So, you’re vegan. Regardless of your reasons, veganism can seem daunting on a college campus where you have nothing but questionable dining hall food and a handful of grocery markets. Here’s the down low on eating green at CU:
It’s 6:30 and you’re ravenous from a long day at Butler. You’re tired and now the “joys” of Hewitt stare you down. Typically they do have a vegan hot entrée, but be wary of the lasagna and polenta that claim they’re vegan. Normally…they put mozzarella on top of them. If you feel strongly about this, I highly recommend utilizing the suggestion box they have to explain the difference between veganism and vegetarianism and provide a recommendation for alternative mozzarella or other cheese substances. Beyond hot entrees, they typically have a salad bar and cereal options with soymilk and sometimes almond milk. My suggestion? For breakfast, try the tofu and broccoli scramble with some Silk soy yogurt on the side. This is hit or miss sometimes—the soy yogurt will be there every morning for months, greeting you along with a cup of coffee while your trudge through that reading you didn’t finish last night and suddenly it’s gone and won’t be seen again for some unknown length of time. How’s a girl to eat around here??
John Jay also has some options. I find unless I’m jonesing for a salad it doesn’t quite fill the growling void in my stomach, but they do have vast amounts of cereal and a salad bar that will always, always have hummus and pita bread.
While that void keeps growing you realize you need real sustenance. Ferris Booth is your next stop. Ferris Booth is an interesting place with an assortment of deli style foods, pastas, pizzas, and more. Here you’ll want pasta, but go early or late because everyone wants pasta at Ferris. The line is horrible if you don’t time it carefully. When you finally do make it to the head of the line, you’ll have options regarding the type of pasta, the sauce, and the vegetables you include in your bowl of pasta.
If you have a few points to spare, the Diana second floor café is a good option for a quick lunch. They also have a salad bar, but try their packages of avocado and cucumber sushi, the Mediterranean Sampler, and the assortment of Nana’s vegan and gluten-free cookies.
While all of your classes bombard you with work and threatening deadlines, at least you don’t have to worry about your ethical eating decisions. Maybe you’ll even take a well-deserved study-break and walk down to West Side Market and buy yourself a vegan brownie.