Vying for veggies

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MSU is turning a darker shade of green. It’s not because of energy-efficient light bulbs shining in the Brody Complex. It’s not because of recycling receptacles that line the sidewalk near Adams Field. And it’s not because of the Smart Car that occasionally rolls down Farm Lane. MSU is getting greener in its diet, thanks to a continuing increase of vegetarians and vegans on campus.

According to a Harris Interactive study conducted last year, about 3.2 percent — or 7.3 million Americans — consider themselves “dedicated” vegetarians. In 2003, a similar study said about 2.8 percent of Americans were vegetarians.

Carolyn Roy, Shaw Hall dining services manager, said the demand for more vegetarian and vegan food options has steadily increased at MSU.

“We’ve recognized the trend for about five years,” she said. “It has really sped up in the last two to three.”

Dining hall history

Because of the increased interest in vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, MSU has begun to change its cafeteria menus to cater to that need.

While vegetarian and vegan options are becoming more commonplace, that wasn’t always the case, said Bruce Haskell, associate director of MSU’s Housing and Dining Services.

When Haskell was in college in the 1970s, the only vegetarian entrée some days was a grilled cheese sandwich or the salad bar, which was a Sunday-only option.

“The list was not real extensive, but it met the need,” he said.

But as more students became interested in vegetarianism, MSU expanded the salad bar to a daily option and made former side dishes, like broccoli rice casserole, full vegetarian entrées.

“When we extended the salad bar and made that an everyday item, that really hit a niche with the vegetarians at the time,” Haskell said.

Cafeterias now

Today, Haskell said he has noticed a steady interest in expanded vegetarian options and more interest in vegan food choices.

Vegetarian and vegan options are offered daily in at least one location in each of the five dining areas — Brody Complex, West Circle, South Neighborhood, East Neighborhood and Shaw Hall.

Haskell said it’s not feasible to include vegetarian and vegan options in every dining hall.

Although the university has tried to provide a consistent alternative diet on campus, some students think there’s still room for improvement.

“There is still considerable progress that can be made especially on the vegan front,” said Mitchell Rivard, a no-preference sophomore and vegetarian who lives in Case Hall. “There aren’t a lot of hot options for vegans or vegetarians.”

Last semester, Shaw Hall opened Captain Pea Pod’s Veggie-torium, a hot spot for vegan and vegetarian food. After some initial uncertainty about the Veggie-torium, Roy said the location has become a popular destination, serving up to 200 students at lunch time.

Not only have vegan and vegetarian interests peaked recently but, Haskell said, students who don’t subscribe to either lifestyle have been positive toward the new menu items.

“That crossover appeal is finding its way and permeating through the rest of the population and that’s what we’re trying to do,” he said. “Our vegan quesadilla, people take that because it tastes good.”

Vegetarians off-campus

Alex Pineau, marketing and community outreach coordinator at Green River Cafe, 211 M.A.C. Ave., believes the difference of being a vegetarian on or off campus isn’t the availability of food options, but the quality of the food.

“The cafs do a decent job of offering options, they definitely are conscious about vegetarians now,” Pineau said.

“The problem is, they don’t strive for quality. Being off-campus allows the consumers the option for quality, freshness and flavors.”

Jim Jabara, co-owner of the eatery, said the idea of vegetarianism made it fairly easy to open the restaurant just off-campus.

“It’s filling a niche market that MSU was lacking,” he said.

Green River Cafe is just one option for vegetarians and vegans off campus. Other eateries that have been known to cater to an herbivore appetite include Woody’s Oasis, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Magdalena’s Tea House.

Some students, like journalism junior Courtney Morra, believe it is easier to live off campus as a vegetarian than deal with the sometimes-lacking cafeterias.

“When I was living on campus, I had to search for the vegan options,” Morra said. “Now, I often cook at home and vegan is very cheap, despite what the cafeterias might tell you.”

Pineau said Green River Cafe will make a move toward even more vegetarian options — around 75 percent — when it reveals its new menu in two weeks, and also is working with Sparty’s Cafes in an effort to provide quality veggie options on campus.

Besides being a hub for local vegetarians, the eatery is trying to do its part to help the environment.

“Generally, it is cheaper to do vegetarian food, but for things like avocados and vegan specialties, it can get pricey due to a lack of demand,” Jabara said. “But the real difference is being vegetarian is a lot easier on the environment.

“You look at it, and it takes 10 bushels of corn to feed a cow to make a pound of beef, where it only takes one bushel to feed a vegetarian, with the same amount of protein. The energy cost is much lower, in terms of processing and such, too.”

The future of veggies

Although MSU has made strides in providing more vegan and vegetarian options, Haskell said the university is still looking to improve.

He’s looking to add more variety to a greater number of the dining halls.

Besides working with student groups like Students Promoting Animal Rights to add more vegan entrees in the dining halls, Haskell said the cafeterias are trying to increase their culinary presence.

He said more students want to eat healthy, regardless of a lifestyle designation.

“Fresh became an equitable thing to healthy,” he said.

By having chefs cook food in front of the students, like at Brody’s Lafeyette Square, Haskell said an image of freshness and health is created.

“(We’re bringing) that culinary presence forward,” Haskell said.

“We have talent within our areas and we’re now giving (the chefs) greater culinary latitude so they’ll all be working to develop more varietal, trendy, ethnic foods as well and vegetarian and vegan options.”

As the dorms and dining halls undergo changes, Haskell said more vegan and vegetarian locations will be implemented.

He said in Brody’s planned dining hall, there will be a platform dedicated solely to vegetarian and vegan food.

“We’ll have smoothies and hot vegan and vegetarian entrees,” he said. “We’re really focused on that fresh, cook-to-order stuff that we can do for that population.”

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