Hillsdale Dining Services offers a gluten-free section in the dining hall. Courtesy | Grace Novak

Getting daily pizza in the dining hall may seem like a basic right, but for Hillsdale’s gluten-free students, it’s a well-kept secret.

Sophomore Caesar Gombojav said the gluten-free options should be advertised more among the student body, so students can be aware of all of their options. One needs only to ask an employee by the pizza station and she will get to enjoy the comforts of gluten-free pizza.

“I do appreciate them having gluten-free pizza options,” Gombojav said. “But I don’t think students understand that’s an option. I only just found out.”

According to Hillsdale’s Metz Culinary Management team, around 10% of students eat daily from the gluten-free section of the dining hall, including non-gluten free students who prefer the shorter lines and food variety.

Executive Chef Adam Harvey said the food is actually not that different in the gluten-free zone. Usually, the main plates are the same as for the non-allergenic students. What the section does provide is cross-contamination prevention, as well as gluten-free breads, buns, and appliances.

“We try to keep it about the same, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out on what the normal meal is,” Harvey said.

The food team is aiming to improve health awareness with a system of QR codes designed to help students understand the exact nutritional value of what they are consuming, according to Harvey.

“You see the QR codes that are up on all the menu boards, so you can scan and get all of your nutritional information and get all the allergen information you need,” Harvey said.

For the gluten-free students, variety seems to be the biggest factor at mealtimes. The gluten-free zone of the dining hall has a system of pre-packaged plates that are allergen safe for students suffering from serious food allergies. Most gluten-free students, however, tend to make their own meals out of the options presented, said Todd Gerry, general manager of food services.

“Students come in and they can go to five different locations to create one meal,” Gerry said.

For students well into college, understanding the tips and tricks to being gluten-free at Hillsdale has become second nature.

Bailey Wright, a gluten-free freshman, said there are certain choices she makes in the dining hall to make the most of her options.

She said she and her gluten-free friends make sure to load up on salads full of toppings and protein, even putting hummus on their salads. She said they also substitute wheat-based noodles with mushrooms, olives, and veggies in order to enjoy pasta, and make fresh gluten-free waffles to use as hamburger buns.

Being gluten-free “definitely makes you go for those healthier options, such as making sure you have enough fruits and vegetables during your meal,” Wright said. “But I will say hitting all your macronutrients in your meals is a little harder.”

The dining services employees are focused on providing a positive experience for all students. On Tuesdays during lunch, Gerry meets with students in the dining hall to connect with them and hear their thoughts on Hillsdale dining.

“If the students weren’t here, we wouldn’t be here,” Harvey said.“That’s our primary focus. We want to make sure the students are happy. We want to make sure that their needs are met.”

AJ’s is working to expand its gluten-free grab-and-go section, according to Harvey. At the moment, it has gluten-free options in the kitchen, but he said downstairs in the dining hall remains the best choice for those with severe allergies.

For dining outside of the main cafeteria, gluten-free students waiting in line were quick to share some of their favorite places to get food. The city of Hillsdale has Handmade and Hillsdale Brewing Company, as well as plenty of coffee shops with options. For the Catholic students, Wright said that Convivium, a weekly Catholic event held at The Grotto, usually has great home-cooked options as well.

When it comes to baking and preparing food in the dorms, gluten-free students said they simply follow a different approach.

“I still love being in the kitchen with people, so it’s really about the experience of just spending time with people more than it is the food,” Wright said.

Sophomore Blaise Cerne said Jonathan Mumme, associate professor of theology, recently brought him homemade gluten-free sourdough bread to class upon his learning that Cerne was gluten-free.

“After so many years of watching others eat things in front of me that I couldn’t eat, having Dr. Mumme offer me that bread was such a graceful gesture,” Cerne said. “I really appreciated it; it made me feel so valued.

Gluten-free or not, Hillsdale dining is focused on making mealtimes feel like home, according to Gerry.

“As a student, you leave your home. You leave your comfort zone. You come here and you’re hoping that you can get something that reminds you of home,” Gerry said. “It’s about bringing food to the students that remind them of home.”