By Lindsey Siferd and Jessica Friend

Many students, when applying to college, have several worries. Will I like my roommate? Are my classes going to be difficult? Will the food be good? For vegan students, the last question is even more important– will there be food for me to eat?

Luckily, many colleges are expanding their dining services to include vegan and vegetarian options. Below is a list of twelve Maryland and DC universities and colleges that offer vegan food for students. Hopefully you will find this list useful in your college search, but remember that the best way to find out information is to talk directly to the college’s food service provider. Many of the websites listed below have phone numbers, and talking to someone on the phone or in person is the best way to get the most accurate information.

Disclaimer: The Vegetarian Resource Group does not endorse or vouch for the accuracy of any of these sites. We are only including them as a reference for people who are interested. For the most up-to-date information on vegan options at these schools, please call the food service providers directly.

American University, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins, Loyola, Montogmery College, Salisbury, Stevenson, St. Mary’s College of MD, Towson, UMBC, Univeristy of MD- College Park, Washington College

American University

Washington, DC

American University provides several options for vegetarian and vegan students on campus. Students can use the comment card feedback system to communicate with Bon Appetit kitchen staff about what they would like to see on the menu and in recent years many students have pushed for more healthy and diverse vegetarian options. There are several dining halls including the Terrace Dining Room, the Marketplace, the Tavern, the Eagles Nest, and the University Club that all cater to vegetarian and vegan students.

Terrace Dining Room, or TDR, as the students call it, is the main campus cafeteria. TDR features a salad bar and a vegetarian/vegan station called Cucina Verde. Hummus is a staple at the salad bar and the entrées change every meal. Cucina Verde features dishes such as Asian tempeh with rice, sweet and sour seitan, fried buffalo tofu, vegan scallion mashed potatoes, and vegan Korean barbecue. Students can also enjoy vegan raspberry marble cheesecake with chocolate crust, vegan fudge, and vegan chocolate coconut-cream pie at the dessert station. Breakfast at Terrace Dining Room features a cereal bar with soy milk and a bagel area.

The Tavern serves veggie burgers and grilled vegetable quesadillas. There is also a boxed lunch counter perfect for students on the go which serves a roasted vegetable wrap with your choice of fruit.

The Marketplace is home to several vendors that cater to vegetarian and vegan students. Panini Express serves the Market Caprese sandwich filled with grilled mozzarella, tomato, basil, and balsamic dressing. Field of Greens is a salad bar with a variety of vegan toppings including tofu, chickpeas and a variety of fresh vegetables. Students can also try the Veg Out bagel at Einsteins or the veggie samosas at MegaBytes.

Each student’s dining plan comes with Eagle Bucks that can be used at several off-campus locations. Vegan students can try the Tuscan hummus at Angelico Pizzeria, the veggie sushi rolls at Satay Club, or go to Whole Foods and pick up their favorite snacks.

American University's Eco-Sense Club supports sustainability on and off campus. Recently, members of Eco-Sense created a campus garden to promote eating local, fresh foods. Eco-Sense members also held meetings to discuss using vegetables grown in the garden as a part of the new "farm to fork" section of the Terrace Dining Room.

Sample Vegan Menu from Cucina Verde:

• Tomato Bisque
• Sweet Onion Soup
• Orange Green Beans with Peppers
• Gluten-free Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms
• Kung Pao Tofu

Link to American University’s Dining Website:
www.american.edu/ocl/dining

George Washington University

Washington, D.C.

George Washington University (GW) is implementing changes in their dining hall which, according to GW Today, will provide more "fresh, made-for-you choices." GW has two dining halls and a coffee shop, each of which has options for vegans. The main dining hall is called Marvin Hall J Street. Starting in the 2011-2012 school year, this dining hall is offering new choices and expanded hours. Marvin Hall has many stations, and their station called The Diner at J Street is open late nights as well. Vegetarian and vegan selections are clearly labeled.

