West Dining Hall

We believe food is a vital part of college life. A meal with friends doesn’t just nourish the body, it builds lasting relationships and feeds the soul. We LOVE food, so we cook it from scratch. It’s our passion to create delicious food that suits every need and taste. Vegan, Flexitarian, or Gluten-Free? We’ll have options for you every day.

Our meal plans are designed with flexibility in mind. Students can use their meal plan as their schedules allow and can swipe up to five times in one day. Students can transition from one plan to another eligible plan.

SERVING STUDENTS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES AND CELIAC DISEASE

The dining services team is well-trained in food allergy awareness and offer a number of options for students with food allergies and celiac disease. This includes communication about and modification to existing menu items, special preparation of menu items, and access to special products as agreed upon with students. Daily menus for each café can be accessed at the Union Dining Website. Menu items that are appropriate options for most students with celiac disease are labeled as “made without gluten-containing ingredients” and can be filtered to streamline searching using the dietary preferences filter. Top-9 allergens are included in menu names and/or descriptions whenever possible. For more on eating with a food allergy in our café, visit this page and view the guide on food allergies and celiac disease at Union College. Further questions about ingredients can be answered by our trained managers/chefs on-site, or our onsite Registered Dietitian.

SIMPLYOASIS AT REAMER CAFÉ
Dining Without the Top-9

We understand that our guests with special dietary needs, albeit food allergies, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or any other medically necessary diet simply want a safe place to make food choices, quickly. To allow guests to have readily available options that meet their needs, we offer SimplyOASIS — a destination in the café where all meals are prepared without the use of top-9 allergens plus gluten through the sole use of whole foods. Additionally, specialty allergen-friendly products are purchased and stored in this area, such as gluten-free packaged breads, bagels, muffins, desserts, single-serve packets of condiment, and corn & rice pasta bowls. We also offer vegan/gluten-free waffle batter and a separate waffle iron for guests to make their own waffles all day. A separate microwave and toaster oven are also available in this space for guests and maintained by our SimplyOASIS Chef.

Avoiding Gluten?

West Café offers a station dedicated to providing meals Made Without Gluten-Containing Ingredients. The Avoiding Gluten? Station in the back of West Café provides menu choices that are based on ingredients that are naturally gluten-free or are gluten-free alternatives to traditional options. For this station, food is prepared by a trained culinarian, in a separate area of the kitchen, and following specific procedures to minimize risk of cross-contact. Daily hot entrees, gluten-free bread, desserts, a separate toaster oven, and microwave are available. Additional gluten-free refrigerated and frozen items are available for self-service in the fridge in this space.

NUTS ON CAMPUS

At Reamer Café, West Café, Dutch Hollow, Garlic Nott, 807 Deli, and Rathskellar, we do not use peanuts or tree nuts in the cooking of our menu items, but do include coconut, as an ingredient, in the preparation of the menu items.

Due to student request and to meet specific dietary needs we offer:
• Peanut butter in individual packets upon request at the cashier stand.
• Almond milk in the self-service beverage cooler.
• Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches at The Market as part of our Grab & Go program.
• Hazelnut coffee, syrup, almond milk, coconut milk at Starbucks.

Bon Appétit is committed to creating food in a socially responsible manner for the well-being of our guests, communities, and the environment. At all cafés, we do not use peanuts or tree nuts with the exceptions noted above as ingredients in the preparation of the menu items and routinely screen package labels; however, products may change without our knowledge. We cannot guarantee these allergens have not been introduced during a previous stage of the food preparation process, or accidental cross-contact from outside sources. Also be aware that we handle and prepare egg, milk, wheat, shellfish, fish, soy, sesame and other potential allergens in our cafés and kitchens. Guests with food allergies or specific dietary concerns should speak with a manager for individualized assistance.

Other Dietary Needs?

For questions about these services or to request food allergy accommodations, students should contact:

Cara Giacco, MS, RDN, LDN, MBA (she/her) Registered Dietitian Nutritionist | Union College
cara.giacco@cafebonappetit.com

Michael Hall, Campus Executive Chef | Union College
michael.hall@cafebonappetit.com

Matt Milless, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs | Union College
millessm@union.edu
(518) 388-6118

When it comes to wellness, Bon Appétit’s focus is on simple, delicious food — that happens to be good for you. To support long-term health, we are bringing more plants to menus every day in a craveable way, while emphasizing healthy cooking techniques. When healthy food tastes good, nourishing your body and mind becomes the easy choice.

We serve thousands of guests with food allergies and sensitivities safely in our cafés every day. Our chefs, managers, and dietitians work closely with our food-allergic guests to create reasonable solutions to help them eat what they love. If you have questions about eating for your dietary needs in our cafés, reach out to us: we’ll gladly meet with you.

Wellness also includes the health of the animals, the workers, the community, and the Earth. They’re all connected. Bon Appétit has been committed to “food service for a sustainable future” for decades, and we’ve led the food service industry in tackling many important issues, such as cage-free eggs, antibiotics in animal production, and farmworker rights.