By Dante Campana / Full360 multimedia reporter
The ribbon fell, the applause came, and students with food allergies finally had a place at Delaware Valley University where the question “what’s in my food?” would no longer need to be asked. DelVal heard its students loud and clear: The dining hall wasn’t working for everyone, and they responded to this feedback with a new approach.
In early February, DelVal’s Levin Dining Hall held a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official grand opening of its True Balance dining station. True Balance aims to be attentive to the individual needs of students, offering students with food allergies a dedicated location where they can order food without worry about the certain ingredients.
Regional Dietitian Katerina Nye had a table at the event where she discussed the individuality of dietary needs and how the campus aims to accommodate them.
“Our goal is to alleviate concerns around meal selection by offering a dedicated station that provides safe, healthy, and delicious options prepared with the highest standards of allergen management,” Nye said.
This addresses worry from previous semesters where students with varying food allergies had concerns regarding food options. By providing students with a location they can get food without the common allergy-causing ingredients, there would be more certainty regarding DelVal’s dining experience.
As such, the True Balance station builds upon previous efforts to tend to student needs.
“By evolving the former ‘Gluten Solutions’ station into a fully comprehensive ‘Allergen Solutions’ program, we’re going beyond gluten-free options to accommodate a wider range of dietary requirements,” Nye said. “This holistic approach—combining strict safety standards, certified training, and exciting menu variety—is what makes True Balance such a significant advancement in campus dining.”
Ensuring that True Balance meals remain allergen-free is a top priority: Their desserts made by Red Plate Foods are produced in facilities free of common allergens, and True Balance’s specially trained chefs take care to avoid cross-contamination.
The pursuit of food safety does not come at the cost of flavor. Although True Balance provides meals for students with allergies, they also want their food to be enjoyable for all students and faculty.
True Balance offers various allergen-free and nutritiously balanced options that often consists of a grain, a protein, and a vegetable. Meal options rotate daily and all exclude the top 9 allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame. Their offerings include JustEgg “make your own omelettes” produced with milk substitutes, tacos with corn tortillas, and various pork, beef, and chicken dishes.
Red Plate Foods also offered samples of their desserts during the event for students, allowing them to preview what the station would have to offer.
Nye said, “We are thrilled to bring this innovative program to Levin Dining Hall and look forward to serving students in a way that prioritizes safety, trust, and great taste.”
Photos by Dante Campana