{"id":16150,"date":"2020-09-24T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T13:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/?p=16150"},"modified":"2020-09-15T09:22:25","modified_gmt":"2020-09-15T13:22:25","slug":"tips-for-eating-vegan-in-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/2020\/09\/24\/tips-for-eating-vegan-in-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Eating Vegan in College"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Lucia\nRivera, VRG Intern<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\nput together a guide with tips for eating vegan in college using information\nfrom eight VRG interns attending college in the U.S.\nand Europe. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian,\nor exploring new diets, these recommendations can help you out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research and Using Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many\nuniversities provide their students with online dining hall menus or even apps\nthat students can use to find vegan options on a day-to-day basis. Once in the\ndining hall, students can also pay attention to signs that often indicate what\nis vegan, vegetarian, or not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cMy school’s website has the menu for the\nweek, and you can filter out all the nonvegan items. If some days are better\nvegan days than others, then I’ll know to eat elsewhere,\u201d University of North\n Carolina student Clare Broud said \u201cAlso, talking\nto dining staff members is really helpful. Most staff are happy to\naccommodate!  My school also offers\nnutrition counseling for those concerned about eating right, and that is\nanother great resource.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     During college applications is another\ngood time to conduct research about what different universities do to cater to\nvegan students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201c[Ask] upperclassmen at your particular\nschool about advice dealing with the meal coordinators at your college. Also\nask about any local vegan restaurants! Perhaps try to get a dorm room with a\nsmall kitchenette or kitchen (if possible). Try to stay flexible and ready to\ncreate meals for yourself,\u201d Johns\n Hopkins University\nstudent Jacqueline Tang said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creativity is Key<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being\ncreative with vegan food options can look like many different things. For some\nstudents it means cooking for themselves, but other students find working with\nthe dining hall staff helpful for creating specialized options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOn these days [when there are not substantial vegan options], I’ve learned to customize meals\nwith ingredients that I find from all over the dining hall. I’ve made salad\nbowls with rice, and sometimes there is plain oatmeal that can be used as a\nbase for savory ingredients. I also think getting an instant cooker or crock\npot and learning to make an easy dish to take on campus can be helpful, so you\ndon’t have to worry about finding a place to eat,\u201d Cornell student Adhi\nMuthukumar said.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \nAdditionally, Iowa State graduate Katie Nunemaker points out that\n\u201cbreakfast doesn’t have to consist of cereal or tofu scramble or another\nbreakfast-y food. It can be anything that you want it to be, and whatever’s\navailable. The same goes for lunch and dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan Ahead and Be\nProactive<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo overcome this challenge [of not finding a vegan option],\nit’s essential to think ahead. Pack a lunch box with vegan snacks in case you\nget hungry and your dining center is out of food to accommodate you. It’s also\nnot a bad idea to grab lunch right when dining centers open on your way to your\nfirst class, so you don’t have to worry about them being out. To avoid food\nboredom, I recommend keeping satisfying snacks and side options in your dorm.\nAlso, keep sriracha or a sauce on hand to spice up a meal,\u201d Katie Nunemaker\nsaid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Students can make\nsure to always have their own supply of vegan snacks and drinks when going out\nfor the day to avoid getting too hungry or eating the same foods every day.\nAdditionally, vegans can become advocates for their university to add more\nvegan options for all students!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cBe proactive, if there are no vegan\noptions, ask for them, create a vegan association, start creating the change\nyou want to see in the world,\u201d Wageningen University student Odette Olivares\nSanchez suggested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating\nvegan in college provides students with many benefits, despite any challenges\nthat arise, according to VRG intern college students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cBy eating\nhealthier and cleaner, oftentimes you will actually feel like you have more\nenergy, which is especially important when in college,\u201d Loyola University\nstudent Katelynn Budzich said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Clare Broud added on with her experience:\n\u201cI used to feel embarrassed about asking for special treatment, but most people\nare really nice about it and want you to be able to eat. It is also really easy\nto eat unhealthy food in college. Between the tofu nuggets, French fries, and\nlate night snacking, it can be hard to resist all these foods. But, you will feel\nso much better physically and mentally if you feed your body right. I have\nlearned to treat myself maybe once a week rather than once a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Besides health benefits, Katie Nunemaker\nand Odette Olivares Sanchez agree that it is a great way to engage socially\nwith other students and groups on campus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To\nread more about veganism in college check out these resources!<\/p>\n\n\n\n