Veggie Sales: Vegetarians like to eat here too

Veggie Sales: Vegetarians like to eat here too

[Melanie Gudino]
The Owl Café serves delicious meat lasagna, roasted turkey, macaroni, chicken pot pie, beef casserole and chicken enchiladas on most days. The campus vending machines serve beef soup, pastrami onion rolls and chicken salad on wheat. But where are the choices for vegetarians?

The cafe should offer something— anything!—to help satisfy a veggie lover’s appetite and more profit. The only item listed on the menu for non-meat and dairy eaters is a salad with tomato. Vegetarians and vegans may not need tofurky on the menu, but surely more of a variety; vegetarians and vegans get hungry too.

The cafeteria could come up with more selections that could also satisfy their hearty appetite. At the vending machines, nonmeat eaters have two choices of a 12-ounce fruit cup and an egg sandwich. Citrus vending snacks are neither filling nor nutritious; more choices for healthy vegan and vegetarian snacks can help with students who are veggie friendly get focused and be in a better mood.

Also, according to the American Diabetes Association,http://www.diabetes.org/news-research/research/access-diabetes-research/barnard-vegan-diet.html vegetarian lifestyle can help prevent heart disease, diabetes; colorectal, ovarian and breast cancers; obesity and hypertension.

Recent studies suggest plant-based diets are better for the environment than those based on meat. An organic vegan diet has the smallest environmental impact where the single most damaging foodstuff is beef. All non-vegetarian diets utilize significantly greater amounts of environmental resources, such as land and water.

Livestrong.com says,http://www.livestrong.com/moods/“Along with their emotional associations, the foods that we choose also cause biochemical changes that can impact our mood and sense of well-being. Healthy eating can change your mood for the better.”

And according to an article in the Vegetarian Times,http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/vegetarianism-in-america/42 percent of vegetarians fall in the 18-34 age demographic. An additional 40.7 percent fall in the 35-54 age range, which are relatable to the age groups here at Citrus.

If there were a larger selection of vegetarian foods available on campus I would be willing to spend a little extra money. Walking or driving to places that cater to vegetarians is inconvenient.

The variety of veggie foods should be expanded around campus for the students who don’t eat meat, and for the environment.

Nearly 47 percent of California residents will be obese by 2030 and by having more of a veggie variety can help drastically improve a student’s health lifestyle along with eating habits, helping to stem the tide.

If there are meat eaters around campus, there are plant eaters as well. If the variety of veggie-friendly meals or snacks increases at Citrus, it will be greatly appreciated by all students who are vegetarians and vegans, as well as students looking to improve their health.

Share