By Sheryl Harpel, Founder of Gluten Free Friends Parents and counselors do their best to guide teens toward colleges where they will thrive and meet their goals. Balancing dreams, acceptance chances, and financial aid, high school seniors apply to their target list and roll the dice. Eventually, decisions are made and they joyfully wear college sweatshirts. Those with celiac or food allergies may have unknowingly entered into another game of chance that they hadn't even considered.  An estimated 7-11% of students have food restrictions, some potentially life-threatening.(1) Although me ..read more

By Marianna Rieser I am in my fourth and final year of pharmacy school at Drake University. Due to peanut, tree nut, and egg allergies, I always carry epinephrine, antihistamines, and tons of snacks. Pharmacy school is demanding, and finding time to prepare meals and source snacks is challenging. It has tested me both mentally and physically but I am happy with the progress I have made. During my first three years of pharmacy school, I took classes in a traditional college setting, usually packing my lunch, eating at home before class, or treating myself to Chipotle. This final year, I instea ..read more

by Avery Leppo Over nine years ago, I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I was in second grade and had been suffering from severe headaches, abdominal pain, fatigue, and forceful vomiting. These symptoms caused me to miss school often and retreat socially. Doctors repeatedly dismissed it all as anxiety. After blood work followed by an endoscopy ultimately confirmed that I had celiac, my parents and I met with a dietician and quickly transformed our home into a safe, 100% gluten-free space. Within weeks of altering my diet, I physically felt much better. ​ Receiving a lifelong autoimmune ..read more

By Kethan Bajaj  The transition from high school to college can be particularly challenging for students with food allergies. Over the past few years, we have researched these challenges at The Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR) at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.  ,,Our research confirmed that increased food allergy awareness training and education workshops can help improve life with food allergies on college campuses.(1)   With all of this in mind, we started College Advocates for Food Allergy Awareness and Education (CAFAE) at Northwester ..read more

See our recent presentation on how to more thoroughly evaluate GF dining programs and set yourself up for success on campus. NEWS FLASH 2/21/2019!!: N.J. Rider University settles claims it violated gluten-free student's ADA rights ----- It is a bummer that celiac has to factor at all into your college search. Even though it’s been 7 years since Lesley University was found to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for forcing kids with celiac disease to be on a meal plan and then not feeding them, colleges are having mixed results meeting the gluten-free challenge. It is ..read more

Twin sisters, Hallie and Rayna Katzman, and their mom, psychologist Lori Katzman, have written a new book for the celiac community. “Everyone’s Got Something: My First Year with Celiac Disease” tells a fictionalized version of the twins’ celiac diagnosis at age thirteen. The friendly diary style format, based on their own journal entries, is well suited to young readers, parents, and anyone looking to support someone with celiac disease. Hallie and Rayna will graduate from high school in a few weeks, and are heading off to play tennis for Union College in the fall. The Katzman Family joined G ..read more

In my experience, the happiness found in bringing a person with food restrictions into the fold (and having everyone eat mostly the same food) outweighs whatever is being given up. No one misses what isn’t being served. When possible, practice food inclusion at all of your holiday gatherings, classroom festivities, and dinner parties. Graciously and deliciously feeding those with difficult food restrictions can be a host’s greatest delight. THE HOLIDAYS: Make New Traditions When my side of the family gets together for the holidays, we have 5 celiacs at the table, including one with an anaphyl ..read more

Considering how well a college handles dietary restrictions before making a decision, can help ensure your success on campus! This interview with our founder, Sheryl Harpel, appears in the Summer 2023 Generation GF Magazine. While written for a gluten-free audience, it is helpful for students with any food allergies. Thank you, Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), for showcasing our college advocacy efforts. Receive their free publication (3 issues/year) by subscribing here ..read more

by Sheryl Harpel and Hemali Gauri Hemali Gauri, Founder of K12Allergies, is a high school junior committed to food allergy education and awareness. Her organization, ,K12Allergies, provides an online community for food allergy parents to share their personal journeys and support each other. I talked with the Arkansas student, who is allergic to eggs and garlic, to learn more. ,What has your personal food allergy journey been like, Hemali? At seven, I started breaking out into eczema/hives all over my body. These flairs would increase on some days and decrease on others. With the help of our p ..read more

,How can you, evaluate college dining services during your college search and set yourself up for success on campus? This presentation was prepared for a teen celiac support group, but the approach would be consistent for students with food allergies. Watch the ,video recording,(now on YouTube) and follow along with our ,presentation slides. https://youtu.be/8zGI0qEksCE Related GFF posts... How Well Does Your College Meet the Gluten-Free and Food Allergy Challenge? Colleges Urged to Assess Compliance by Food Allergy, Celiac, and Disability Groups After Rider Case Universities Must Serve Gluten ..read more