Nutrition
We are committed to creating safe and inclusive food experiences for every guest.
We execute the highest standards for food safety so we can take pride in the products that we offer. We are dedicated to providing you the very best produce, dairy, meat and other grocery items by only partnering with vendors who share our commitment to our guests.
Special Diets
Navigating a specific way of eating can be challenging but it doesn’t have to be. We have many options for guests who have dietary restrictions or need specific food alternatives. These needs are respected and observed when we do our menu planning.
Our dining locations offer choices for guests who:
Have food allergies or intolerances
Follow medically related dietary restrictions
Choose a vegan or vegetarian diet
Allergen and Celiac-Friendly Dining Options
Dining with dietary restrictions can feel overwhelming. We’re proud to offer one completely peanut-free dining hall, a Big 9 and gluten-free dining venue, and a host of allergen-friendly options at our District Markets.
Local Point is a peanut-free dining hall on West Campus
Select at Center Table is a dedicated Big 9 and gluten-free dining platform on North Campus. While Select is within a shared dining hall, it has its own designated kitchen and equipment and is overseen by staff with extra training around cross-contact prevention.
Our staff at all dining halls are trained in cross-contact prevention. Please let them know your dietary restrictions before placing your order so they can help identify safe options. Most sites can make meals following a special medically-required dietary restriction protocol upon request.
Gluten-free pasta, bread, and buns are available upon request.
Our District Markets in Alder and Oak Hall stock gluten-free and allergen-friendly products and are happy to discuss special requests you may have.
Find Options Suitable for Any Dietary Pattern at the District Market
The District Markets are campus-run grocery stores that let you spend your Dining Dollars. They carry grocery items to fit every dietary pattern and lifestyle! Choose from a variety of allergen-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal and kosher items.
Talk to a Nutritionist
Lacy Anderson, MS MPP RDN CD, is our Nutrition and Wellness Specialist. She helps ensure our meals meet nutrition guidelines, addresses allergen concerns, and offers personalized nutrition support to students. Whether you're navigating dietary restrictions or simply want to learn more about healthy eating, and Lacy is here to help. Send an email to lacyand@uw.edu.
Nutrition Tools
At UW Dining, we take your nutrition seriously. We know that food fuels your endeavors both inside the classroom and out, so we aim to give you options that fit your wants and needs! That’s why we have two tools to help you choose the food that’s right for you: Balanced Plate and NetNutrition.
Balanced Plate
Build your own meals and meet your nutritional goals with Balanced Plate! This à la carte meal-building station lets you create your own meals from a variety of items to meet your dietary needs. It’s based on MyPlate guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which state that a balanced plate should be filled with:
½ vegetables and fruits
¼ grains (primarily whole grains)
¼ protein (primarily lean protein)
Some dairy options
With Balanced Plate, you can choose from several tasty veggie, grain and protein options at Plate at Center Table and Local Point to create the meal you want. So whether you’ve started lifting weights and want to build muscle or you need meals that keep you full and alert during your evening class, we have options for you!
NetNutrition
Whether you’re avoiding certain ingredients due to a health condition or a preference, it’s important to have access to ingredient lists and nutrition facts. Our online tool, NetNutrition, provides this information for menu items served in our residential dining facilities.
With NetNutrition, you can see:
Full ingredient lists
A full nutrition information panel, including calories, fat, fiber, carbs, vitamins and more
Allergen information for the nine top allergens: crustacean shellfish, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, sesame, soy, tree nuts and wheat
You can filter menu items by allergen and dietary needs/preferences, so you can customize what you see to your needs. NetNutrition makes it easy for people with all kinds of dietary needs - vegetarians and vegans, gluten-free eaters, those on high-protein diets, those with allergies and more – to find the right options for them. With NetNutrition, finding the meals you want is easy!
How can I use Balanced Plate and NetNutrition together?
Balanced Plate and NetNutrition work together to help you make informed and balanced choices.
Here’s an example of a menu served at Plate with a variety of dishes you can combine to make a balanced plate.
Here’s three examples of balanced plates that you could put together from this sample menu:
Braised Brisket
Pork Loin
Tofu
As you’re building your plate, you can use NetNutrition to filter dishes based on dietary preferences or allergen restrictions. For instance, if you would like to avoid soy, you can select it from the “I do not want to eat” filter, and all dishes containing soy will be removed from view.
Filtering out soy products removed several dishes, so you can now select the right items for your balanced plate.
Balanced Plate and NetNutrition are just some of tools HFS has to help you eat the way you want to. You can learn more about our nutrition and sustainability efforts on our Sustainability page.
To learn more about national nutrition guidelines, visit the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Dietary Guidelines for Americans.