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Food allergies and shared kitchen in uni accommodations
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Hello,
I just finished High School and I'm going to start Uni in september (yayy!
). I'm going to be in the university's accommodations and I'm so excited but there is one little thing that worries me: The shared kitchen.
The thing is, I have some sorts of allergies which are not really allergies but things I should avoid eating because... Well, it's very complicated -_-" Let's just say someone is a vegetarian who can't eat any gluten or something!
Then how does it work for these people?
Because I've been reading that people in accommodations generally share the food by cooking in turns for everyone and stuff... So I'm afraid that if this is what happens I'm going to look like the anti-social girl who does her own stuff, or if we share anyway then I'm going to be the annoying girl that imposes her allergies to everyone or something
Do you know of any people who have food problems in uni accommodations? How do they manage?
Thanks in advance for replies
I just finished High School and I'm going to start Uni in september (yayy!
). I'm going to be in the university's accommodations and I'm so excited but there is one little thing that worries me: The shared kitchen.The thing is, I have some sorts of allergies which are not really allergies but things I should avoid eating because... Well, it's very complicated -_-" Let's just say someone is a vegetarian who can't eat any gluten or something!
Then how does it work for these people?
Because I've been reading that people in accommodations generally share the food by cooking in turns for everyone and stuff... So I'm afraid that if this is what happens I'm going to look like the anti-social girl who does her own stuff, or if we share anyway then I'm going to be the annoying girl that imposes her allergies to everyone or something
Do you know of any people who have food problems in uni accommodations? How do they manage?
Thanks in advance for replies
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#2
The best thing you can do if you're worried people will think you're avoiding their food due to a sense of superiority is to say why you can't/won't eat their food. In my experience though, whilst every now and again some people would cook and share food together, generally everyone did their own food. You can always simply eat with (as in, at the same time) them so you can chat if you don't have any other time to get to know them.
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#3
What you've heard about people always cooking together really doesn't happen - often people form pairs but that's it. One of the girls I live with is allergic to nuts and it's no big deal - I make sure my peanut butter stays in my cupboard and I wash up my knife immediately, and I'm careful about what food I offer to share with her. Likewise, one of my best friends can't eat dairy, and I still cook for her every so often, I just leave the cheese out.
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#4
I asked my flatmates if they were allergic to anything on the first day, much to their amusement, but I like omelettes and I love peanut butter, so I didn't want to kill my flatmates in the process. Sometimes a couple of people might share food, but as a rule everyone cooks their own stuff, two of my flatmates are vegetarians and it hasn't been a problem at all, although they say that we mock them when we cook bacon while they're around. 
Nobody will mind. It's usually couples/best friends who are practically married who tend to cook together, I've got close friends but I don't cook for them, and vice versa, but some people like to.
Nobody will mind. It's usually couples/best friends who are practically married who tend to cook together, I've got close friends but I don't cook for them, and vice versa, but some people like to.
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That's exactly what I'm afraid of: That people think I'm like a crazy person who feels superior or that is afraid of germs and sharing or something hahaha! So yes I was planning on just explaining to people, I just hope they'll understand and that I won't feel too left out because of it :/
And is that true that most people just steal your food? Cause that would be a problem with some of my stuff that are more expensive and harder to find (like gluten-free stuff) and also cause I couldn't steal back to compensate... haha
(I'm probably thinking too much right now ^^)
So yes I was planning on just explaining to people, I just hope they'll understand and that I won't feel too left out because of it :/ And is that true that most people just steal your food? Cause that would be a problem with some of my stuff that are more expensive and harder to find (like gluten-free stuff) and also cause I couldn't steal back to compensate... haha
(I'm probably thinking too much right now ^^)
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#6
Just buy your own food and cook whenever you want, it's fine - much less hassle.
It depends on how lucky/unlucky you are with which flat-mates you're put with. Also the number too, if it's smaller it would be easier to catch (after a while) who it is, but if it's more, e.g. 10 people, then it could be more difficult.
