

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, food allergies, and additional ingredient information to keep you fully informed.

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 best 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 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 bread at all delis
• Gluten-free rolls at all the grills
• Gluten-free pasta at all pasta stations
• 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!