Whether you’re an aspiring or long-time vegan, I’ve created a guide to college life featuring meal ideas, tips and inspiration. I’ve been vegan for over a year, and I absolutely love it! I’m a huge fan of fresh and healthy foods, but I’ve also learned to splurge on vegan treats every once in a while. Contrary to popular belief, being vegan in college doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming or difficult.
Just for reference, I live in a dorm with a kitchen and opted out of getting a meal plan, so I cook 95 percent of my meals! The other 5 percent are from Grill Fresh right off campus. Their tofu rocks my world.
Plan Ahead
I always like to have a general idea of what I’d like to make for the next few weeks when I go to the grocery store. And yes, you read that correctly – I can usually make one trip to the grocery store last over two weeks! Buying a variety of items that have long shelf lives and then mixing in fresh fruits and vegetables makes it really easy to get the most out of your groceries. Some of my favorite long-lasting items include almond milk, rolled oats, wheat bread (stick it in the freezer and then defrost as needed), cans of beans, quinoa, chia seeds and peanut butter.
Some of my produce staples include kale, lemons, potatoes, bananas, apples and tons of veggies.
Breakfast
Every week, I try to buy different ingredients so I don’t end up making the same meals over and over again out of habit. The one exception to this is breakfast: I am obsessed with oatmeal and make overnight oats almost every evening so I have a quick yet delicious breakfast for the following morning! I make a recipe loosely based off of this one, but I add cocoa powder, more chia seeds and a bit more non-dairy milk. Some of my other favorite breakfast essentials include this baked oatmeal, this chocolate peanut butter oatmeal, chia seed pudding (use a 1:4 ratio of chia seeds to non-dairy milk for perfect pudding every time) and of course, avocado toast. For a fun variation to your typical avo toast, add hummus, vegan cream cheese or sundried tomatoes (or all three). Just trust me on this one.
Lunch
I’m a huge fan of leftovers, so most of my lunches are what I had for dinner the previous night. If anything, I put my leftovers on top of a bed of kale and make them into a quick salad to get some greens in for the day! If I don’t have any leftovers, I love making tofu scrambles or avocado toast. Since I have classes every morning until noon, I try to make sure I have something prepared so I can heat it up as soon as I get back to my dorm. This is where meal-prepping can be really helpful!
Dinner
Some of my go-to dinners include chili, stir fry with rice noodles, pasta with veggies, rice/quinoa bowls with roasted veggies and tofu, kale salad with roasted veggies and Chipotle-inspired bowls with rice, beans, corn salsa, sautéed veggies and guacamole. A lot of these recipes came from food bloggers, but I no longer follow the recipes and have adapted them to fit the ingredients that I buy and the flavors that I enjoy.
It’s been a while since I’ve had it, but another one of my favorite dishes is baked mac ‘n’ cheese. My best friend and I made this recipe so many times, and it always reminds me of her! I’m sure my family will be shocked to know that the last time I made this recipe was last semester. I highly recommend it though. It’s super easy, and the sauce is really creamy and delicious.
Snacks
Most days, I’ll snack on some fresh fruit or veggies (sometimes both) or make a smoothie. I’m also obsessed with medjool dates, which are perfect for adding to oatmeal or topping with peanut butter to make a homemade-and-significantly-cheaper version of a Larabar. I tend to snack on them throughout the day and cannot get enough of their irresistibly caramel-y flavor. Who knew something so natural could be so delicious? One of my favorite snacks is chopped-up dates, strawberries and a banana. Put them in a bowl with some blueberries. Add a spoonful of peanut butter. You’re welcome in advance.
Another go-to snack is French fries. I follow this recipe and seriously cannot get enough of them. They’re baked without oil on silicone mats and you can add whatever seasoning you’d like. I love dipping mine in guacamole or hummus.
Tips
- If you’re going to an event, try to plan for the worst when it comes to vegan options. In the best-case scenario, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by chips or fruit, and in the worst case, you’ll be disappointed. I always like to keep some almonds and dried fruit in my backpack for these scenarios (or for when I get hungry mid-lecture).
- Go grocery shopping with friends! There’s a good chance you’ll end up trying something new if you’re with a friend. They also make the experience much more enjoyable overall!
- Explore options around town! Gainesville has a ton of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants, and all of my experiences have been great so far! Some of my favorites include Grill Fresh, Karma Cream, Daily Green and OAK.
Reminders
Veganism isn’t about perfection, and it certainly isn’t a diet. Everyone’s reasons for going vegan differ, but it’s important that you find your own before going vegan. If you don’t have a solid foundation or understanding of veganism, it’s going to be much more difficult to stick with it in the long-run.
To me, veganism is much more than the elimination of animal products from my diet. It’s also about the treatment of animals and the treatment of the planet. Veganism is already more sustainable than any other lifestyle, but personally, making ethical and sustainable choices has been a personal goal of mine. It’s important that we all try to reduce our plastic waste in our daily lives, and I’ve gained inspiration to do so from food bloggers and some of my own friends.
If you’re considering going vegan, remember that there’s no pressure. You are in complete control of how slowly or quickly you’d like to transition and eliminate animal products from your diet. No perfect vegan has ever existed, and it’s okay to make mistakes! Veganism can seem overwhelming or impossible at first, but there are endless blogs dedicated to easy recipes that are nutritious yet delicious. Here are some of my favorites right now:
Whether you’ve never considered going vegan, are vegetarian or are working on Meatless Mondays, I challenge you to make at least one vegan recipe within the next week. It’ll help you get more creative in the kitchen and show you how simple eating vegan can be. In reality, any small change you make is better for you and the planet.