Keep your most important food (usually stored in the cupboard) in your room or get a mini-fridge. Or maybe a pad lock on your cupboard if things get bad. Also, labelling your food is good too to avoid confusion and gets the message across that it's yours, not to be stolen or taken without your permission.
(Original post by Floflow)
And is that true that most people just steal your food? Cause that would be a problem with some of my stuff that are more expensive and harder to find (like gluten-free stuff) and also cause I couldn't steal back to compensate... haha
And is that true that most people just steal your food? Cause that would be a problem with some of my stuff that are more expensive and harder to find (like gluten-free stuff) and also cause I couldn't steal back to compensate... haha
Keep your most important food (usually stored in the cupboard) in your room or get a mini-fridge. Or maybe a pad lock on your cupboard if things get bad. Also, labelling your food is good too to avoid confusion and gets the message across that it's yours, not to be stolen or taken without your permission.
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#7
Hey
I have a weird reaction to nuts, not really an allergy but they make me ridiculously ill for about a month. I told my flatmates that I can't eat nuts, small amounts of traces are fine but nothing with actual nuts in it. They were fine about it and kept everything with nuts in their cupboards or covered it over if it was in the fridge. We never had an issue
Tbh, we didn't end up cooking together and stuff because we all had different timetables so it would have been difficult. I didn't have any issue with food being stolen, but then I was in a flat of 6 (and 2 of my flatmates were internationals that we saw about once a month :P). Just tell everyone and they'll be understanding
I have a weird reaction to nuts, not really an allergy but they make me ridiculously ill for about a month. I told my flatmates that I can't eat nuts, small amounts of traces are fine but nothing with actual nuts in it. They were fine about it and kept everything with nuts in their cupboards or covered it over if it was in the fridge. We never had an issue
Tbh, we didn't end up cooking together and stuff because we all had different timetables so it would have been difficult. I didn't have any issue with food being stolen, but then I was in a flat of 6 (and 2 of my flatmates were internationals that we saw about once a month :P). Just tell everyone and they'll be understanding
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Oh I just saw the 2 posts before mine ^^
Thanks girls you're reassuring me!
I just read a blog post of a girl who was saying something like "If you're cooking in turns - which you will do if you make friends - etc", that's where I got the idea and got scared about not fitting in if I don't share all the cooking haha
Thanks for the advice Iron Lady! Unfortunately I think mini-fridges and extra furnitures are not allowed in rooms at my future uni :/ I guess I just need to be lucky! ^^
Thanks girls you're reassuring me!
I just read a blog post of a girl who was saying something like "If you're cooking in turns - which you will do if you make friends - etc", that's where I got the idea and got scared about not fitting in if I don't share all the cooking haha
Thanks for the advice Iron Lady!
Unfortunately I think mini-fridges and extra furnitures are not allowed in rooms at my future uni :/ I guess I just need to be lucky! ^^
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#9
I'm wheat intolerant and can't say I've ever had an issue with this. On the odd occasion someone cooked something which was generally eaten with pasta, they'd cook the food and I'd cook my own pasta.
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#11
This sharing thing doesn't happen that much at all. People have different food preferences, different schedules, coherent budgets and different levels of cooking skill.
We did eat communally a few times in halls, but not that often, and we just cooked a similar but meat free version for me.
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We did eat communally a few times in halls, but not that often, and we just cooked a similar but meat free version for me.
Posted from TSR Mobile
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#12
(Original post by usernme_)
could you store food in your room and use diffrent pans ect.. to everyone
could you store food in your room and use diffrent pans ect.. to everyone
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#13
My flat only ate together once and everyone just developed their own eating times so sharing a kitchen wasn't really a problem.
