My freezer is so full that my roommate and I could survive a flu epidemic on campus but locking ourselves in our apartment and living off my food supply. My parents came to visit a week ago and stocked my freezer full of delicious home cooked frozen meals. This is my approach to eating SCD and surviving in college.
Since I’ve been diagnosed, I joined a helpful Yahoo! Group, BTVC-SCD, which is a group of people on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. The group enables you to as your SCD-related questions as well as to share your story. Over the summer, there was a question asking whether SCD can be followed in college. This was the first discussion post that I knew I could be helpful. I immediately responded with a few things that I did last year when I was living in the dorms. SCD in college is very possible. It’s not easy. I’m not going to lie; it’s really hard, but it’s so worth it. I like to think of myself of living proof that you can be med-free, eating SCD and survive the dorm lifestyle.
The dining hall usually made me huge salads
One way to make the diet more manageable in college is to talk to the dining hall staff. At OU, students are required to live in the dorms the first two years and they must have a meal plan. My parents and I called Dining Services right after I started the diet to insure that my food could be taken care of at school. Usually universities can provide students with special dietary needs with special meals. My mom and I had a meeting with the university’s head chef to discuss the diet. I had meals made specifically for me every day. The dining hall chefs, after stressing the importance of the diet, were able to cook my SCD meals. The head chef made yogurt for me, but my mom also made me yogurt and would drive it up to me, so I could make a shake in my dorm room.
Salad, watermelon, and french onion soup for lunch
Another helpful thing a second refrigerator/freezer in my dorm room. My mom, who is an amazing cook, was able to make and freeze me foods for snacks and breakfasts. My dorm freezer was always fully stocked with pancakes, ice cream, muffins and almond puffs. I believe most schools will provide an extra fridge or a larger one for students with food allergies or special dietary needs.
If you’re on SCD and considering going away for college, I want you to know that it’s doable! If you’re in college or looking at colleges and thinking about starting SCD, you can do it! As you search for the right place for you, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Ask how accommodating the university’s dining services is to special dietary needs. If they provide mirco-fridges in the dorm rooms, ask if you can get a larger one or an extra one in your room.
Eat well and feel well!
Alyse K