Marvin Center J Street Stations with Sample Vegan Options:

• Freshen’s Energy Zone- fruit smoothies (ask for non-dairy), fruit juices
• Little Italy- made-to-order pasta, vegetable topping
• Kosher Deli- ask for made-to-order sandwiches
• Simply To Go- salads
• The Diner at J Street- oatmeal, made-to-order options, baked cinnamon apples
• Fresh Food Bars- vegan/veg bar, salad bar, fresh vegetables
• Asian Fare- vegetable hand-rolled sushi
• Homestyle Favorites- roasted potatoes

The other eatery on-campus is called Pelham Commons, and sells groceries along with cooked-to-order meals. Their coffeshop, G-Dub Java, features fresh prepared tossed salads along with coffees. GW also offers Sunday Night Dinners at J Street, which in the past has included "vegan options," according to GW’s official website.

The company that runs GW Dining is Sodexo, and they offer a link to their website, Balance Mind, Body, and Soul, which offers health and wellness information, as well as a link to "Ask the Dietitian." The website also includes a nutrition calculator, in which students can choose different food items and find out the nutritional information for each one. The calculator also indicates if the item is vegan or vegetarian.

This website also shares some recipes for students who choose to make their own meals, including some vegan ones, such as a Minted Orange Salad. Also for students who wish to eat off-campus, Java Green Café, an all-vegan and vegetarian restaurant, is only a few minutes walk away.

Students wishing to affect change in dining services can fill out an online comment card or e-mail one of the managers. Students can also form their own clubs; so if students are interested in creating a campus vegetarian or vegan club, they can do so.

Link to Sodexo’s GW Dining Services Page with Menus, Hours, etc:
http://gworlddining.com

Link to GW Dining Services Facebook Page:
www.facebook.com/gwdining

Link to Sodexo’s Balance Mind, Body, and Soul Website with Nutritional Information:
http://balancemindbodysoul.com

Link to GW Today Article about Changes in Dining Hall:
http://gwtoday.gwu.edu/aroundcampus/refreshingcampusdining

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University works closely with its food-service provider, Aramark, to accommodate both vegetarian and vegan students on campus. The University has several on-campus eateries and menus for each facility can be found on-line.

The Fresh Food Café is self-service, all-you-care-to-eat facility which features a vegetarian/vegan station. Past entrees have included vegan chili and a sweet Thai tofu stir fry.

The best option for vegetarian and vegan students at Johns Hopkins is Nolan’s. This dining hall features a salad bar, a pasta station, and an omelet station that can make a vegan omelet at students’ request. Nolan’s also features Home Zone which serves a daily vegetarian entrée. A sample menu could include jerk tempeh, arugula lasagna, chick pea "crab cakes," and green herb gumbo.

At the Levering Food Court students can try fresh sushi, salads or made-to-order sandwiches. Levering Food Court Options include Levering Leaves a salad station that gives students the option to choose marinated tofu as the protein topping for their salad and Peppercorn Grill which serves grilled veggie burgers. Levering Food Court is also home to Bella Gusta Pizza, Savory Deli, and several other vendors all serving options for vegetarian and vegan students.

The Charles Street Market is a fully stocked campus market featuring fresh produce and organic vegetarian snacks. The Charles Street Market also includes Charles St Subs, which serves an eggplant Parmesan sandwich and Panini Express, which serves vegetarian paninis. Students can also find freshly made salads at the Charles Street Market such as the spicy Chinese noodles salad or the smoked penne pasta salad.

Across the street from campus on University Parkway is One World Café, a restaurant that students wanting to venture off campus can visit for vegan and vegetarian food.

Johns Hopkins University also participates in "Meatless Mondays." The Office of Sustainability at Hopkins and several student groups including Students for Environmental Action and Eco-Reps all joined in a campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of decreased meat consumption. The "Meatless Mondays" campaign promotes a diet high in fruits and vegetables for health and environmental reasons. The meals served at "Meatless Mondays" range from new vegetarian pizza options to special vegetarian soups to a portabello mushroom cheese-melt.

Link to Johns Hopkins’ Dining Website:

www.jhu.edu/hds/dining

Loyola University

Baltimore, MD

At Loyola University, vegan and vegetarian students have a variety of campus dining options to choose from.

