To save money, it’s good to take a packed lunch into university with you. But what happens when we don’t have time? Do we vegans have to starve? Do we eat banana after banana? Not on Leeds University campus! There is an incredible variety of food to choose from for people on a plant based diet. Here are some of my personal go-to faves!
The Salad Box
Located downstairs in the Union, just around the corner from Essentials, is The Salad Box. The flexibility of this place is heaven on earth for those of us with dietary requirements.
Step 1: You start with a base for your salad – choose from pasta, couscous, mixed leaves or a combination. Then build up your salad along the bar.
Step 2: Choose two sides from beetroot, button mushrooms, celery, chickpeas, cucumber, five bean salad, grated carrot, mangetout, mixed peppers, red onion, spinach, sweetcorn and tomato.
Step 3: Choose one deli from avocado, ratatouille, falafel, or tofu.
Finally, you add a garnish and a dressing. You can also increase your sides, delis and garnishes for a bit more money. My personal salad of choice is a couscous/mixed leaves base, mixed peppers and chickpeas as my sides, avocado as my deli, olives or jalapenos as my garnish and sweet chili sauce as my dressing. You can mix it up and have something different every day, though! They also offer a hot lunch option of a jacket potato or soup at The Salad Box.
Green Action Food Co-Op
A hidden gem in the Union, the Green Action Food Co-Op with its quirky stickers, signs and decorations, is a great place to go pick up your nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, dried fruits, and cereals. They also sell a range of teas, coffees and plant milks.
Not really one for a lunch option but great for stocking up on vegan essentials and extras, the Green Action Food Co-Op is one that unjustly flies under the radar. This place is a great alternative to pricey chain stores like Holland and Barrett and being a co-operative, it’s a great way to get involved with the community in one way or another.
The Farmers Market
(Mondays only) At the Farmers Market, you can find an entirely vegan stall, Honest Edibles, run by ex-student, Billy Collins. Every week, Honest Edibles provides healthy, delicious, vegan options served in completely bio degradable packaging. With a mixture of couscous, rice or bean based dishes, there’s always something new to try here. Plus, occasionally there will be something sweet on offer too! Make sure to try the beetroot based raw cacao slices if you get the chance.
More info about Honest Edibles can be found on a previous blog post of mine: http://www.hercampus.com/school/leeds/billy-collins-honest-edibles
There are lots of other little bits on offer at the Farmers Market too including smoothies, bread and an organic fruit and vegetable stall. You can also get a deli lunch bowl from Oliviccio at the market which offers hummus, tomatoes, olives and more.
Opposite Café
A little off campus this one, but not quite, if you’re headed over the road from the Parkinson Building to Subway or Tesco – think again. Opposite Café has so much to offer! Not only sandwiches, salads and soups but also desserts, for example, some banana & seeds flapjack. A cosy little spot away from the hustle and bustle of the main campus, Opposite is a nice place to go relax or do some reading with a coffee. Choices here rotate regularly and prices rival those of Essentials.
Dolche Vita Café on Red Route
Those of us in a rush or after a traditional sandwich or wrap meal for lunch can head to the Dolche Vita Cafe located on Red Route near Maths. There are usually plenty of options on offer here including: falafel crumble coriander and tomato salsa sandwich, cajun roast mushrooms, veg and hummus sandwich, or a hummus, carrots and peppers wrap. These items are clearly labelled as vegan making it a good option to just grab and go. Similar options can be found at the Waterside Café on the ground floor of the Roger Stevens Building. Or, for something a little bit different, try Café Nero on ground floor of the Laidlaw Library. Offering a spicy bean fajita, hummus and falafel wrap or the carrot and coriander Soup, you can always find something to refuel on those long study days. Café Nero also offers lots of vegan friendly snacks from Kettle Chips and Propercorn to YoYo sweets and fruit salads.
All Images are photographed by Shreya Patel