Having a vegan lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to give up eating well in the Syracuse University dining centers. In fact, there are an abundant amount of choices at every meal. SU graduate student A’keema Austin has been a vegan for the past three years. In this time, she has become more thoughtful about the food she consumes, so eating in the dining centers has been an eye-opening experience.
Vegan pizza is among the options offered in the University’s dining halls.
“Every time I go into the dining center, I notice something else that I could use to make a satisfying meal,” Austin says. “I’m very impressed with the options. The staff has also been accommodating and helpful whenever I have a question. ”
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has also recognized Syracuse University’s dedication to serving the vegan population with its annual Vegan Report Card. For the second year in a row, SU Food Services has received an A+ grade for its vegan food selection in the dining centers. Criteria for grading included:
Ruth Sullivan, Food Services Registered Dietitian, says that Food Services goes above these guidelines. “Each dining center has a large area dedicated to vegan foods. Besides our featured entrees, we serve a variety of grain salads, pizza, deli items and desserts.”
“Our menu committee has been working to eliminate as much processed vegan foods as possible in order to keep the selections fresh and exciting.” says Sullivan.
This year, more than 1,400 universities across the U.S. were surveyed. Seventy percent of them now offer at least one vegan option on their dining hall menu, and 19 percent have all-vegan dining stations, like SU.
PETA representative Hannah Kinder says, “Syracuse University is on the forefront of the shift toward more sustainable, healthy and vegan food options.”
If you would like to see the vegan options that are offered daily in University dining centers, visit the SU Food Services web site: foodservices.syr.edu. There is a link on the home page to “Daily Menus and Nutrition information.”