Boulder Garden mimics a food court with several vendors catering to vegetarian students. Moe's Southwest Grill offers vegetarian quesadillas, WOW Café & Wingery serves veggie burgers and grilled veggie wraps, and Il Piatto offers veggie pizza and eggplant Parmesan.

In the Andrew White Student Center students can visit Ikigaii Sushi for the veggie rolls or Mein Bowl for authentic vegetarian Asian cuisine.

Simply to Go in Sellinger Hall provides prepackaged foods for vegetarian and vegan students on the go including fresh salads and sandwiches. Past menu items included a vegan vegetable soup and vegan chocolate cake.

Iggy's Market is located on the west side of campus in Newman Towers. It is set-up similar to a grocery store and provides both grocery store items and fresh meals. There is always a vegetarian option available.

Students may use funds from their Evergreen dining account at participating off campus locations. These include Subway, S'ghetti Eddie's, and the Egyptian Pizza Co., all of which offer vegan or vegetarian menu items.

Interested students can apply to be a part of Loyola's Student Dining Committee. These students work alongside dining staff to come up with creative and delicious new menu ideas.

Link to Loyola University's Dining Website with hours, menus and locations:

www.loyola.edu/dining

Montgomery College

Germantown, Rockville, Takoma Park/Silver Spring

Montgomery College, the community college system for Montgomery County, has three locations, all of which are managed by Chartwells. Each location has one café, called Café MC, which offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as to-go options.

The menu for each location can be found online at Chartwells’ website. Weekly specials are listed online as well. Chartwells website states that each café offers soy milk, daily vegan entrées focusing on legumes as a protein source, and canola and olive oil in most of their cooking. Food is labeled vegan or vegetarian.

Germantown Food Stations with Sample Vegan Options:

• Breakfast Value Meals- Continental Breakfast (w/fruit cup, bagel, and fresh juice)
• Mesquite Ranch Grill- black bean burger
• Fresh Fusions- roasted salsa and corn chips, tomato basil soup
• Deli Counter- build-your-own sandwich option
• Outtakes (to-go cooler)- celery and peanut-butter, fruit cup

Rockville Food Stations with Sample Vegan Options:

• Breakfast A La Carte- bread, hash brown potatoes
• Mesquite Ranch Grill- veggie burger, black beans, nachos with salsa
• Fresh Fusions- rotating list of international paninis, vegan options in the past
• Chop’d and Wrap’d- build-your-own salad, build-your-own sandwich, peanut butter and jelly

Takoma Park Food Stations with Sample Vegan Options:

• Breakfast Value Meals- Continental Breakfast (w/fruit cup, bagel, and fresh juice)
• Mesquite Ranch Grill- nachos with salsa
• Fresh Fusions- roasted salsa and corn chips, tomato basil soup
• Chop’d and Wrap’d- build-your-own sandwich option
• Outtakes (to-go cooler)- pita and hummus, fresh fruit

As for nutrition, Chartwells has nutritional information available online for any item on the menu, as well as for every menu item at their corporate eateries. Another interesting tool offered online is a program called Nutrition Journal, which allows MC students to enter the foods they eat each day, and helps them make sure they are balancing their nutrition properly.

The Chartwells’ website also has a feedback section, where students can make suggestions.

Students also have the option of using one of the microwaves around campus if they bring their own food.

Link to MC Chartwells Website with Menus, Hours, Nutritional Info, and More:
www.dineoncampus.com/montgomery

Link to List of Vending Machines and Microwaves with Maps:
http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/Department.aspx?id=5102

Salisbury

Salisbury, MD

Salisbury University is working to increase awareness of vegan and vegetarian students on-campus, and is expanding their vegan options. There are several places to eat on-campus, including grab-and-go options. Their dining service, called University Dining Services (UDS), publishes a monthly publication called "Café Express," which lists the menus for that month. On these menus, each item that is vegan or vegetarian is labeled. The menus for each dining hall are available online as well.

