The impact of food restrictions on campus and beyond
People living with dietary restrictions may find themselves planning ahead for Holiday meals as they navigate a market that isn’t always considerate of their needs.
By Michaela Ely
With food-heavy holidays rapidly approaching, those with dietary restrictions are likely to find themselves wondering what’s on the menu this holiday season. As someone who recently discovered her own lactose and gluten intolerance, though my family doesn’t share said intolerances, I’m starting to think more about food restrictions.
Lactose intolerance is a condition that affects the lactase enzyme that digests lactose and can result in severe stomach pain, bloating, nausea and more according to John Hopkins Medicine. Gluten intolerances can often result in similar symptoms, but can often be more severe, especially if you have celiac disease.
Celiac disease is an immune reaction to consuming gluten which damages the lining of the small intestine. Symptoms can include bloating, fatigue, and more according to Mayo Clinic.
Lactose is found in dairy products and gluten is found in wheat products, which can be difficult to avoid. Even when you find lactose free products, the high price creates a new obstacle. The same is true for gluten free products. For example, I drink unsweetened vanilla almond milk which is around $4 for a half gallon of my preferred brand, while a standard half gallon of 2% milk is around $2.50 at my local Safeway. My gluten free mac and cheese is also around $4 to replace my $1.50 Kraft mac and cheese addiction.
Finding lactose or gluten free options can be a chore, especially if you’re on a budget. One thing I’ve tried to do to avoid overspending on my food is shop at Trader Joe’s for essentials and a couple of specialty items. I’ve found that their nondairy and gluten free options are often less than the average grocery store and they honestly have a better variety.
A couple of items I would personally recommend trying out are Trader Joe’s gluten free Candy Cane JoJos, which are basically their version of Oreos, and their non-dairy oat creamers which have seasonal flavor offerings. I love to add a splash of them into my chai lattes.
I would also recommend checking out a gluten free blog like Gluten Free on a Shoestring, especially for the baked desserts. My personal favorite is the Apple Pie Cookies, which would make an amazing Thanksgiving dessert.
While my mom is lactose intolerant, I didn’t develop lactose intolerance until January of 2023, so making the transition was quite difficult at first. I first had to find an alternative milk I actually enjoyed, not just tolerated. I also had to adjust to the fact that I couldn’t have my favorite dessert anymore, which was ice cream.
In addition, I developed a gluten intolerance in July of this year, which was exponentially worse to adjust to. There were suddenly so many things in my family’s fridge and pantry that I could no longer eat, unless I wanted to feel like my stomach was being stabbed by dozens of small knives.
Being gluten intolerant or having celiac disease can be incredibly difficult when it comes to large family events because cross contamination can be a huge issue. Even the smallest bit of gluten coming into contact with a gluten free dish can have horrible results.
“Something that would make my food experience easier during the holidays is when our family and friends come over, understanding the importance of cross-contamination and ingredients that they used because lots of things are disguised as gluten even if it says gluten free or it’s not known to have gluten,” WSU alumni of 2023 Hannah Sarmiento told The Ledger.
During her time at WSU, Sarmiento was on a gluten free diet which led to her finding out she has celiac disease. She was able to discover her health issues due to experimenting with food and taking note of how her body reacted to it. She noticed that when she ate foods that contained gluten her throat would get extremely itchy and her neck would swell. In addition, her stomach would inflate as if she was pregnant.
“Even if I touched it during the experiments I would get hives on my arms. But once I was 100% diagnosed and knew how to control it and what to eat, it was super simple and easy! Pullman’s restaurants are extremely gluten free friendly and have a lot to offer for the wide range of health that is in the town,” Sarmiento said.
The restaurants, coffee shops and fast-food places near UWT and the Husky Market in TPS don’t seem to have similar levels of accessibility unless you happen to be looking for a gluten free pastry or small snack. Another thing I’ve learned since going on a completely gluten free diet is that while some items are technically gluten free like Cheetos, they aren’t always certified as gluten free due to potential cross contamination.
This makes it particularly rough living near campus and trying to find gluten and dairy free options that are both convenient and tasty. While all of the coffee shops nearby do carry alternative milks, there is an upcharge of 75 cents to a dollar, except at Starbucks which only recently stopped charging more for alternative milks as of Nov. 7.?
As I’ve met more people who have dietary restrictions, either due to allergies, personal reasons, et cetera, I’ve realized that not only is it harder to eat out because of a lack of options, but sometimes there will be people who don’t take food restrictions seriously.
For example, beyond my gluten allergy and lactose intolerance, I also have a coffee allergy. I was at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at the end of September and mobile ordered an oat milk chai latte from Starbucks, and when I received it, it ended up having espresso in it.
I took a large sip and could immediately taste the coffee. When I asked the barista to remake it, they were insistent it didn’t have coffee in it and overall seemed upset. I had to go to one of the stores in the airport to buy Benadryl because I was already breaking out in hives after one sip.
“One thing I wish people did less regarding food restrictions is insist that people can eat foods they can’t. Whether they’re allergic or have food taboos, it’s happened often personally, and it gets exhausting when I have to remind others about my constrictions,” UWT senior Aleece Thurman told The Ledger.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I’ve started to think about making some of my own food to accommodate my dietary restrictions, especially as none of my family members are gluten intolerant. I’ve gotten pretty good at avoiding dairy and found some great alternatives, as well as items that have lower lactose contents that are easier to digest. Gluten can be more difficult to avoid because there aren’t always good alternatives and it’s in a lot more food products than you’d think.
While having dietary restrictions at times can seem bleak, especially if you need to completely change the way you eat, it’s important to remember that you aren’t alone in this. We’re lucky to live in a time that does provide us with gluten and dairy free options, even if they can be hard to find. There are plenty of amazing gluten and dairy free recipes all over social media and the internet, you just need to find what works for you.?
