There is a growing craving for veggie foods. In fact, eight out of 10 college students agree that veggie meals should be included on C&U menus.1 Nowadays there are a lot of choices available beyond the typical salad bar and veggie burger. But how do you successfully integrate more veggie foods into your menu?
At Northwestern University, vegetarian and vegan students enjoy a wide variety of creative entrées and side dishes. This university is so well known for its veggie cuisine that it was named one of Peta2's Most Vegetarian Friendly Colleges in the nation. Here's how the Sodexo nuCuisine team at Northwestern University is satisfying the veggie lover in everyone.
Getting started
If you are looking to add more veggie options to your menu, here are some suggestions to help you get started:
- Educate yourself on vegan and vegetarian lifestyles
- Talk with your vendors to see what products are available
- Seek out specialty products
- Search online for a wealth of readily available ideas and recipes
- Visit local vegetarian restaurants for menu inspiration
- Market your offerings online by listing locations and descriptions of vegetarian and vegan foods
- Use point-of-purchase materials, such as napkin cardholders and tabletop towers
- Make changes based on student feedback
Menu variety is key
A typical vegan and vegetarian menu at Northwestern University can include something as simple as
fresh cut fruit and a salad bar of fresh vegetables and plant proteins, such as beans, tofu and grains.
Or it can feature some truly creative offerings such as Butternut Squash Pizza, Veggie Chicken Cutlets
with Marsala Sauce, BBQ Tofu Sandwich and Zucchini Crab Cakes with Cocktail Sauce, just to name a few.
"We are constantly updating our menu and our vegetarian and vegan offerings, and we encourage our students to submit their favorite recipes or ideas for foods they would like to see available," according to a statement by the Sodexo nuCuisine team at Northwestern University.
With a variety of vegan and vegetarian options available at all dining locations across campus, including c-stores, Northwestern University is called "veggie friendly" for good reason. At both lunch and dinner, students will always find a vegan and vegetarian entrée which may include an appropriate side dish, as well as a vegetarian pizza, vegan and vegetarian options at the deli and the grill, and a vegan soup.
"The goal of our program is to provide our students with creative, balanced and varied menu items that fit their dietary needs and allows students that are following a vegan or vegetarian diet to feel included in our food program by incorporating appropriate foods into all of our platforms," the Sodexo nuCuisine team said.
The program also aims to showcase vegan and vegetarian items so that students feel comfortable trying new foods and to illustrate how a vegan or vegetarian diet can be incorporated into a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Make your vegetarian and vegan options known
With the veggie trend gaining momentum at foodservice locations throughout the nation, some
vegetarians and vegans who hold strong to their convictions might be leery about the authenticity of items
claiming to be vegetarian or vegan.
The authenticity of the vegetarian and vegan items at Northwestern University shouldn't be a question. All of the items are labeled with the name of the item, the nutrition information, such as calories, protein and fiber content, as well as a sentence describing if the item contains any of the eight most common food allergens: fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts and soy beans.
Although the Sodexo nuCuisine team at Northwestern University doesn't believe students are leery about any of the vegetarian and vegan offerings served on campus, students are encouraged to contact the Sodexo dietitian if they have any questions or concerns.
Challenges to expect Verifying that all ingredients are in fact vegan is one challenge Northwestern University faces. For example, cane sugar is not vegan, while beet sugar is.
"We want to be sure that we are providing our students with truly vegan items, and it takes significant time to contact the manufacturers of our products to verify these ingredients," the Sodexo nuCuisine team said.
"It can also be challenging to come up with new menu items and keep up with the latest trends. We rely on feedback from the students to make sure that they are satisfied," the team said.
Simple ways to go "veggie"
If you are looking for an easy way to incorporate more veggie options into your menu, try
Morningstar Farms® and Gardenburger® products.
These two well-known and trusted brands offer a full portfolio of veggie products that
are ideal alternatives to chicken, pork, beef and turkey.
The Morningstar Farms® and Gardenburger® products recipe guide will help you expand your menu with delicious appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, entrées and more. Plus, when you become a member of the Kellogg's® Food Away From Home website, you can take advantage of exclusive rebates on veggie foods.
RECAP
With the veggie foods trend sweeping the nation, there's no better time to add vegetarian and vegan
foods to your menu. Just remember:
- Stay on top of the trends
- Reach out to vendors
- Search for recipes online
- Look for local inspiration
- Market your program
- Listen to your students and adjust your program accordingly
For recipe ideas, product recommendations, rebates of up to $15 off per case, insights and more information on Morningstar Farms® and Gardenburger® products, visit the new microsite at www.fafh.com/veggie/
Not a member of the Kellogg's® Food Away From Home website? Click HERE to sign up today. It's easy and FREE!
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