Commons is the main dining hall, and they have several options for vegan students. Their salad bar always has fresh vegetables and there is fresh fruit every day. They also have soy milk and fruit juices for vegan students. Commons is divided into different stations, and each one has different options for vegans. Here is an example of a vegan option from each station:

• Fiesta Express- vegan chili and refried beans
• Lotsa Pasta-vegan marinara sauce and pasta
• Wok n Roll- cooked-to-order stir-fry with tofu and fresh veggies
• S.S. Grillers- vegan Boca Burgers
• Veggie Patch- three vegetables every day
• The Bistro- red beans and rice, tofu spinach lasagna

UDS also offers nutritional information online for students. The nutritional listings for all of the stations in Commons also states whether or not the food item is vegan, making it easy for students to find out what they are eating. If students have more questions about nutrition, Salisbury has a university dietitian, who students can call or e-mail.

Salisbury also has several options for vegan students in a hurry. A coffee shop called Cool Beans serves Starbucks coffee, and any of their drinks can be made with soy milk. Cool Beans also offers smoothies for students with names like "Strawberry Starburst" and "Mango Moon," all of which can be made with soy milk instead of dairy. Their on-campus sub shop, called EZ Coasterz, offers a veggie wrap made with the student’s choice of vegetables. Salisbury also has various "satellite dining" places with grab-n-go options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Examples of vegan fare at these spots includes cereal, peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches, veggie wraps, and garden salad.

An interesting event for vegans is the Vegan Candlelight Dinner held each semester by UDS. It is billed as an "elegant gourmet dinner," and costs no extra money for students on a meal plan. A past menu was Greek-themed, and included grilled mushrooms with kalamata olives & sun-dried tomatoes, grilled eggplant salad, and spinach artichoke dip.

For students interested in getting involved or making changes, there is an on-campus group called the F.O.O.D. Committee, composed of students, faculty, and UDS staff. F.O.O.D. provides input on dining services. Students can also leave feedback online or e-mail UDS. There is also a club called the Vegetarian Student Association.

For students making their own meals, the Wellness Programs at Salisbury offer a list of healthy vegan and vegetarian recipes, such as tri-color stuffed peppers.

Campus Menus, Nutritional Information and More from UDS website:
www.salisbury.edu/dining

Wellness Programs Webpage with Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes
www.salisbury.edu/wellness/Recipes/HealthyEntrees.html

Stevenson University

Owings Mills, MD (Main Campus)

Vegetarian and vegan students at Stevenson University have a variety of options. At all dining halls menu items are clearly marked with a "V" for vegetarian or "VG" for vegan. Stevenson's food provider, Sodexo, offers nutritional information on-line as well as a nutrition calculator for students interested in finding out their specific daily and weekly intakes.

The main cafe, called Mustang Grill, is an all-you-can-eat facility. Here students will find a soup and salad bar with vegetarian and vegan options. Past selections have included a vegetarian creamy potato soup and a vegan American bounty vegetable soup. Soy milk is also available. Students have the right to inquire about the contents of all menu items and the staff can often make special accommodations for vegan students such as substituting tofu for other proteins. At Mustang Grill, there is a daily vegetarian entrée. Past menus have included a vegetarian jambalaya, a pesto pasta bowl, and a vegetarian lentil Shepard's pie. Mustang Grill also serves vegan chicken nuggets, vegan veggie burgers, and vegan strip steak at students' request.

Both of Stevenson University's campuses feature a variety of specialty eateries. The Owings Mills campus is home to Jazzman's Cafe and Pandinis. Here students can try the vegan hummus wrap from Pandinis or the Jazzman's signature salad. The Greenspring campus features Simply to Go, Sandellas, Grill 155, and Subconnection. At Simply To Go, students can choose from a variety of pre-packaged salads. At Sandellas, students can try the veggie quesadillas or the tripoli cheese grilled flat-bread. Grill 155 serves veggie burgers and Subconnection offers a vegetarian sub with roasted squash, broccoli and onions.

