Special Diet Support at Western
We understand that many students follow specific diets and we work to accommodate students and ensure they are able to find nutritious and delicious offerings, that meet their needs.
In addition to the priority allergen icons, menu offerings at Western University are also marked with dietary icons. these icons let you know if a food item is prepared to meet your dietary preferences or requirements.
If a menu item is tagged with one of the dietary icons (shown below), this indicates that the menu item aligns with that dietary pattern. Learn more and familiarize yourself with the icons below.
Halal
Halal refers to food products that are prepared following Islamic dietary laws and regulations that determine what is permissible, lawful, and clean.
The Halal icon identifies menu items that contain only ingredients that are completely permissible for ingestion by the Islamic faith and have not come into contact with Haram (non-Halal) food.
Vegan
A vegan diet is free from all animal-based products, including but not limited to meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, honey, and any items containing animal by-products, such as gelatin.
The vegan icon identifies menu items that include only plant-based ingredients, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and excludes all animal products. Best practices have also been upheld to avoid cross-contamination with any non-permitted ingredients.
Please note: plant-based is synonymous with vegan on our residence dining hall menus, as per the Humane Society International and Forward Food definition.
Vegetarian
Vegetarian diets vary in terms of which animal-based foods are included and excluded (i.e., ovo-lacto vegetarian, pescatarian, etc.). Hospitality Services at Western University defines a vegetarian diet as an ovo-lacto vegetarian - a diet that includes plant-based foods in addition to eggs, honey and dairy products.
The vegetarian icon identifies menu items that include plant-based ingredients, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, as well as eggs, milk and milk products, and honey. It excludes menu items that contain meat, fish, shellfish, poultry and any items containing animal by-products from these restricted items. Best practices have also been upheld to avoid cross-contamination with any non-permitted ingredients.
Made Without Gluten
The made without gluten icon identifies menu items that have been prepared without ingredients containing gluten (a protein present in cereal grains including wheat, rye, barley, non-certified gluten-free oats, and their cross-bred grains).
Please note: as we do not have gluten-free facilities, we cannot guarantee items made in-house are gluten-free due to the risk of cross-contact. We take steps to minimize exposure and control cross-contamination to the best of our ability.