Colleges Branching Out into Vegan, Vegetarian Cuisine

[Guest guest]

The Boston Globe

February 10, 2002

 

COLLEGES BRANCHING OUT INTO VEGAN, VEGETARIAN CUISINE

By Shari Rudafsky, Globe Correspondent

 

Move over mystery meat and Jell-O.

 

At Smith and Bowdoin colleges, dishes like tempeh cacciatore and craisin beet

cake have become standard fare, earning the two New England schools berths on a

list of top 10 vegan and vegetarian-friendly schools.

 

Compiled by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the list recognizes

colleges and universities that go out of their way to cater to students who

refuse to eat animal products. New York University, which serves only vegan

foods in its dining halls on the day of the Great American Meatout, topped the

list. On a recent day, Smith senior Erica Vanderleeden, who describes herself as

a " vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs, " lunched on a hearty mushroom-barley soup.

Most days, says the student from Longmeadow, she opts for a vegan meal. Among

her favorites on Smith's menu are vegan shepherd's pie served alongside a

carnivore's version, scrambled tofu, and mushroom stroganoff.

 

" Smith is very good at it, " said Vanderleeden, one of three students who

nominated the Northampton school for the PETA distinction. " They're very

supportive of alternative lifestyles across the board. "

 

An estimated 20 percent of college students are vegetarian, so more school

dining services have branched out into the cuisine, said Danielle Moore,

education manager of PETA, an animal rights group based in Norfolk, Virginia.

 

Most of the schools on the top 10 list, however, go beyond the occasional veggie

stir fry or salad bar, she said, serving vegan and vegetarian options at each

meal and rice and soy milk alongside the dairy drink.

 

(Vegetarians eat mainly vegetables, grains, and fruits, as well as some dairy

products such as milk or cheese; vegans are stricter, consuming nothing produced

by animals. Bowdoin students actually have two vegan main dishes each meal, as

the school's two dining halls post separate menus every day. Students can check

the Web to see which cafeteria's menu they prefer, with vegan and vegetarian

meals receiving special designations.

 

In a survey about four years ago, about 12 percent of Bowdoin's approximately

1,700 students identified themselves as vegetarians, said Mary Lou McAteer

Kennedy, Bowdoin's director of dining services. The school has since expanded

its offerings, going so far as to make its vegan burgers to ensure the product

is moist, Kennedy said.

 

In the last five years, more college cafeterias have ventured into vegan

cooking, says Diane Hardy, national president of the National Association of

College and University Food Services. Schools in areas that have a host of

suppliers that provide such foods, like the Northeast, have led the trend, she

said.

 

But finding institutional suppliers can challenge even Kathleen Zieja, Smith's

director of dining services. Sometimes she supplements supplies with a quick

trip to a local health food store.

 

With an estimated 200 vegans and another 300 vegetarians among the 1,900 Smith

students who eat dinner each night on campus, Zieja takes seriously her charge

to provide a well-balanced diet. In the past decade, professional vegetarian

chef Ken Bergeron has made two trips to the campus to inspire Smith's chefs to

new culinary heights.

 

(The Boston Globe takes letters at: letter )

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Now if only it weren't so difficult to get into those schools!

(although interestingly my father went to Bowdoin in the 60's so

there must be some latent brilliance for my kids to inherit eh?)

 

, " Maynard S. Clark " <MSClark@M...> wrote:

> The Boston Globe

> February 10, 2002

>

> COLLEGES BRANCHING OUT INTO VEGAN, VEGETARIAN CUISINE

> By Shari Rudafsky, Globe Correspondent

>

> Move over mystery meat and Jell-O.

>

> At Smith and Bowdoin colleges, dishes like tempeh cacciatore and

craisin beet cake have become standard fare, earning the two New

England schools berths on a list of top 10 vegan and vegetarian-

friendly schools.

>

> Compiled by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the

list recognizes colleges and universities that go out of their way to

cater to students who refuse to eat animal products. New York

University, which serves only vegan foods in its dining halls on the

day of the Great American Meatout, topped the list. On a recent day,

Smith senior Erica Vanderleeden, who describes herself as

a " vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs, " lunched on a hearty mushroom-

barley soup. Most days, says the student from Longmeadow, she opts

for a vegan meal. Among her favorites on Smith's menu are vegan

shepherd's pie served alongside a carnivore's version, scrambled

tofu, and mushroom stroganoff.

>

> " Smith is very good at it, " said Vanderleeden, one of three

students who nominated the Northampton school for the PETA

distinction. " They're very supportive of alternative lifestyles

across the board. "

>

> An estimated 20 percent of college students are vegetarian, so more

school dining services have branched out into the cuisine, said

Danielle Moore, education manager of PETA, an animal rights group

based in Norfolk, Virginia.

>

> Most of the schools on the top 10 list, however, go beyond the

occasional veggie stir fry or salad bar, she said, serving vegan and

vegetarian options at each meal and rice and soy milk alongside the

dairy drink.

>

> (Vegetarians eat mainly vegetables, grains, and fruits, as well as

some dairy products such as milk or cheese; vegans are stricter,

consuming nothing produced by animals. Bowdoin students actually

have two vegan main dishes each meal, as the school's two dining

halls post separate menus every day. Students can check the Web to

see which cafeteria's menu they prefer, with vegan and vegetarian

meals receiving special designations.

>

> In a survey about four years ago, about 12 percent of Bowdoin's

approximately 1,700 students identified themselves as vegetarians,

said Mary Lou McAteer Kennedy, Bowdoin's director of dining services.

The school has since expanded its offerings, going so far as to make

its vegan burgers to ensure the product is moist, Kennedy said.

>

> In the last five years, more college cafeterias have ventured into

vegan cooking, says Diane Hardy, national president of the National

Association of College and University Food Services. Schools in areas

that have a host of suppliers that provide such foods, like the

Northeast, have led the trend, she said.

>

> But finding institutional suppliers can challenge even Kathleen

Zieja, Smith's director of dining services. Sometimes she supplements

supplies with a quick trip to a local health food store.

>

> With an estimated 200 vegans and another 300 vegetarians among the

1,900 Smith students who eat dinner each night on campus, Zieja takes

seriously her charge to provide a well-balanced diet. In the past

decade, professional vegetarian chef Ken Bergeron has made two trips

to the campus to inspire Smith's chefs to new culinary heights.

>

> (The Boston Globe takes letters at: letter@g... )

>

>

>

>

>

> Send FREE Valentine eCards with Greetings!

>

>