Dietary needs
Whether you are on a residence meal plan or joining us for a meal at our retail outlets:
We offer kitchen/dining hall tours and/or meetings with our Registered Dietitian and Dining Managers to give students confidence in the foods they are choosing and our procedures for maintaining their safety. Contact our Campus Dietitian Leanne at halligey@uvic.ca to get more information on how we can best support your dietary needs.
Make sure to talk to our staff every time you order food, so they know to follow correct protocols to limit cross-contamination.
Food Allergy, Intolerances & Dietary Restrictions in residence dining
Food Allergies and Intolerances
We prioritize the safety of individuals with allergies by providing comprehensive ingredient and allergen information listed on our website. The top 8 priority allergens are available for all of our house-made and purchased foods. We use vegan, vegetarian, made without gluten and made without dairy icons to help our customers identify dishes they can consume.
Top 8 Priority Allergens: Peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, and shellfish.
**Please note that we are not an allergen-free facility and cannot guarantee against cross-contamination.
While we ensure the availability of grains and other products that are made without gluten, we cannot guarantee against cross-contamination with gluten, so we do not recommend students with celiac disease participate in the meal plan.
Vegetarian and vegan diets
Plant-based options are available at all meals and locations. Verde is a dedicated plant-based eatery located in The Cove and offers a range of vegetarian options. If cross-contamination with meat and dairy items is an issue, please let your server know, so that they can best serve you.
Health conditions (diabetes, hypoglycemia, metabolic syndrome or inflammatory bowel diseases etc.)
We can help students manage many different health conditions through the provision and prioritization of healthy, balanced meals with whole grains always offered alongside refined grains and low or no sugar options in some of our packaged foods. However, we strongly recommended making an appointment in your first week on campus for a tour with our dietitian to highlight which items are appropriate. We also recommended using ingredient, allergen and nutrition information to make the best choices for your health.
Religious restrictions
UNFS strives to provide an inclusive dining environment that meets individual's religious and cultural restrictions and preferences. We continue to explore ways to further enhance and expand our menu offerings, however our kitchen facilities are not certified to prepare strictly hala or kosher food, as we do not have separate storage and preparation areas. We currently cannot accommodate a strict Kosher diet due to limited customer demand.
UNFS is proud to offer a number Halal items on campus, including some Halal meats. The halal icon indicates menu options that contain halal protein. Those following a Halal based diet can find a selection of options available within the Cove Dining Hall. These include the following:
- Mykonos: Chicken, meatballs and vegetarian options
- Verde: all menu options are 100 % Halal
- Salad Bar: 100 % Halal
- Vikes Grill: Quinoa burger
- Feast Entrées:
- Breakfast items including: eggs, tofu scramble, yogurt, fruit, pancakes/waffles, hash browns, oatmeal
- Fish and Chips (every Friday)
- Deli: Tuna Salad, plant based proteins
- Grab and Go Express:
- Halal Chicken Mediterranean Salad
- Halal Chicken Pita Wrap
- Halal chicken with honey sriracha glaze, starch and veg
- Halal meatloaf, potato and veg
- Pasta with Halal Bolognese meat sauce
- Hummus and Pita
- Veggies and Dip
- Gourmet Green Salad