Hello And A Few Questions

[Agent Z]

Hey, I'm new to these boards, and just found out last week that I have celiac disease (I found out from a blood test and endoscopy). Now I'm at college for the summer, and my eating options are kinda limited.

There's a student center with a McDonald's, a Subway, a Taco Bell. What from those are gluten free that I can have?

[plantime]

Subway and Taco Bell are out, McDonald's will work with you. The fries should be out, though, as they get cooked in the same oil as the breaded stuff. I know they say the fries are safe, but I have found too many crumbs from the other fried foods in mine.

[queenofhearts]

I'm sorry, I don't have an answer on the fast food because I'm a newbie myself, & I don't eat fast food much anyway. But I wanted to welcome you to the forum, & assure you that someone will know! This is by far the most useful resource I have found in coping with this disease.

My sons are college students, not Celiac as far as we know, & one of the first things they said when I told them about my new dietary restrictions was "that would be really hard here!" It made me think about tactics should they be diagnosed as well. My advice would be to speak to someone with the food service program, explain your restrictions, & let them know that they have a responsibilty to provide meals for you safely. (A letter from your doctor detailing the restricted items & stressing the importance of avoiding them probably wouldn't hurt.) Also if you can afford to stock up on some safe items of your own, there are plenty of gluten-free products you could make in a dorm microwave, as well as no-cooking snacks. A great microwave snack that my son loves is a corn tortilla, topped with grated cheese, microwaved on a plate 2 minutes or so, then topped with salsa, avocado, &c. The tortilla sort of fries itself in the oil from the cheese. The only downside is cleanup!

Good luck, Agent Z! I know there are some college students on this board, & they'll probably be much more helpful.

Leah

[floridanative]

Welcome Agent Z - I like your screen name.

Go to the websites of each fast food place and you'll see what foods they offer that are gluten free. I think for MD's you can have their eggs and sausage but not bacon and you can have a burger no bun but double check that on the website. From what I remember about Taco Bell they offer few gluten-free options. Can you get a mini fridge in your room to store some of your own food like milk for gluten-free cereal?

Best of luck to you. I've only been gluten free for six months (next week) and it's already so much easier for me than when I started. I still learn something new often about the diet and lifestyle but I didn't let the condition take over or change my life in negative ways. If you can find a support group in your area, that will be a great resource for you. There is a thread on here where you can search a city/area for local support groups.

[Agent Z]

This school (SIU Carbondale) actually is supposed to have the number 1 health center in the nation, and they have a nutritionist here that I'm going to see I think next week to talk about what to do. Supposedly, the dietician offers a menu or plan that shows/gives foods that are Gluten free here at the dining halls. Unfortunately, the dining halls are closed, and I'm pretty much left with the options I stated. Also, the dietician doesn't offer the gluten-free program thing in the summer, so I'm on my own for a couple of months.

[eKatherine]

You should have a little refrigerator in your dorm room to stock with safe foods, because you're not going to survive on what they have available to you.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Having Celiac Disease in college doesn't have to be limiting. In the U.S., by law, your school has to work with you. It is not healthy to eat at McDonalds everyday- especially if you have Celiac Disease. You need to set up an appointment with your school to discuss your options with what they will allow you to have- microwave, refrigerator, and stuff until and while the dining halls are open. I know I would not settle with McDonalds for anything and neither should you. I personally don't live on my campus but there are apartments for those who do. Good luck on getting food and keep yourself healthy!

[Agent Z]

My parents actually bought me a new refrigerator with a seperate freezer and fridge because of this (and my old one sucked). So I have a few foods and snacks that are gluten free in there and dry foods that don't need to be frozen in a drawer. But I'm already running out (for the first few days I was here, food service wasn't even really happening). And the options are EXTREMELY limited as to what is gluten free at a food store (even at the Co-Op which has alot of alternative foods) and what I can actually make with a microwave (which I do have). There were some mini-tacos I found that are, at least what me and my mom detected from the ingredients, gluten free. But I finished those today. And I got things like potato pancakes and cheetoes and crackers (rice ones) and junk. Not very fun to eat all the time though.

[Mango04]

You can get a microwavable rice cooker or you can cook rice and tinkyada pasta in a hot pot. If you can get away with having a George Foreman you can cook meat as well. Try to keep some fruits and veggies in your fridge. Thai Kitchen makes noodle carts and soups that only require hot water. Amy's frozen meals are a good option too. Actually, you can get that frozen rice that comes in bags (you just stick it in the microwave) and cans of beans and lentils.

I also recently came across this website:

Open Original Shared Link

I guess they sell pre measured microwavable mixes so you can bake gluten-free stuff in the microwave. I wasn't gluten-free in college but I was strictly CF so I had a similair situation. It's just a matter of getting creative with the microwave and sticking to raw single-ingredients safe foods that don't require cooking. If you have any friends that live off-campus you could maybe cook stuff in their kitchen and then freeze it for microwaving later.

I could never get my food service people to work with me because I don't have an official diagnosis, but if you do, they should help you out.

[olalisa]

I copied the info below directly off the Taco Bell website and pasted it here. I have had the Zesty Chicken Bowl and the Southwest Steak Bowl (with the modifications specified) and didn't have a reaction. I also ask them to change their gloves before preparing mine. Hope this helps.

Suggestions for Wheat and Gluten Sensitive Individuals

- Tostada

- Fiesta Taco Salad (order Chicken instead of Beef; order without the shell and without the Red Strips)

- Express Taco Salad (order Chicken instead of Beef)

- Zesty Chicken BORDER BOWL® (order without the Zesty Dressing and without the Red Strips)

- Southwest Steak Bowl (order without the Creamy Jalapeno Sauce)

[tarnalberry]

you actually can make most anything in the microwave. you might want to spend some time googling 'microwave recipes'. not as good as if you could get a small grill, or an electric skillet (which I purchased senior year in college, though my dorm did have a kitchen), but it's something.

[Susan123]

Being a fast food addict.- Wendy's - Cheese Fries, Chili, baked potato (with brocolli or cheese or both), southwest salad, honey mustard dressing and ranch and any burger w/o bun of course. McDonalds, side salad and ranch, fries, Burger King, Tendergrill chicken w/ or w/o garden salad, Boston- chicken, turkey mashed potatoes, gravy ( i confirmed- use cornstarch as a thickener), green beans, corn, vegetables, dill potatoes, Arby's pretty much nothing, Subway- pretty much only the salads plain, Chik fila- grilled chicken w/o bun, salad,

[shai76]

Maybe at Subway you could have a salad with no croutons, or dressing, and maybe with grilled chicken. I don't know if it is all gluten free. You think it would be. I guess it's something you would have to check. I don't dine out.