Food Allergies

Food Allergy Disclaimer
St Norbert College Dining Services makes every effort to accommodate the various dietary requirements of our customers and handles food allergies seriously. Every effort is made to instruct our staff regarding the potential severity of food allergies. Our staff dietitian is available to consult individually with students with food allergies to minimize allergic reactions. Please be advised that our menu items may contain allergens, may have come in contact with items containing allergens, and there is always a risk of cross-contamination in food handling.

Additionally, the potential does exist that food manufacturers may change their formulation or manner of processing without our knowledge. Ingredient and nutrition content of foods may vary due to changes in product formulation, recipe substitutions, portion size and other factors. The nutrition analyses provided are approximations only. We do not guarantee the accuracy of nutrition information. Customers with concerns need to be aware of these risks. St. Norbert College Dining Services will assume no liability for any adverse reactions that may occur in the dining facilities. 

Most food allergies and intolerances can be managed independently within Ruth’s Marketplace using the menu item information and nutrition information available on our website and in Ruth’s Marketplace. A consultation with our campus dietician is strongly recommended to give you information on, and access to a wide variety of foods. Dining Services staff is able to direct you to our menus and ingredients so that you are able to make your own food choices. Please note that recipes may include commercial mixes or dressings that will have additional ingredients (sub-ingredients) which may not be listed in the ingredient section. Additionally, there is always the potential for food manufacturers to change their formularies without notification.

Recipes are assessed for the “Big 8” allergens: wheat, soy, milk, egg, tree nut, peanut, fish and shellfish, as well as gluten content. Peanut and tree nut allergies are among the most serious allergies reported among students. St. Norbert College dining operations are not environments free of peanuts or tree nuts. We do process nuts in our bakery and in some recipes, which creates the potential for cross-contact and contamination. In addition, we offer self-service peanut butter for sandwiches in Ruth’s Marketplace. Although many food manufacturers label for “may contain (particular) allergen,” we do not control for or carry over labeling of products by manufacturers that bear “may contain” or “processed in a facility that also processes” labeling. All retail locations on campus are considered areas that may contain peanuts, tree nuts and other allergens. Students should use caution when making selections at these locations.

Special Dietary Meal Plan Accommodation
St. Norbert College’s residential meal plan program does not permit for individualized menus and we cannot accommodate for dietary preferences. However, we will work with the offices of academic support services to assess the needs of students on a medically-prescribed, therapeutic diet on a case-by-case basis to recommend an appropriate accommodation. Our meal plans have intentionally been developed to offer flexibility and variety to reasonably meet most dietary needs and preferences.

Student Responsibility
Students with life threatening food allergies who may need to use an epi-pen should be carrying their own. Dining Services staff is NOT trained to administer epi-pens and CANNOT provide or administer them. Students should make appropriate people (i.e. roommates, friends, and/or resident advisers) aware of their conditions so people can react effectively should emergency medical services be needed.Notify the offices of academic support services of your dietary needs and accommodations prior to arriving on campus. Know that Dining Services cannot accommodate students without prior notification and documentation from that office. If you have a question about a specific menu item or recipe, please seek out nutritional information. The Dining Services dietitian is a professional manager who has been trained to handle food allergy related questions regarding choices in Ruth’s Marketplace. If the dietitian is not available to answer your questions, please use good personal judgment and make food selections on the side of caution. If there is ever a question, please avoid consuming.