Welcome to the DSP Hub!
The Dietary Support Program (DSP) Hub is for UC Davis students in our Residential Dining Dietary Support Program. This page provides a variety of resources to help you navigate your meal options and discover other fun perks as a member of DSP! Read below to learn more about:
- How to schedule an appointment with the Nutrition team
- How to access and update your Food Preferences List
- How to order customized meals made to fit your dietary needs
- Our special selection of menu options
- Your DSP Peer Mentors
- All of the fun Allergy-Friendly Aggies activities you can get involved in
- Who to contact for additional support
Schedule an Appointment with the Nutrition Team
You qualified for DSP! Now what? You can now gain access to our Aggie Choice Menu available at Segundo, Tercero, and Cuarto DC. To do so, you will need to schedule an appointment with a member of our Nutrition Team! During the appointment, we will:
- Address any questions you have about DSP or food allergy management in Residential Dining
- Create your Food Preferences List, a document that outlines all the details of your dietary needs for our culinary team
- Show you how to order customized meals using text-and-tell
Visit our Calendly portal to schedule an appointment today! Please note: only students qualified for DSP may schedule appointments with the Nutrition Team. Appointments scheduled by those not approved by the Student Disability Center and/or the Housing Arrangements team will be denied.
Want to schedule a follow-up appointment? No problem! Students in DSP may schedule follow-up appointments as needed throughout the academic year for:
- General support navigating meal options in Residential Dining or on the Aggie Choice Menu
- Requesting technical assistance and follow-up demonstrations on how to order your meals
- Discuss major updates to their Food Preferences List
How to Access and Update your Food Preferences List
Once you have a Food Preferences List on file, you may request updates to your Food Preferences List as many times as needed throughout the academic year to ensure it accurately reflects your dietary needs. To update your Food Preferences List:
- Log into Google Drive using your UC Davis Kerberos ID
- Click on "Shared with me"
- Locate or search for the Google Doc of your Food Preferences List (Food Preferences Lists are titled "LAST NAME, FIRST NAME (Food Preferences List)")
- Open your Food Preferences List and add any updates or edits as a comment to the document
- Send an email to DSP@ucdavis.edu letting our team know you've made updates to your Food Preferences List
From there, we'll make the changes to your Food Preferences List and follow up with you if any further clarification is needed. Then, we'll notify our Residential Dining Teams to let them know your Food Preferences List was updated.
Troubleshooting Food Preferences Lists: If you cannot find the link to your Food Preferences List, experience issues opening or adding comments to your Food Preferences List, reach out to our team at DSP@ucdavis.edu and we'd be happy to help you out!
Order Customized Meals to Accommodate your Dietary Needs
Please note: you MUST have a complete Food Preferences List on file with the culinary team to place custom orders from the Aggie Choice Menu. For their safety, students without a completed Food Preferences List on file will be unable to place custom meal orders from the Aggie Choice Menu. Please follow directions above to schedule an appointment with our Nutrition Team and create your Food Preferences List.
Text-and-Tell is our easy-to-use program that allows you to place a meal order directly with our culinary team. Text your menu selections to 55744 at least two hours prior to your arrival. Type the following information in the body of the text:
- Location code: txtsegundo, txttercero, or txtcuarto
- Your first and last name
- Your selection
- Your anticipated time of arrival
For example, your text may look something like this: "txtsegundo Jane Doe, gluten-free cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, no onion. Chef's choice roasted vegetables. Dark chocolate red plate muffin. Arrival 6 PM."
Why order two hours prior?
Given the volume of meals served daily to the general student population, a two-hour notice gives our culinary team adequate preparation time to verify dietary restrictions on your Food Preferences List, clarify any discrepancies, clean and sanitize the allergy-friendly area of the back kitchen, and prepare a single-portion meal that is fresh and ready for you when you arrive. Safety and quality are our priorities, so any meal orders submitted less than one hour prior to arrival may experience significant delays. For breakfast, many students find it convenient to submit their order the night before.
How your meal is prepared
Upon receiving your order, a member of our culinary team first confirms your dietary restrictions and preferences by referring to your Food Preferences List. The culinary team member then carefully cleans and sanitizes the designated allergy-friendly area of the back kitchen to prepare your meal safely. In case there is a product shortage or last-minute menu change, a member of the culinary team may reach out to you via the phone number provided on your Food Preferences List to clarify your order and suggest possible alternatives.