At Stevenson University each dining plan comes with flex dollars that students can use at neighboring off-campus restaurants. Vegan students can use their flex dollars at participating locations including Edo Mae Sushi and Tahinas Mediterranean Grill.

Health Services and the Wellness Club have partnered to bring "Wellness Wednesdays" to Stevenson University. "Wellness Wednesdays" are held frequently throughout the year and include health education and guest speakers. Previous "Wellness Wednesdays" events included a health fair where students could get more information on vegetarianism. Stevenson also publishes a Fun101 guide listing several vegetarian restaurants in the area.

Sample Menu:

• Monday-Vegan Couscous and Chickpea Burger vegan
• Tuesday- Penne with Fra Diavolo Sauce
• Wednesday-Tofu Fried Rice
• Thursday- Roasted Vegetable and Rice Burrito
• Friday- Polenta with Plantains

Links to Stevenson’s Dining Services and Sodexo’s Website:
www.stevensondiningservices.com
www.sodexo.com

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

St. Mary’s City, MD

St. Mary’s College of Maryland has one main dining hall on campus and a few smaller eating locations. Every place on campus has a vegan option. The food service provider, Bon Appetit, is committed to providing students with healthy food and balanced meals.

The main dining hall on-campus is called The Great Room, which is buffet-style. On weekdays there is a station called "Greens & Grains" that serves vegan and vegetarian options. Past menus have included stir fry, make-your-own vegan burritos, and sweet and sour seitan. The Great Room also has a special fridge for vegan students, which has soy milk by the carton, special dips, and vegan cereals. Vegan "chicken" nuggets and veggie burgers are available every day.

Everything in the Great Room is labeled as "vegan," "vegetarian," or "gluten-free," on-site, and the main line in the buffet always has at least one vegan option. Popular options are vegan marinara sauce and whole-wheat pasta, fresh local vegetables, and vegan fried rice. Weekly menus can be found online.

St. Mary’s also has options for students on-the-go. The on-campus coffee shop and grocery store, called The Daily Grind, has all-organic coffees, soy milk, and smoothies that can be made vegan. The Lewis Quad grab-and-go has sandwiches and salads. Two other options for students on the meal plan are Quiznos Subs and the Upper Deck Grill. Open longer than the Great Room, Quizno’s has a make-your-own sub option, which has a variety of vegetables. There are also salads which can be made vegan. The Upper Deck Grill has vegan burgers available.

As far as nutritional information, Bon Appetit’s website has a nutrition section for vegetarians and a has an "Ask an Expert" section so that students can submit questions.

If students wish to get involved with making changes in the dining hall, students can join the Food Services Committee, which is part of the Student Government Association. Students can also submit comment forms online at Bon Appetit’s website, and also fill out cards in The Great Room itself.

For students who are not on the meal plan, St. Mary’s has a vegetarian and vegan co-op that is entirely student-run. Students buy and cook all of their own food, and there is a separate fridge for vegan food.

Bon Appetit’s St. Mary’s Website with Campus Menus, Hours, and More:
www.cafebonappetit.com/stmarys

US News and World Report Article Listing St. Mary’s as a Veggie-friendly College:

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/06/07/colleges-that-offer-courses-choices-for-vegetarians?PageNr=1

Towson University

Towson, MD

At Towson University vegetarian and vegan students have a variety of choices. Students can choose from several meal plans including a vegetarian option. Towson University has two all you can eat dining halls and nine a-la-carte eateries, all of which cater to both vegetarian and vegan students.

The icon system helps students to easily identify food choices. Items marked with the VEGETARIAN symbol contain no meat, fish, poultry, or shellfish but may contain dairy and eggs. Choices marked with the VEGAN option contain no ingredients from animal or dairy products. The nutrition program at Towson University is directed by a registered dietitian and nutrition counseling is available for students with more questions.

Vegetarian and vegan students can now participate in Towson University's T-Veggie Program, introduced in Fall of 2009. T-Veggie allows students to substitute soy-based alternatives for most meat menu items. Just ask the server to make it T-Veggie style!

