Not the chicken nor the egg: how non-meat eaters stay fed on campus

Non-meat eaters share their experiences with the food found on Chapman campus and in the surrounding area. TIFFANY LE, Staff Photographer

“Can I order a salad … without the chicken?” is not something most Chick-fil-A customers order. But, as a long-time vegetarian accompanying a friend with an insatiable craving for a chicken burger, I tagged along.

I placed my order, thinking surely they could make a salad without the chicken, right? Wrong. My friend and I had a good laugh about it, and that was the first and last time I went to Chick-fil-A. 

Other students have collected stories just like mine and chimed in on their experiences eating at and around Chapman. 

Jenny Lozano, a freshman biological sciences major, celebrated her one year anniversary of being vegan June 30. Her vegan journey started as a two week challenge between her and her sister, and after two weeks, Lozano continued because the diet improved the stomach problems she had since childhood. However, being the only vegan in her immediate family proved to be a much bigger challenge than expected.

“I was trying to explain to them that getting fresh vegetables and fruits won’t be as expensive as getting vegan sausage, because that can be pretty pricey depending on where you go,” Lozano said. ”After a while, they accepted it, and now they support it.”

Amanda Dornsife, a freshman communication studies major, has been vegetarian since she was eight, simply to prove to her family that she could handle the task. The limited options for on-campus dining made her resort to the salad bar on more than one occasion. 

“It’s been a little bit difficult to not have choices, especially when my friends are bringing back five plates with all different foods,” Dornsife said. “If I just want rice or veggies, I have to call to ask, ‘Can you make this special?’ It’s a little bit weird and uncomfortable to have to ask to make your own food.” 

Hayley Taylor, a freshman film production major who has been a pescatarian for about a year, meaning she eats fish but not meat, agreed that her experiences with on campus dining can be stress-inducing. “Will I have a filling meal tonight” is a question Taylor told The Panther she finds herself frequently asking.

“There have definitely been a lot of times when I come home from dinner and I’m still hungry,” Taylor said.

TIFFANY LE, Staff Photographer

This has prompted Taylor to buy groceries, even though her dorm room contains no kitchen amenities other than a microwave. She hopes the cafeteria will expand non-meat meal options. 

“It would be nice to have a consistent protein option every day for plant-based eaters that’s not just a high-carb protein like beans,” said Taylor. “It would be nice to have a plant-based breakfast option beyond cereal.” 

Micaela Wilcox, a junior environmental science and policy major with an emphasis on Earth systems, is vegetarian for environmental reasons. She was inspired to make the dietary change her junior year in high school, but she didn’t actually make the transition until college when a friend suggested they try it together.

“I know it’s hard, because we’re such a small school in the general scale of things, to be able to provide food that everyone can eat,” Wilcox said. “But at the same time, I think there are ways … to offer more plant based meals, and it’s not going to harm anyone. I don’t think it would stop people from eating (the foods) that aren’t plant based.” 

Some non-meat eaters have withheld information about their diets, like senior creative writing and anthropology double major Gabriella Brandom, who said she never tells people she is vegan unless they ask. 

“I don’t want to come across as that person who’s always saying they’re vegan,” Brandom said. “But, it is a big part of my life, because it determines what I can eat.”

Currently, Brandom is writing her thesis on how veganism intersects with race and class.

“I see a lot of people talk online, and I see this movement or thought that veganism is very white,” Brandom said. “A lot of those alternative food spaces are predominantly white spaces (that) can be very classist and not take into account that sometimes it's more expensive to be eating vegan foods.” 

Thankfully, for those seeking community or information, Chapman Veg Club invites vegan, vegetarian and veg-curious students who want to learn more about topics ranging from protein sources all the way to environmental impact. 

For those in need of recipe blog recommendations with vegetarian and vegan options, check out the Simple Veganista, Forks Over Knives, Feasting on Fruit, Cookie and Kate and Tasty from Buzzfeed. Some restaurant options near Chapman and the surrounding cities are Urth Caffe, Green Tomato Grill, Two’s Company Cafe, Rutabegorz, HiroNori Craft Ramen and Hungry Angelina. 

As non-meat diets are growing in popularity, non-meat eaters have expressed hope there will be even more plant-based options in Chapman’s cafeteria and in the surrounding area. 

“On campus, I feel like it’s just beginning,” Lozano said. “Of course there’s a bunch of things you can do to make (the food) vegan. … But I feel like they’re just getting started.”