Picking up your meal
When you arrive at the DC, identify yourself to the cashier when you are swiping in. Tell them your full name, and that you are picking up a special meal. The cashier will alert a manager or chef of your arrival, and they will direct you to a specific area for the chef on duty to assist you and provide you with your meal.
Exploring other options in the DC's
Students in DSP are certainly not limited to the selections on our Aggie Choice Menu. Depending on your dietary restrictions, you might find foods served in our DC's that fit your needs! After you pick up any custom-ordered meal, feel free to roam around the DC and check out other options being served, using the online menu as a guide. Please note: items available on our regular menu cycle are not eligible for modification or custom ordering. Students may self-select these items upon their arrival to their DC of choice.
Forgot to order in advance?
Simply notify the cashier upon your arrival that you are approved for dietary accommodations and would like to make a last-minute menu order from the Aggie Choice Menu. They will notify a chef who will take down your meal request, and let you know how long it will take to be ready. Please note: your meal may take roughly 20 minutes or longer to be prepared, depending on peak service times. It is highly advised that you prepare in advance and order your meal 2 hours prior to your arrival.
Issues with Text-and-Tell?
If you experience issues using text-and-tell, notify us right away at DSP@ucdavis.edu so that the issue can be resolved promptly with the Text-and-Tell team. In the meantime, you can submit your menu orders through our online Text-and-Tell portal, located here: easycode.com/ucdavis. No location code is necessary, as you will be prompted to select your DC from a list (Please note: although listed as an option, orders for custom meals cannot be processed at Latitude. Any custom orders sent to Latitude via this method will not be fulfilled). Simply include your full name, your selection(s), and your anticipated time of arrival.
View our Aggie Choice Menu
Students in DSP may order meals from the Aggie Choice Menu, our special menu containing items that can be customized to fit your dietary needs. Order from the Aggie Choice Menu:
- From any DC location (Segundo, Tercero, or Cuarto), regardless of their residence
- In any amount
- In any combination
- At any time during DC operating hours!
Manufacturer's information for any items on the Aggie Choice Menu can be provided upon request. Please email DSP@ucdavis.edu for more information on items in our Aggie Choice Menu.
Meet your 2024-25 DSP Peer Mentors!
DSP students in each residential area have their own designated DSP Peer Mentor! DSP Peer Mentors are current UC Davis undergraduate students that help run our Allergy-Friendly Aggies outreach and events, and work to support our DSP students.
Peer Mentor information coming soon!
Allergy-Friendly Aggies
Allergy-Friendly Aggies is our campus community of students enrolled in our Dietary Support Program. Students in DSP are automatically enrolled and provided all resources needed to get involved with Allergy-Friendly Aggies. See our key program features below:
Join our Allergy-Friendly Aggies Discord Server
Our virtual community of DSP students is hosted by our DSP Peer Mentor team. Members can connect with others, share experiences, provide feedback, build friendships, participate in fun challenges for prizes, stay in the know about upcoming events, and obtain resources for navigating college with dietary restrictions. You might even find a lunch buddy!
Receive our Allergy-Friendly Aggies Email Newsletter
Our DSP Peer Mentors publish a monthly email newsletter to all DSP students with program updates, events, articles, feedback surveys, and challenges to participate in for prizes!
Participate in Student Advisory Committee Meetings
DSP is built entirely on student feedback, and we want to hear from you! Student Advisory Committee meetings are once-monthly informal meetings that take place in rotating DC locations during dinner service. Attending these meetings is a great way to provide your feedback, get to know our Nutrition team, and meet other DSP students.
Look for our Bright Purple Tablecloth
Our team members occasionally table in our residential dining areas during lunch or dinner service to promote our program. Look for our bright purple Allergy-Friendly Aggies tablecloth and stop by to say hello!
Give us your feedback!
Is there a food you'd like to see added to our Aggie Choice Menu? Have ideas to improve your program experience? Let us know! Email us at DSP@ucdavis.edu with your suggestions. Please note: requests for additional items are ultimately approved by our culinary team, and therefore we cannot guarantee the regular sourcing of any item not already on this menu. Consideration of new additions to the Aggie Choice menu is based on supply chain access, production feasibility, unit storage capacity, and product shelf-life.
Other Support Resources
Do NOT struggle in silence! Self-advocacy is crucial to maintain your safety and nourishment, and asking for help when needed is a big part of that (if you don't reach out, we won't know!) Our team is here to support you by helping you meet your dietary needs. Check out our DSP Program Contact Sheet (pdf) to make sure you can direct your inquiries to the right place!
Follow @ucdavishousing