Towson University's two main dining halls, Glen Marketplace and Newell Hall, are all you can eat facilities. Vegetarian and vegan students can choose from a range of entrees including Italian vegetable bake, soy chicken lo mein, spinach souffle, and vegetable paella. Both dining halls also offer a separated vegetarian soup and salad bar. Here students can try Greek salad or vegan gumbo. The nine a-la-carte dining facilities at Towson also offer a range of foods for vegetarian students.

Towson University Advocates for Animals and the Environment is a student organization focused on bringing awareness to how animals are treated in the meat and dairy industry and supporting an overall healthy lifestyle. Students interested in joining can find more information at www.involved.towson.edu.

Sample Menus:

• Tofu Jambalaya
• Baked Sweet Potato
• Green Beans
• Pita Chips

• Caribbean Rice
• Fried Plantains
• Spicy Collard Greens
• Pita Bread

Link to Towson’s Dining Services Website with Dining hours, Menus, and more:

www.towson.edu/adminfinance/auxservices/dining/locations

Link for Students Interested in Joining "Advocates for Animals and the Environment":
www.involved.towson.edu

UMBC

Baltimore, MD

The University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) has a variety of vegan options for students on campus. They have several dining halls and food places, including Fresh Fusions, an all vegan/vegetarian eatery. Vegan students also have an option available at every place on campus, information which is compiled in a pamphlet made by the UMBC Vegetarian Club, which can be found here. The company that runs UMBC dining services, Chartwells, makes menus available online, along with hours for all of the dining halls and eateries.

At the main dining hall, called True Grit’s, vegans have the option of a variety of specialty foods, soy milk, and other protein options, including peanut butter, beans, soy, and tofu at every meal. Vegans can also ask for their food to be prepared separately, and have the right to ask food servers and cooks to change their gloves. Past menus have included tofu curry and red skin potatoes.

Fresh Fusions is the best option for vegans, with multiple options in soups, entrées, and sides. Options are from all around the world, so vegans can sample a variety of cuisines. A sample menu for this eatery might be Cuban black bean soup, a rice and pinto bean burrito, and roasted salsa and blue corn chips on the side. Another past menu was tomato basil soup, a portobello wrap, and Mediterranean couscous and lentil salad.

All of the food on the menu is labeled with a blue leaf for vegan food, and a green leaf for vegetarian food. The salad bar in True Grit’s has a variety of legumes such as peas, beans, edamame, and more.

Dining Halls:

• True Grit’s (several vegan options)
• Fresh Fusions (all vegan and vegetarian)

Corporate Food Places with examples of Vegan Offerings:

• Au bon Pain- oatmeal, cucumber salad, fruit cups
• Jow Jing- lo mein, tofu
• Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina- tortilla chips, veggie taco salad w/o tortilla
• Famous Famiglia- pasta w/marinara sauce, garlic knots (w/o Parmesan)
• Mondo Subs- vegetable wrap with hummus
• Chik-Fil-A- garden salad w/o dressing, waffle fries
• Mesquite Ranch- black bean garden burger w/o bun, fries, tofu salad
• Starbucks- coffee w/o flavoring, juices

As for nutrition, Chartwells has nutritional information available online for any item on the menu, as well as for every menu item at their corporate eateries. Another interesting tool offered online is a program called Nutrition Journal, which allows UMBC students to enter the foods they eat each day, and helps them make sure they are balancing their nutrition properly.

If a student is interested in making changes in the food service, they can join the Student Dining committee, or see all of the minutes from past meetings online. The Chartwells’ website has a feedback section, where students can make suggestions. Students can also join the UMBC Vegetarians Club, a student club which has done events in the past like handing out Tofurky in November and attending Baltimore VegFest.

When it comes to alternatives to the meal plans, UMBC is looking towards implementing some sort of co-op system for students on campus. Minutes from a May 1, 2011 Student Government Association meeting indicate that UMBC is looking to the University of Maryland College Park co-op system for inspiration.

For students living on-campus or making their own food, UMBC students run a blog called UMBCEats, which includes several entries from a vegan student. This blog includes some easy vegan recipes for college students as well.

