Just the vegan-ning

When I asked my friend, Mary Maurer ’28 about lunch, she said, “It’s really hard to find options that are just vegetarian. I have to put normal cheese on the vegan option because I don’t like the vegan cheese.” Yes, she’s a vegetarian, not vegan, but in our dining hall, you can barely tell the difference. 

I didn’t know the difference either, until she explained it to me: a vegetarian doesn’t eat meat, poultry, or fish, but may eat dairy, eggs, and other animal products. A vegan avoids all animal products: no cheese, no milk, no eggs. These are two different diets with two different requirements, but our dining hall offers only vegan options and treats them as if they work for everyone. They don’t. Mary became vegetarian because she wants to protect animals. She’s not vegan; she still eats dairy and eggs. So when the dining hall gives her vegan cheese, she replaces it with milk-based cheese; when they give her mushy tofu topped with nothing but sauce, she doesn’t want it. Most days, her lunch is just a salad, or vegan food she doesn’t enjoy.

That’s the first problem: vegetarian and vegan are not the same, and the dining hall needs to offer both.

And Mary isn’t alone. Our school has a diverse community. We have students from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. Some are vegetarian for religious reasons, including some Hindu and Buddhist students. Some are vegetarian by choice, like Mary. Some just don’t like meat. And some are vegan. If our school celebrates diversity in its students, it should also celebrate diversity in their diets.

The second problem is that the dining hall doesn’t cook plant-based food well. The tofu is bland, and the vegetables are overcooked. The school should hire a chef who really knows how to cook vegan and vegetarian meals well. Or, the school could ask students like Mary to share their own cuisine and learn from them.

I understand that many students also complain about the food in general, but at least we have choices: pizza, burgers, sandwiches, chicken, etc. 

Though some might argue that, since most students eat meat, why hire a chef for a minority? They may be overlooking an important fact: the school doesn’t serve only the majority–it serves everyone. Vegetarians and vegans deserve the same consideration. Plus, adding good vegetarian options gives everyone more choices, not fewer.

The solution is simple. First, offer both vegan and vegetarian options and recognize the differences between them. Keep the vegan cheese for vegan students but also offer regular cheese, eggs, and other dairy products for vegetarian students. Second, provide dining hall staff with additional training in plant-based cooking, or ask students like Mary to share their recipes and suggestions.

Adding more vegetarian options isn’t radical. It’s practical. It’s inclusive. And it’s long overdue. Let’s make our school a place where everyone can find a meal they enjoy, not just the same sad salad every day.