There’s a different kind of "green movement" taking place someplace else other than in the soda can-filled recycling bins of America – it’s taking place on the dinner plates of discerning diners across the country. Approximately 3.2 percent of American adults are vegetarians, and 10 percent follow a vegetarian-inclined diet, meaning they only eat meat on rare occasions, according to a 2008 study conducted by the Vegetarian Times. This means that there are 7.3 million vegetarians and 22.8 million inclined vegetarians out there, and this number is expected to grow as more people turn to vegetarianism for health, environmental, or ethical reasons. With so many vegetarians looking for good eats, colleges are now scrambling to adjust their dining hall menus to attract more meat-free diners.
There are different types of vegetarians, as some will eat foods like fish and dairy products and others will not. Yet, all the different variations of vegetarianism were largely ignored until recently when dining halls began offering these discerning eaters something other than a boring salad bar. Indiana University in Bloomington has delicious fare for vegetarians and vegans (those who do not consume any animal products, like milk, at all) alike. Its meat-free dishes are always clearly marked to ensure students that it is vegetarian-friendly, and dining options include tantalizing vegan gardenburgers, faux-meat sloppy joes, and even vegan sugar cookies for dessert. It is not unusual to see even the omnivores indulging in the vegetarian fare. Yale University is another school to cater to its vegetarian scholars, serving up dishes like tasty cilantro roasted tofu and barbeque vegan ribs. For those following more specific diets or with food allergies, the school even has a website that lists all of the ingredients that go into each dish.
Schools are typically eager to cater to its vegetarian students because it shows that the institution is listening to the demands of its student population. In addition, as more schools begin moving towards offering more sustainable food choices, it has also become an easy way to introduce more vegetarian options to showcase the local produce that colleges are buying. Experimenting with creating different exotic and delicious vegetarian dishes has also proven to be an exciting challenge that many culinary departments of major universities are eager to accept. As more students decide to cut out meat products from their diet, universities will begin to introduce more and more vegetarian options to cater to these discerning diners.
No related posts.
Leave Comments