Campus Menus, Nutrition Information, and more from Chartwell’s UMBC website:
www.dineoncampus.com/umbc

Student-Run UMBCEats Blog:
http://umbceats.com

Links to Vegetarian Pamphlet and Fresh Fusions Sample Menus:
http://umbchealthandwellness.blogspot.com/p/umbc-campus.html

Homepage for UMBC Vegetarians
http://my.umbc.edu/groups/veg/home

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD

Both dining halls at the University of Maryland have vegetarian, as well as vegan options. In each dining hall there is a salad bar which offers separated vegetarian and vegan options including hummus, tofu, and a daily vegan soup. Vegan deli is offered in both dining halls. Soy milk is also available. Menus for vegetarian and vegan students change by the week and are planned by the campus dietitian and a Vegetarian Advisory Board composed of students, nutritionists and dining services staff.

Dining halls at College Park are set up cafeteria style. Students can choose from a variety of stations for eat-in or take-out. The North Campus Diner features Sprouts, a completely vegan station serving vegan Philly cheese-steaks, vegetable chowder, soy chicken carbonara, and even vegan grilled cheese! The South Campus diner is home to Seasons 12, a stir-fry station which offers vegan options and is open for lunch daily. Students can choose from a variety of fresh ingredients including broccoli, carrots, ginger, pineapples, tofu, and vegan noodles and have them sautéed as they wait. Campus restaurant Adele's in the Stamp Student Union also serves veggie burgers.

Students looking to connect with other vegans and vegetarians on campus can join VegTerps, a College Park student organization founded to promote the "veg" lifestyle. In addition to community outreach and advocacy events, students in VegTerps have also started VegOut, a bi-weekly outing to explore vegetarian and vegan eateries in the D.C. Metropolitan area. Go, Terps!

Sample Menu-Sprouts:

Lunch

• Barbecue Falafel Sub Sandwich
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Fresh Fruit

Dinner

• Enchilada Casserole
  Choice of…
• Spanish Style Cranberry Beans
• Lemon Sage Yellow Lentils
• Winter Storm Blend (Wild Rice, White Rice, Red Chili Orzo, Yellow and Green Split Peas)

Link to UMD’s Dining Services Website:

www.dining.umd.edu

Washington College

Chestertown, MD

Washington College is a small campus, but has a variety of vegan options for students. They have one main dining hall, a coffee shop, and three smaller eateries, and each place has a vegan option. The company that runs Washington College dining services, Chartwells, makes menus available online, along with hours for all of the dining halls and eateries.

The main dining hall is called Hodson Hall Commons. Vegans have the option of a variety of specialty foods and other protein options. They also have a special refrigerator with soy milk, soy cream cheese, and soy margarine spread, including peanut butter, beans, soy, and tofu at every meal. Vegans can ask for their food to be prepared separately, and have the right to ask food servers and cooks to change their gloves. Past menu items include a grilled vegetable wrap with basil aioli, vegan sausage, and roasted Yukon potatoes with onions and peppers.

Students also have the option of eating at one of the other eateries on campus.

List of Eateries, along with examples of a vegan option:

• Mondo Subs- "Very Veggie" sub
• Coyote Jack’s Grille- salad tossed-to-order
• Java George- coffees with soy milk
• Sassafras Outtakes- salad, coffees, various snacks

All of the food on the menu is labeled with a green sprout in the shape of a V for vegan food, and a green leaf for vegetarian food.

As for nutrition, Chartwells has nutritional information available online for any item on the menu, as well as for every menu item at their corporate eateries. Another interesting tool offered online is a program called Nutrition Journal, which allows Washington College students to enter the foods they eat each day, and helps them make sure they are balancing their nutrition properly.

If a student is interested in making changes in the food service, they can join the Student Dining committee, or see all of the minutes from past meetings online. The Chartwells’ website has a feedback section, where students can make suggestions.

Chartwells Washington College Website with Campus Menus, Nutritional Info, and More:
www.dineoncampus.com/wc

Lindsey and Jessica are 2011 summer interns at the VRG office.