Navigating college life comes with both triumphs and hurdles. Whether you’re meeting new people or exploring campus activities, stepping outside of your comfort zone can be nerve-racking. For people with serious food allergies, the simple task of eating a meal can add more stress to an already difficult experience.

At Michigan State University, students with food allergies don’t have to struggle to find options. In 2008, MSU Culinary Services began to implement signage at food stations so students knew what was in each meal. This has now evolved into a specialized allergy program with a large team of nutritionists, dietitians, managers and executive chefs who work around the clock to ensure each Spartan has access to various food options and any necessary support. 

A big responsibility within MSU’s Residential and Hospitality Services (RHS) is running Thrive in Owen Hall, a dining hall that is free of the nine major allergens. To maintain this standard, Thrive follows strict policies to make sure students feel comfortable while dining. Staff members are trained to change gloves frequently, often between every task, to maintain sanitary conditions. Additionally, the kitchen is carefully monitored to ensure that no items containing potential allergens are brought in or stored, creating a controlled environment for safe food preparation. Even outside beverages are prohibited in the dining hall to eliminate any risk of accidental exposure. 

While these precautions are essential for student safety, they can make it challenging to offer a wide variety of safe food options. Dietitian Kelsey Patterson is part of the team working hard to meet that challenge, helping ensure Thrive stays a dependable and inclusive place for students with dietary restrictions.

“We have an entire procurement team that works really hard to bring in products to campus,“ Patterson said. “Then all those products have to be reviewed and approved by us from an allergy standpoint before they can even go into the dining hall.” 

One of the challenges of running the program is budgeting resources. In Spring 2025, it was announced that Thrive at Owen would no longer operate on weekends. To fill this gap, The Vista at Shaw would now be open during that time, offering allergen-free Combo-X-Change options. 

Many students who rely on Thrive have expressed concerns to the Culinary Team about this decision, particularly regarding the potential cross-contamination of the food being provided. These concerns are valid, as students with severe allergies rely on Thrive’s strict food protocols, and the other dining halls on campus aren’t equipped with the same resources to be completely allergen-free. 

Cheryl Berry, the senior communications manager for culinary services, understands why students are anxious about this decision. 

“When people hear the words ‘grab and go,’ they think quickly thrown together,” Berry stated. “These items are carefully prepped at the end of the week in the Thrive facility, and then they’re wrapped and transported to Shaw.” 

Patterson and her team also held extensive recipe testing over the summer to ensure that the meals were ones a majority of people would enjoy, were filling and also stayed fresh in the containers. In addition to this, Berry has been tracking what food items are most popular, which allows chefs to keep student favorites consistently stocked and easily accessible. 

At the end of the checkout stand in Shaw, a QR code linked to a survey is displayed. It asks the questions: “Are you visiting because of a food allergy?” and “How would you rate your experience today?” Patterson notes that while student feedback has been very positive, only about 10% of those who use this option have completed the survey. 

“We realize that people are surveyed out, but this feedback really gives us insight into what people’s thoughts are, and if this solution is good long-term,” Patterson explained. 

She also emphasizes that their team is always open to recipe suggestions or other ideas that could help improve students’ dining experience. 

With the goal of prioritizing students’ comfort, MSU’s efforts offer a model for how campuses can prioritize student health, one meal at a time.