No Cheese, Please:
How-To Beat the Challenges of a College Vegan
By: Justine Nolte

Carefully scanning the menu at lunch, Ellen Wise can narrow down her options faster than anyone else at the table.

She is deciding between a salad and the vegetable wrap. At the end of either order, though, the server will undoubtedly hear “no cheese, please”.

Wise has to be careful when others handle her food. One slip-up could have her dish heading back to the kitchen.

She is a vegan; meaning she does not consume any animal products. Meat, dairy, eggs – all off limits.

Like Wise, one percent of the United States population is vegans according to the American Vegan Society. Many college students are adopting this lifestyle for either dietary or ethical purposes hoping to influence change. Although an optimistic and committed attitude goes far anywhere, sustaining these habits in Oxford, Mississippi is not for the fair-weather foodie.

“[Living] in the residence halls was a problem because I only ate what I could keep in a mini-fridge and cook in a microwave,” said Wise. “It got to be expensive eating only prepackaged organic foods, which isn’t great for a college budget.”

Remaining dedicated to veganism is difficult, but by no means mission impossible.
A few how-to’s can help an aspiring college vegan to take the plunge and help make it last.

Pay Attention to Nutrition.

If not properly balanced, any diet – including veganism – can be nutritionally deficient.
Careful focus on specific problem nutrients needs to be addressed when making food choices. Variety is key to nutritional adequacy in a vegan diet.

“Students should combine plant proteins to ensure an optimal mix of amino acids in their diet,” said Dr. Kathy Knight, associate professor of nutrition. “It is important to be careful about iron, calcium and vitamin B12 supplements mostly found in meat.”

Knight suggests meals like red beans and brown rice to use complementary proteins.
If planned properly, research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown vegans have lowered their risks of mortality and several chronic diseases, including obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.

Find a Foreign Favorite

Ethnic foods offer vegans many overlooked, but worthwhile, options in this town.

“If you don't eat Asian food now, start going,” said Wise. “[Oxford has] a lot of good places to pick from. My favorite is Two Stick.”

If Asian is not tempting, all kinds of world cuisine are good for variety.

“Indian food is wonderful and great for eating out if you don’t want to be stuck with a salad,” said Knight.

Oxford might be a small town, but abundant with Mexican, Thai, Indian, Asian and Greek restaurants beyond the classic favorites. Their menus already provide vegan options with minimal substitutions and custom requests.

Don’t Fear Frozen

Fresh produce is a waste for residence hall students without enough chilled storage space. A lot of mini-fridges now include a small freezer portion, though. This is the perfect place to keep frozen fruits and vegetables.

It is best for some produce items, such as berries, to buy frozen during off-season months anyway. It simply takes microwave heating for delicious and nutritious vegan dorm meals.

“It makes sense to stock an array of frozen foods for the dorm life,” said Knight. “There is more selection now than ever before.”

Cook If Capable

The superior choice for vegans is cooking at home. It saves the hassle and headache of trying to adjust to not-quite-right menus, guarantees proper cooking methods and saves some change here and there.

“You wouldn't believe the amount of money I've saved since I moved off-campus and could use a stove and oven,” said Wise.

Paying attention to produce on sale each week, signing up for grocery rewards and doing just a small amount of research will make shopping lists manageable and less expensive.

It goes without saying that veganism is not for everyone. No overarching diet could be applied so broadly.

Wise has spent over three years committed to her vegan lifestyle. The server presents her lunch: a fresh spinach salad topped with mandarin oranges, raisins, sunflower seeds and topped with olive oil and lemon juice. Is something missing? Not from where she is sitting.