Northwestern won Food Allergy Research & Education’s 2024 Best Campus Dining Award, Compass Group announced Thursday.

Compass Group, NU’s food service provider, said in a news release that the University outperformed hundreds of colleges and universities across the U.S. to win the award.

FARE is an advocacy group that aims to improve awareness of food allergies through research and education. More than 80 million Americans have food allergies and intolerances, 33 million of whom are at risk of life-threatening reactions, according to data from FARE.

According to the release, the FARE Awards Committee chose NU because of its allergens-free and self-serve options in Foster-Walker Complex East dining hall and the Pure Eats stations found at all five dining halls.

“NU Dining recognizes that navigating food allergies on campus can pose significant challenges, both logistically and emotionally, for our students,” said Campus Dietitian Madeline McDonough in the release. “We’re immensely grateful for this recognition, but our work doesn’t end here.”

McDonough said in the news release that NU Dining remains committed to improving its food allergy safety practices and cultivating innovation in campus dining options.

The committee also recognized the work of on-campus group College Advocates for Food Allergy Awareness and Education for its allergen-based outreach. In the committee’s announcement of the award, the group highlighted CAFAAE’s recent tabling events on administering epinephrine, a drug used to stop allergic reactions.

“Our dining team’s firm dedication to Northwestern students, the campus community and our Compass sector teams shines through in everything we do,” said Compass Group Vice President of Operations Robert Ryder in the release.

Ryder credited the knowledge and leadership from McDonough and other NU Dining staff as the reason behind the achievement.

FARE wrote in its announcement that it is working with NU’s admissions team to survey incoming students about their allergens to fine-tune next year’s dining options.

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