Food Allergies and Medical Needs

We are here to help!

Franklin & Marshall Diplomat Dining locations are equipped and dedicated to accommodating customers who have food allergies, Celiac disease, or other dietary needs. Our managers communicate daily with customers, to provide safe, healthy, and delicious options. Your campus dining experience should be enjoyable and Sodexo takes pride in creating site-specific options where customers with allergies can safely choose and enjoy their meals. We want to meet one-on-one with anyone who has individual dining needs to ensure that your dining experience is safe, delicious, and social.

Franklin & Marshall Diplomat Dining, as of 2021, is a proud member of the FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) database, to promote allergy awareness and improve the quality of life for students with food allergies. Find our profile in FARE's database here. More information can be found on the FARE website at Preparing for College.

We do not use any products with peanuts or tree nuts in the kitchen for Restaurants at Ben Franklin. Packaged nuts and nut butters, and other products made with nuts are sold in Steinman College Center and Flavors at LS&P. You can read this card to see how you can dine across the campus and keep gluten-safe.

The Simple Servings station at the Restaurants at Ben Franklin provides safe and appetizing food choices for our customers with food allergies, gluten intolerance, and those who prefer simple food. All foods served at this station are prepared with ingredients that do not contain milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, or sesame. The station uses separate equipment/utensils, preparation areas, and storage areas to minimize the potential of allergens or gluten in our Simple Servings foods.

The menu rotates daily and includes a variety of protein (i.e., chicken, beef, lentils), vegetables (i.e., broccoli, carrots, green beans), and starches (i.e., rice, potato, quinoa). There is a salad option available too. (and insert additional offerings such as lentil pasta bar, etc.). The station is incorporated into the servery to allow students, even those without allergy concerns, to enjoy the wholesome food selections. We ask that guests do not bring food from other stations and only use the plates provided by our servers at Simple Servings.

Simple Servings team members are carefully trained to prepare and serve safe food. We provide training throughout the year for all employees and our Simple Servings managers, supervisors, and cooks also hold the AllerTrainU™ certificates.

While the Simple Servings station is designed to allow customers an easy way to avoid allergens and gluten, we encourage our customers with special dietary needs to connect with our chef, registered dietitian, and general manager to ensure an enjoyable dining experience. Please contact us at (717) 358-4200 or mail us.

SimpleZone is a “pantry” in Dhall with available gluten-free prepackaged items and dedicated appliances like a toaster for customers with a gluten-free need. This special area is safe from gluten, peanut, and tree-nut containing foods and offers items like gluten-free bread, desserts, and condiments. To maintain a safe, gluten and allergy-free area, we ask that students do not bring food from other stations into SimpleZone and use only the utensils, appliances, and plates provided in this area. Use this link to learn about other places on campus that offer gluten-safe foods.

For students with medical conditions that impact their ability to dine well on campus, we strongly encourage a conversation with our Registered Dietitian, Executive Chef, and/or our General Manager. In many instances, our dining team can easily assist with special needs.

Occasionally, Dining Services cannot meet a student’s medical needs within normal service. We may require additional medical documentation to enable us to develop a more specific meal plan accommodation. In this situation, we ask that the student contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services. Together, our departments work to serve our students with medical needs related to dining on campus. For more information about special dietary accommodations please visit the Franklin & Marshall College Office of Student Accessibility Services Homepage.

Lin Roberts, MS RDN LDN, serves as our District Campus Dietitian and adds another dimension to our dining services program by working with campus communities to encourage healthy lifestyles and supporting individuals as they transition to a new dining environment. She is passionate about leading a balanced lifestyle and empowering people of all ages to reach their greatest potential through food and nutrition. Lin completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware in nutrition and dietetics and received her master’s degree in health science from Towson University with a concentration in community health education. She is a licensed registered dietitian in Maryland and Pennsylvania and holds advanced certification and training in weight management, health coaching, and food safety. With over 25 years of experience, Lin enjoys working with college students of all ages in general health guidance and wellness, plant-based eating, medical nutrition therapy, management of food allergies and dietary intolerances, sports and performance nutrition, and navigating campus dining. She provides individual nutrition education and counseling for students, living on and off campus, and group sessions for student organizations, clubs, and athletic teams.

Contact her via email or use the feedback form to request a consultation.

Follow Lin on Instagram through our dining page @fandmdining

Lin also suggests you check out our daily menus, also available by downloading the free Everyday app.

Lin Roberts, MS, RD, LDN