Vegetarians speak up for more dining hall options

In the highlands of Pennsylvania, 713 vegans and vegetarians convened to discuss diets, compare outlooks and have nonchalant conversations over natural meals. The conference, in Johnstown, Pa., lasted from June 27 to July 1 and highlighted more than 60 speakers, including nutritionists, authors and physicians.

Hosted by the North American Vegetarian Society, the Vegetarian Summerfest is just one of the many gatherings where plant-based dieters can celebrate and support their dieting habits with like-minded individuals. The increasing popularity of these events is just one indicator that more institutions -- businesses, stores, organizations -- are starting to cater to this dietary choice.

Ben Madsen, a Summerfest attendee who became vegan during his sophomore year of college, said the number of restaurants with vegan options has definitely been on the rise. While he acknowledged that such outlets are sometimes more expensive, he readily added that plants are some of the least expensive items at the grocery store.

“Cooking your own vegan food at home is way cheaper than cooking anything else, so that’s a big plus,” he said.

But when dorm-dwelling students don't have access to a kitchen, they have no choice but to purchase meal plans, which offer a different scenario entirely. Andie Savadkin, a recent graduate of Juniata College, said her plant-based dining options were initially “quite awful.” Her vegetarian choices were essentially limited to the salad bar. When she became a vegan, the situation got dire.

She recommended that any vegans and vegetarians who are uncomfortable with their cafeteria’s menu raise awareness with the staff.

“I got to make friends with the people who made food and worked in the cafeteria,” Savadkin said. She also worked with a student group that focused on acquiring locally produced food for dining services.

Madsen encountered the same predicament at his school’s cafeteria, and also worked with both students and staff to get results. A group of vegans met with the head of dining services to show that the needs of their limited diets were not being met.

“The goal was not to appeal to her to become a vegan, but to appeal to her as a person who works in education and customer service,” Madsen said.

While these students found themselves needing to raise awareness of their diet, they both emphasized that few vegans are obsessed or proselytizing about their cause. While Madsen is certainly not shy to talk about the subject, he said it is only part of who he is as a person.

“Most of the time I’m working on my studies or practicing music with my bluegrass band,” he said. “The only time I’m a rah-rah vegan is when I’m sitting down to eat.”

Savadkin said veganism almost never enters her conversations. Although her college lets out school for the first day of hunting season, the people she has encountered accept her eating choices.

“It’s just a way of looking and approaching the way you eat,” she said. “It not a dogma or a religion; it’s a diet.”

Jeremy Goldman is a Summer 2012 USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent. Learn more about him here. Reach him via e-mail atjeremy.goldman@tufts.edu

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.