College opens entirely gluten-free dining hall

An Ohio college in the US has opened what it says is the first entirely gluten-free dining hall in the country.

Students wait for food to be prepared at Prentice Café, a gluten-free dining hall. (Kent State University)
Students wait for food to be prepared at Prentice Café, a gluten-free dining hall. (Kent State University)

Kent State University restructured Prentice Café in Prentice Hall after administrators noticed a rising number of students with gluten intolerance. Kent State says it’s the first campus to offer an entire dining hall that’s certified gluten-free.

Although many campuses offer gluten-free products and some offer gluten-free stations in their dining halls, Kent State said it is the first campus to offer an entire dining hall that is certified gluten-free.

The café earned certification from the Gluten-Free Food Services Certification Program, a food safety program offered through the Gluten Intolerance Group.

Anyone is welcome to dine at Prentice Café, which is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition to every item being gluten-free, the menu also features a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes. The café accepts meal plans, cash and credit cards.

“Students’ needs have always been our top priority,” Rich Roldan, director of university dining services, said in a statement.  “Students have enough to worry about – they should not have to worry about their food being safe to eat. It is important they can eat in a safe environment.”

This story first appeared on Cleveland.com