Eating gluten-free can be a massive pain in the ass, but for some of us it’s nothing compared to the pain of not eating gluten-free — yes, that pain is still in the ass. Although finding gluten-free foods on campus can be a challenge, it’s definitely not impossible.

In my experience, many gluten-free menu items are just pathetic. I’ve seen everything from a gluten-free burger option with a note advising customers to “ask for no bun” and toast that is gluten-free if you just eat the peanut butter and jam. My worst experience so far was a situation where the only gluten-free meal option was a box of pears. Yes, pears — I ate three.

Avoiding gluten usually means eliminating all of the following: bread, cereals, pasta, soups, beer, soy sauce, commercial oats, couscous, baking, pastries, breaded meat, certain chips, granola bars, chocolate bars, most desserts and what my friends like to sum up as “basically anything good.”

However, eating gluten-free doesn’t have to be limited to burgers without buns and spoonfuls of peanut butter — although I certainly enjoy those. While many places are not specifically gluten-free, some food venues on campus do have options whether you have celiac disease, are gluten-intolerant or are just hopping on the gluten-free bandwagon.

The main place to go for some guaranteed gluten-free food is the Choices cafeteria at St. Thomas More College. They have a whole menu with gluten-free options, including breakfast, lunch and dessert — the brownie is fabulous! Their daily lunch menu always features a gluten free soup with options like the delicious vegan butternut squash and their daily lunch buffet also includes gluten-free items. Choices is aptly named!

Marquis Hall often has many gluten-free items on their menu, which changes daily. Although they do caution that cross-contamination can occur during food preparation, their menu seems to have recently expanded to include more gluten-free options. Their salad station is always a good option seeing as the chances of cross-contamination there are very low.

Louis’ also has a few picks for the gluten-free consumer. As long as you watch out for croutons, their salads are usually a good option. The nachos are also made with corn tortilla chips, meaning they are safe for snacking. Louis’ also has a rice bowl and a noodle bowl that can both be made gluten-free.

At Louis’ Loft, most of the salads are gluten-free — but if worst comes to worst, I recommend the Bodacious red wine on their drink menu. Nothing like a little nine-ounce glass in the afternoon to tide you over until supper, am I right?

If Lower Place Riel is your venue of choice, then the sushi and vermicelli noodle bowls at Umi Sushi Express or the smoothies at PUR are gluten-free. Extreme Pita can also make their pitas into lettuce wraps for the gluten-sensitive customer.

You might find a few more options in lower Place Riel. I know for a fact the bananas and apples at Mac’s are a safe choice.

Other restaurants and culinary venues on campus include the University Club, which usually offers at least one gluten-free item everyday. On the other side of College Drive at Alexander’s there are a few possibilities such as a rice bowl or — as per usual — salads. Just make sure to be watchful and ask about menu items. Common places where gluten lurks unexpectedly are in sauces, creamy soups or salad dressings that are thickened with wheat flour.

There are some options on campus, but if your allergy is severe or your diet is very strict, then your best option might just be to BYOF —  bring your own food. You can’t always win when you have to eliminate the gluten. It’s just not an easy life.

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Naomi Zurevinski / Opinions Editor

Graphic: Stephanie Mah / Graphics Editor