Acorn

  Drew vegetarians and vegans are not satisfied with the meals provided at the Commons and the Snack Bar.

  Sophomore Kristin DeValue said the dishes, "which are advertised as vegetarian, don't fulfill vegetarians' nutritional requirements."

  "They always provide the same thing-I am only a freshman. Going through four more years doesn't sound like much fun," freshman Mayara Carneiro said.

  To accommodate these individuals, Aramark Director Thomas Lambert plans meals that Drewid's can alter to fit individual needs. He also coordinates the varied sections present at the Commons and Snack Bar. These include the Grill, the Granary and stir fry. To complete his task he plays on the suggestions of those who eat at the Commons and Snack Bar.

  Student suggestions on how to enhance the options at the Commons come from vegetarians, vegans and other students.

  "I think if they had a 'make-your-own-wrap' thing or something of the sort, the vegetarian options would multiply, because we can put whatever we want in them," vegetarian senior Sarah Davie said. 

  Non-vegetarian freshman Brittany Davis agreed. "Being able to create your own wrap will help make sure you get what you want in it without holding up the line because you have to wait for the cook to make a wrap to your liking," Davie said.

  Taking these ideas under consideration, Lambert is remodeling each section of the Commons. Changes are being made, from the new location of the toasting equipment to the "How To" signs posted at each station.

  "Many students don't realize the many possibilities that are available to them," Lambert said after giving a tour. "Just because one is vegetarian or vegan doesn't mean all they are allowed to eat is what is provided at the Granary. The trick lies in one's effort and determination to find something to eat. If they are serving a chicken Caesar wrap, you can ask them to leave out the chicken. You can take the rice from the Granary station and vegetables from the salad bar to create a dish using the stir fry equipment."

  There is no calculation of the actual number of Drew students who are vegetarian or vegan. Some information is available in the Drew 2005 National College Health Assessment where 322 students were polled in regards to their fruit and vegetable intake.

  Seven percent of Drew respondents reported usually eating five or more of servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Thirty-two percent reported eating three-four servings per day and 59 percent eat only one-two servings of fruits and vegetables per day. This test failed to show the ratio of meat  eaters   to non-meat eaters.

  Considering the fact that a good percentage of vegetations and vegans don't fall under any of these categories-because of the low number of polled students as well as the freedom of college life-students eat junk food.

   "At the Snack Bar there are all of these fried foods and wraps, but the only thing I can really eat are the hummus wraps and a veggie burger with fries," Davis said. "It would be nice if another dish could be added."

  There are six to eight different kinds of vegetarians and vegans. Two common forms are lacto-ovo which is the consumption of eggs and milk products with no meat, and vegan which is the lack of consumption and use of any form of animal products. The others range from eating meat once in a while to only eating fish.

   "I am not a vegetarian, I just choose not to eat meat while at school because of the poor quality of food provided by Aramark," sophomore Norma Hobbs said. 

  What used to be thought of as a dietary handicap is now incorporated into diner or cafeteria menus as more people switch to vegetarianism. The Vegetarian Resources Group compared the years 2001 to 1997 and found that the number of strict vegetarians has increased to 2.5 percent of the U.S. population, up from 1 percent.

  Aventis Wellness coordinator Kathy Werheim said that a vegetarian or vegan diet has good health benefits. "The lower saturated fat content of vegetarian diets reduces the risk for obesity, typeII diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease," she said.

  However, eliminating animal products from the diet isn't what keeps the body healthy. "It is important for vegetarians to consume soy products, eat complementary proteins and get enough calories from other macronutrients to prevent body proteins from being used as an energy source for the body," she said. These supplements are found on campus via the Commons or the Drew website.

  "The Commons offers a variety of non-meat or non-dairy food choices over the menu cycle to assist vegetarians such as fortified cereals, and enriched grains, green leafy vegetables, mushrooms [and] beans," Werheim said. "However, I think it is also beneficial for those on a vegetarian diet to consider keeping fortified soy milk and other soy products, tofu, wheat germ, fortified cereal, and seeds handy to supplement their diet  if needed."

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