September means back to school. For many gluten-free gals, September means heading off to college for the first time. The transition from living at home to college freshman is hard enough, add gluten-free onto that, and it might seem daunting.  As intimidating as it sounds, gluten-free in college is totally possible. In fact, it is actually fabulous as two gluten-free gals are about to tell you.

Meet sisters Samantha and Brooke Hamroff.  Both were diagnosed with celiac disease as teens. The sisters decided to do something positive with their diagnoses and founded Celiac Sisters to help raise awareness about celiac and share gluten-free tips and tricks.

When it came to college, Samantha and Brooke were not going to let celiac stop them. They are here to share some very important information on applying and attending college on a gluten-free diet. Through their answers, they hope to help others have successful gluten-free college experiences.

Share with the Bella Beauties who you are?

Samantha:

I’m Samantha Hamroff. I’m 21. I was diagnosed with celiac when I was 16 years old in January 2007. I attend the University of Michigan where I am a Psychology Major and interested in speech language pathology.

Brooke:

I’m Brooke Hamroff. I just turned 19. I was diagnosed with celiac in high school right as the stress of my junior year was starting.  I am currently a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis, majoring in Film and Media Studies with a minor in Communication Design. I am a cheerleader for the Wash U Bears Football and Basketball teams.

Why did you found Celiac Sisters?

Samantha:

My sister was diagnosed with celiac 2 years after I was diagnosed. We decided to found Celiac Sisters to raise awareness about our disease and the gluten-free diet. We accomplish this through our website and fundraisers.

Brooke:

At first I was happy to go gluten-free since I finally felt better, but as time progressed I became upset about the lack of options at restaurants and my insatiable appetite. It became our mission to spread awareness about celiac disease so living gluten-free would easier.

When you were applying to college, did having celiac influence where you applied? Did you contact the schools during the application process to learn about gluten-free options on campus?

Samantha:

Being celiac influenced where I applied. I contacted all the schools I was interested in and pursued the ones where the nutritionists guaranteed there would be gluten-free options available to me. When visiting schools, I contacted the nutritionists and tried to schedule meetings to learn more about the gluten-free options on campus.

Brooke:

The college application process was definitely affected by my gluten-free diet. Before I bothered filling out an application, I e-mailed the school and asked if they could accommodate a gluten-free diet. I didn’t want to waste my time at a school where I would feel hungry and frustrated about having celiac disease. I applied to WashU early decision because during my visit, I met with the campus nutritionist, and she walked us through gluten-free dining options, as well as introduced me to the chefs in the kitchens. I felt very welcome and gluten-free seemed like an easy feat. I had no worries about attending WashU, and as it turns out, gluten-free is amazing there!

Since freshman are usually required to be on meal plans and do not have access to kitchens, how did you go about making sure there would be gluten-free options available to you? What were your experiences like on it?

Brooke:

Before school started, I met with the head of dining service at WashU, the campus nutritionist, and the head chef in the freshman/sophomore dining hall. We spoke about the options that could be made for me daily, as well as grab and go pre-packs readily available around campus. We set up an e-mail chain where I could e-mail in what I want everyday for lunch and dinner, and they would respond with a confirmation. My food was waiting for me, and it actually became easier to get my food being gluten-free rather than all of my gluten-full friends! As the year went on, dining services actually hired a strictly gluten-free chef who would prepare my food as well as a few other gluten-free kids’ food. It was great!

Samantha:

I met with the nutritionist periodically throughout the year. She spoke with the kitchens in several dining halls and had gluten-free food readily available. I would be able to call ahead of time and arrange a certain meal I would like, or meet with the chef to order my meal. In addition, the nutritionist was open to ordering more gluten-free products and even let me choose the products!

What are typical gluten-free dining hall meals?

Samantha:

A typical gluten-free meal might be gluten-free pizza, pasta, or salad with grilled chicken. The dining hall made sure a lot of options were provided for me!

Brooke:

Dining hall meals are anything gluten-free I request including gluten-free pizza, pasta, burgers, chicken, chicken sandwich, stir fry, and anything else you can think of!

Did you do any research before heading off to school about gluten-free dining options off campus and where you could buy gluten-free food?

Samantha:

Before heading off to school, I searched for gluten-free dining options off campus. I found restaurants that offer gluten-free options and heard from the nutritionist and other students about popular restaurants that could cater to my dietary needs.

Brooke:

Dierberg’s, a supermarket near WashU, has an incredible gluten-free section.

Did you buy/pack any specific gluten-free items or kitchen items with you?

Brooke:

When I moved in I probably bought every gluten-free product in the supermarket; my bookcase was overflowing with food! I bought so much frozen food I had to buy a new fridge to hold it all.

Did you talk to your roommate before school started about being gluten-free?

Brooke:

I explained to my roommate that I had celiac disease and needed to be on a gluten-free diet. She was totally cool with it and actually knew what it was. It became very easy. We had separate fridges in our suite so no one would mix anything up.

Are your friends supportive of your being gluten-free?

Samantha:

My friends try all my gluten-free food and tell me how good it tastes! They don’t taste the difference!

Brooke:

My friends are great, and they always make sure I have something to eat. It’s a great feeling to know my friends understand gluten-free and are willing to try a new place with me.

Post-freshman year, how did you make living choices?

Brooke:

I actually filed for medical housing for my sophomore year, requesting the dorm right above the dining hall. Now I have access to the dining hall all the time!

What gluten-free snacks do you always have on you?

Samantha:

I always carry a gluten-free protein bar (usually Nogii by Elisabeth Hasselbeck) or a Snyder’s gluten-free pretzel 100 calorie pack.

Brooke:

Craisins and Think Thin Bars.

Number 1 piece of advice you would give to someone who is gluten-free in college?

Samantha:

The number one piece of advice I have is to not be afraid to try new places or foods. You’d be surprised how many foods are actually gluten-free and how many people are familiar with the gluten-free diet!

Brooke:

Number one piece of advice is to ask your friends to try places with you so you don’t feel isolated. Most of my friends like eating gluten-free with me!

Thank you to the Samantha and Brooke for sharing their insights with Your Bella Life! To learn more about the Celiac Sisters, visit www.celiacsisters.net