Let’s face it-it’s hard to eat right in college. Getting the nutrients needed for maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle is difficult with the lure of fried chicken and pizza every way you turn. This job gets MUCH harder for those students who are vegetarians. Finding ways to supplement the nutrients that veggies lack can be difficult normally, but college students find it even more difficult! Though I am not a vegetarian by nature, I have been trying to eat healthier, like my friend, Ashley Fahey, who has been a vegetarian for over 3 years! She helped me compile this list about the best and the worst dining options for a Vegetarian Elon student. So whether you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian, are one, or are merely interested; here are some delicious options for you!
These are the top “Veggie-Friendly” Dining Locations on Campus:
1) Downstairs Colonnades:With a full salad bar, sandwiches, plenty of frozen dinners, rice dishes, etc. in Downstairs Colonnades, it is easy to see why this is a popular destination for vegetarians. The selection is wide, not to mention delicious! Grab a Boar’s Head veggie sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, baby spinach and more! The Salad bar is also excellent, with its continuously changing additions for salad that can include fruit, nuts, etc. Grab a fork and dig in!
2) Upstairs McEwen: Here in McEwen, the dining ladies are friendly and the food is good. But the biggest draw for vegetarians is the Wok station. Almost daily, tofu is waiting to be paired with noodles or rice. Plus, Tofu also contains just as much, if not more, proteins that meat does. “Tofu can be prepared in ways that make it the healthy, meatless equivalent of say, chicken or sausage links” Fahey, a sophomore at Elon, said. “It’s pretty exciting.” If you’re scared of the texture, look and taste of Tofu, allow me to reassure you: I love meat, and I even like it! The tofu absorbs the flavor of whatever sauce you cook it in, so you barely know you are eating it.
3)Moseley: Looking for a grab-and-go meal that caters to the herbivore in all of us? Look no further than Moseley. With their salads, Pangeos pasta, or Pizza, there is something for everyone’s taste buds here! Try the Black Bean Burger at GrilleWorks, or try a yummy pizza slice! There’s also fruit, yogurt, and many more things that are available quickly and get you going about your day!
Though all dining halls are delicious, some make being a vegetarian a bit more difficult…
1)Harden Dining Hall: Sorry Ladies and Gents, but its true! The place with the delicious desserts is one of the most lacking in Vegetarian options. Sure, there is a nice salad bar, and garden burgers, but that is about it. Almost every other station in this all-you-can-eat dining hall is catered for the carnivore in us all.
2) Downstairs McEwen: Finding a quick meal on the go during college is tough enough! The fact that Downstairs McEwen has the least amount of vegetarian friendly quick meals is rather upsetting. (Vegetarians need to eat in a rush too!) With Sunset Strips serving up delicious fries and fried chicken, the only option is fruit, the rare hummus and chips, and yogurt; none of which make for a satisfying meal option for the gal (or guy) on the go!
3)Varsity Sports Grille: Though they have a delicious Garden Burger (I love it!) and to-die-for hummus and chips, Varsity is lacking in the veggie options. Most of their menu is ruled by meat of some form, making it a difficult decision for the Elon vegetarian. The best bet for vegetarian food would be the Garden burger, or the classic grilled cheese.
There are some important things, aside from food, to think about when being a vegetarian. It is essential that you are sure to intake the amount of vitamins and minerals that you need. Most of these come from food, and since a vegetarian’s food choices don’t include meat, it may be harder to find the vitamins that come from poultry, fish, and beef. Fahey suggests taking some sort of multivitamin; just to be sure you are getting everything that your body needs! Bon Appétit!