By Emme Perry, Student Contributor
I am a student who lives with six different anaphylactic food allergies who was worried about how I would fuel my body when I arrived on campus two years ago. I’m thrilled to tell you that our incredible UNE Parkhurst Dining team had my back and will have your students back too! Our team at UNE will work with your student to ensure they feel safe, comfortable, and excited to dine on campus. They want your student to feel at home here and trust me, we have some pretty amazing things in place to make that happen!
Let’s start with the big wins. UNE just became the first university in Maine to achieve the FARECheck Silver Status administered by the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) nonprofit. What this means for your student is that over 90% of our dining staff across both the Portland and Biddeford campuses are trained in food allergy safety. When your student walks into our dining locations, they’re not explaining their allergies to someone who’s never dealt with them before. They’re talking to trained professionals who get it.
But that’s just the beginning of what makes UNE a gem for food allergy inclusion and safety. We have a fantastic space called the Inspired Eats kitchen, which boasts a completely separate cooking area in the Ripich Dining Commons that is free of the top 9 allergens (dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, sesame, and soy). None of these allergens are present within the kitchen at all. That means your student can confidently grab a delicious, safe plate of food and then head over to sit with their friends without having to worry.
Our amazing Parkhurst team has also partnered with numerous allergen-free vendors to bring your student oat bars, chocolate milk, fresh breads, cookies, and so much more to keep them fueled throughout their busy days. I must add that you should absolutely encourage your student to try some of Daniell’s famous chicken tenders. They are hands down my favorite treat from the dining hall! Our team is always open to new ideas and recipes, so if your student has any favorites from home, they should not hesitate to share them!
The Parkhurst team has truly become a second family to me, and I trust them with my life. Now in my junior year, my biggest piece of advice for students navigating UNE with food allergies is for them to embrace becoming their own advocate. I encourage them to find me on campus (I’d love to meet them), to connect with our phenomenal Parkhurst Dining Team and to get involved with our food allergy advocacy club. There are many people on this campus who want to know your student and to help UNE feel like a home away from home. Please encourage your student to reach out, as we’re here to help!