To the general public, N.C. A&T’s food selection is vast, allowing students to access any food they want. However, for a select group of students, the selection is slim, leaving them frustrated and unsettled.
Vegan or vegetarian based diet students feel like the odd ones out and find it complicated to access the foods they desire.
Senior finance student, Amber Hudson, went vegan for both religious and mindfulness of her body reasons and has been vegan for almost two years.
“I wish there was a food chain that mainly had vegetarian and vegan options; a place that was just for us,” Hudson said. “I also wish that the food chains we already have on campus catered more to us.”
Typically, Hudson cooks her meals from home, but one day she decided to try some food from the cafe, which thoroughly disappointed her.
“I went to the cafe and had some lentil soup. It was so bogus. It was like they didn’t even try. It was bland, and they didn’t season it.”
Hudson said that not only would tastier vegan and vegetarian options on campus benefit her, but it would also benefit the black community as a whole.
Zach Payton, a recent N.C. A&T graduate, ate off campus most of the time while he was a student. However, while on campus he would typically grab something general from the cafe or the student center.
“I might have gone to Sub Connection, got some vegetable sushi, or gotten an impossible burger from 1891,” Payton said. “When it comes to other places, the lines are always long, and when you finally get to the front of the line to order, there are not many desirable food choices available.”
Payton disagrees that the campus does not provide any vegan food alternatives, however he believes there could be much more. He states, places like Chopt or Cava would be a great implementation on campus for those who need more options for their dietary lifestyle.
Hunter Stewart, N.C. A&T Dining Staff Unit Controller, says that he has not heard too many complaints about the current food choices available for vegans and vegetarians, just that students believe there should be more.
“I do think we have several options for vegans currently,” Stewart said. “We have vegan stations, and we do meatless Mondays every Monday in Williams Dining Hall. However, I think we can do more. I would like to hear some more ideas from vegan based diet students regarding what they want to see.”
Stewart says that dining services has plans for a potential vegan concept to come to 1891 Revolution either this semester or early next semester.
The Aggie Dining team is very open to the idea of implementing more vegan options on campus. They are determined to offer a community experience centered on culinary expertise, fresh ingredients, healthy options, and a shared sense of environmental and social responsibility.
