Students Speak Out: Modifications to Campus Dining is Needed for Vegetarians and Vegans
As senior Brittany Zaintz sits at a high top table near the window at Au Bon Pain last Thursday afternoon, she contemplates how dinner will be a small bowl of soup and an iced vanilla chai yet again.
As a vegetarian since the age of 12, Zaintz understands the limitations that come with her chosen way of life when she realized she no longer wanted to consume meat. While not much of a cook, her go-to meals when at home are either a vegetable bowl with tofu from Moe’s Southwest Grill or a salad and soup combination from Panera Bread.
Though her eating habits differ drastically when living on campus during the school year. Since this is Zaintz fourth and final year at MSU, she says, “I’m used to the limited vegetarian options on campus…You make do with what you have.”
With over 23 locations to dine at, one would assume there should be at least one place for a non-meat eater to enjoy a meal.
Au Bon Pain, located in the Sprague Library, offers dishes such as pre-made deluxe salads, a vegetable hummus wrap and meatless soup choices like the curry vegetable soup.
At Chop’d Salads in the Rathskeller at the Student Center, their menu lists two types of salads without any meat. The Tossed Salad contains romaine lettuce with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, etc., while the Greek Salad contains falafel, a garbanzo or chick pea salad and feta cheese.
Breakfast options, such as bagels and muffins, can also be found in the café’s located in University Hall, the Student Center (up and downstairs), and the School of Business.
Everyone needs the basics found in most foods, such as protein and vitamins, which is what’s lacking in MSU’s vegan and vegetarian options, according to Zaintz. “Sometimes the salad or whatever I’m eating just isn’t as hearty or filling as eating meat,” she says.
Adding more vegetables, fruits, and different spreads to meal options will help solve this problem. About one-half cup of beans provides around 20 grams of protein. For the same size serving of edamame, it only contains 8.5 grams of protein, but provides 4 grams of fiber and 9.5% of one’s daily iron intake. While hummus has only 2.4 grams of protein for 2 tablespoons, it supplies flavor and extra carbs, 4.2 grams to be exact, to fill one up.
There are many students at MSU who share similar eating habits to Zaintz and experience like difficulties when eating on campus.
Senior Michelle Mancini has only been a commuter while attending MSU. Only recently becoming a vegetarian, she chose the lifestyle due to personal health reasons, hatred of animal cruelty and influence from a loved one.
Although not a resident, long breaks between classes call for a quick meal or small snack, and Mancini can count the amount of times she has dined at school in her four years. She classifies the food as expensive “fast food,” and will travel off campus to grab a bite to eat. “If I want fries, I can just go to McDonalds and they will be cheaper.”
Mancini and Zaintz also both agree that locations on the main campus close too early. As a finance major, Mancini attends most of her classes in the Feliciano School of Business. The Venture Café closes at 6PM, and she sometimes does not have time to stop in the Student Center before her 7PM class. Zaintz says, “Due to my late schedule, I’ll go to the vending machine and grab two bags of M&M’s and a Reese’s cup because everything is closed and my salad just didn’t cut it.”
Thankfully, reform is being discussed to make accommodations and offer a wider range of options for vegetarians and vegans alike. Yousef Alkhudairi, President of the Student Government Association, met with Dora Lim, Resident District Manager of Dining Services, and other officials last Friday afternoon to discuss the future possibilities for food on campus.
“This was the first of many meetings,” Alkhudairi says. “We have tons of students who feel they are not eating adequately with the options provided. We want to look out for all of our 16,000 undergraduate students, not just the few or majority.”
Lim, who has worked in the food industry for over 30 years and recently became the Resident District Manager for MSU in 2016, wants to hear more from students about what changes they would like to see on campus.
Last year, the Montclair Animal Activists, an organization at MSU dedicated to the well-being of animals, obtained over 2,000 signatures on a petition they proposed for an increase in vegan choices throughout campus. Sam’s Dining Hall will be adding a gluten free and vegan station by the fall of 2018.
