CSUC more vegetarian, vegan friendly

CSUC Orion

5/2/2007

CSUC more vegetarian, vegan friendly

By Leslie Williams

CHICO — Campus grows to be more vegetarian, vegan friendly Lack of variety, options of food for vegetarians, vegans leave some with empty stomachs, wallets When it comes to eating on campus, there seems to be something for everyone. From pizza and salad to hamburgers and fries, the options seem endless. But what about vegetarians and vegans? Irene Korber, a Chico State senior and the director of the Environmental Action Resource Center, eats the same four meals all of the time because there aren't many choices for vegetarians like her, she said. "I love the soup - they always have a vegetarian option," she said. "But really, how many times can you eat soup before getting sick of it?" Korber acknowledged that the Associated Students Food Services staff is making an effort, but she thinks her options are limited.

A.S. Food Services has been adding more food to appease the taste buds of vegetarians and vegans in recent months, said retail manager Bob Alderson. Every food station in the Bell Memorial Union Marketplace has one vegetarian option, he said. It's difficult to add more selections because A.S. needs to make money, and they want to put out items that sell, he said. "Our regular clientele is still going for a cheeseburger and fries," he said. "But we also have veggie burgers." One reason for the slow sales of meat-free items may be a lack of advertising. Korber had no idea there were veggie burgers at The Grill in the BMU Marketplace. "If they want the food to sell and want students to know about it, they should pump it," she said.

Other students were also unaware of some of the options available in the Marketplace. Senior Lucy Yanow said she brings her own lunch or goes off campus to eat because there aren't many healthy options on campus. Yanow prefers to eat a salad from off-campus restaurant Grilla Bites because it uses fresh vegetables, she said. "My perception is that the food on campus is not only not vegan-friendly, it's also unhealthy with canned vegetables at the salad bar" she said. However, A.S. Food Services has been making some changes in the past few weeks to add more organic vegetables to the salad bar, Alderson said. "I think vegetarians and vegans might appreciate that because organic foods fall into the same category," he said. Even with the salad bar, it can be difficult for vegans to find food on campus because they don't eat dairy or any animal by-products. "I'll eat the burritos with whole black beans," Yanow said. "But even the rice is cooked with chicken broth." Yanow wishes vegan foods, such as tofu, were included in meals but doesn't expect everyone to cater to her. "I don't want to inconvenience everyone," she said. "I'm well aware of the fact we don't live in a vegan world."

Leslie Williams can be reached at lwilliams@theorion.com

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