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#14
This is worrying me slightly. I'm vegan, out of choice and not out of a condition, therefore im in a bit of a different situation in that I can eat everything I just choose not too. I was worrying that people might get a bit funny about it
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(Original post by Ollied)
This is worrying me slightly. I'm vegan, out of choice and not out of a condition, therefore im in a bit of a different situation in that I can eat everything I just choose not too. I was worrying that people might get a bit funny about it
This is worrying me slightly. I'm vegan, out of choice and not out of a condition, therefore im in a bit of a different situation in that I can eat everything I just choose not too. I was worrying that people might get a bit funny about it
Ok so here's my weird story: my boyfriend's mother made a hair analysis on me and found I was "allergic" to wheat (not gluten), cow milk, white sugar and coffee... (see the problem? Absolutely everything contains these ingredients!! hahaha) I'm fine if I eat something from this, just a little tired/slow (and if I eat a lot I feel kinda "tired-high" haha), but it's in the long term that I shouldn't eat these stuff cause apprently my body doesn't like it.
I chose to follow her advice, but it's not proven or anything in the way that it's not a thing that the doctor said. So some people don't believe me and take it badly that I don't eat normally! :/
That's why I'm scared of people thinking I'm being anti-social when I really don't want to be...
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#16
(Original post by Ollied)
This is worrying me slightly. I'm vegan, out of choice and not out of a condition, therefore im in a bit of a different situation in that I can eat everything I just choose not too. I was worrying that people might get a bit funny about it
This is worrying me slightly. I'm vegan, out of choice and not out of a condition, therefore im in a bit of a different situation in that I can eat everything I just choose not too. I was worrying that people might get a bit funny about it
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#17
(Original post by Floflow)
Well my situation is kind of the same, that's why I'm making a big deal out of it...
Ok so here's my weird story: my boyfriend's mother made a hair analysis on me and found I was "allergic" to wheat (not gluten), cow milk, white sugar and coffee... (see the problem? Absolutely everything contains these ingredients!! hahaha) I'm fine if I eat something from this, just a little tired/slow (and if I eat a lot I feel kinda "tired-high" haha), but it's in the long term that I shouldn't eat these stuff cause apprently my body doesn't like it.
I chose to follow her advice, but it's not proven or anything in the way that it's not a thing that the doctor said. So some people don't believe me and take it badly that I don't eat normally! :/
That's why I'm scared of people thinking I'm being anti-social when I really don't want to be...
Well my situation is kind of the same, that's why I'm making a big deal out of it...
Ok so here's my weird story: my boyfriend's mother made a hair analysis on me and found I was "allergic" to wheat (not gluten), cow milk, white sugar and coffee... (see the problem? Absolutely everything contains these ingredients!! hahaha) I'm fine if I eat something from this, just a little tired/slow (and if I eat a lot I feel kinda "tired-high" haha), but it's in the long term that I shouldn't eat these stuff cause apprently my body doesn't like it.
I chose to follow her advice, but it's not proven or anything in the way that it's not a thing that the doctor said. So some people don't believe me and take it badly that I don't eat normally! :/
That's why I'm scared of people thinking I'm being anti-social when I really don't want to be...
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#18
I wouldn't worry about it too much, hardly anyone ever cooked together when I was in halls and even those that did inly did it on rare occasions.
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(Original post by joker12345)
Why don't you get an actual medical analysis then?
Why don't you get an actual medical analysis then?
) It's more like people choosing not to drink any milk because they think it's bad for them: they can technically drink it, they won't die of it or anything, but they prefer not to. (even though in my case I get minor symptoms when I eat the stuff I can't eat)
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#20
(Original post by Floflow)
Because it's "none-official medicine"... (Kind of like Homeopathy: most Doctors will tell you it's bull**** ) It's more like people choosing not to drink any milk because they think it's bad for them: they can technically drink it, they won't die of it or anything, but they prefer not to. (even though in my case I get minor symptoms when I eat the stuff I can't eat)
Because it's "none-official medicine"... (Kind of like Homeopathy: most Doctors will tell you it's bull****
) It's more like people choosing not to drink any milk because they think it's bad for them: they can technically drink it, they won't die of it or anything, but they prefer not to. (even though in my case I get minor symptoms when I eat the stuff I can't eat)
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