How to Eat Vegan at the Dining Hall

Eating at a dining hall is never easy, I’m pretty sure even the kids that go to schools with top dining halls get sick of the food. That being said, the thought of eating vegan at a dining hall can be very daunting. Limiting your already slim choices can seem like a pain, but being vegan is better for your body, the planet, and the animals. IT’S WORTH IT.

That being said, here is how I survived eating at the dining hall for 2 years as a vegan. I also went to a fairly large school, so my tips might have to be adjusted slightly if your school doesn’t have the amenities that mine had.

1.       Get creative and find some staples

Be creative and find staples that you know you can have regardless of the time of day at the dining hall. You’d probably be surprised with the different amount of ways that I can make a veggie sandwich. Aka my go to when there was really nothing I want to eat in the dining hall. Pile all the veggies you can find, I found the veggies in the salad line to be a little fresher than those in the sandwich line so I always went for that. Also, I’m a big fan of making my own “pasta salad,” grab some pasta from the pasta line (it’s never warm so perfect for pasta salad!) add some Italian dressing and some veggies. Anyways those are just some of my staples, I also went for breakfast for dinner a lot, you can never go wrong with some cinnamon raisin bread and cereal. Get creative and always have some staples you know the dining hall will have regardless of the time of day.

2.       Read the menus before hand

Again, I go to a big school so we have an app where you can look at all the dining halls menus for the next week. You can also filter the foods you want to see, and they even had a vegan filter! I always checked menus before-hand so A. I can go to a dining hall that has something I like or B. I know what there is that I can eat and I don’t have to stand in long lines just to find out I can’t eat anything on the menu. It’s also nice to have a game plan, so you can find what you want quick, rather than reading all the signs figuring out what you can eat. I think for the most part schools post their menus online, so take advantage of this.

3.       Bring your own staples

Another tip is to bring your own staples, when I first went vegan I used to carry a jar of peanut butter in my backpack because I didn’t like the school's. This was nice just to have peanut butter with apples or a banana and peanut butter sandwich. Some of the options can get a little bland so being able to add peanut butter to your fruit or bringing your own hummus to dip veggies in can make all the difference. I’ve also brought nutritional yeast to spice up my pastas. I’ve seen people bring their own avocado and nut butters into the dining hall. We’re all just trying to survive, no one’s going to question you bringing some of your own food in with you.

4.       Don’t skip breakfast

For my school at least, breakfast goes until 10:30 and I always knew there is going to be something I could eat. I know for my school there is always oatmeal, potatoes, melon, and the gluten free section had vegan waffles (score!). Even though I did get a little sick of this rotation, I always knew there was going to be at least one thing that I like and it will keep me full during class. Breakfast is generally a vegan friendly meal, plus there’s always the toast, bagels, and cereal option. Pro tip: If they have blueberry topping for pancakes, add that and a little maple syrup to oatmeal.

5.       French fries are not always your friend

This is probably the saddest one for me to write. I first went vegan during my sophomore year of college and I quit eating dairy and eggs all at once. So, you can imagine it was a little hard watching everyone eat pizza, grilled cheese, and mac and cheese. Especially since I hadn’t figured out the whole eating a balanced diet thing. Safe to say at first I lived off of french fries, cucumbers, and bagels. Anyways, being the food jealous person that I am, I would replace all my cravings for desserts and cheese with fries. Now this would be fine and dandy if I ate them like I do at home, which is baked with no oil. However, the fries that have probably been fried multiple times in the dining hall just isn’t good for your health in any way. Just remember moderation, not everything that is vegan is healthy.

6.       Reach out to dining hall managers

I never did this personally because I was able to find enough to eat, but this might be important if you go to a smaller school and the options are limited. I have friends with allergies that had really good relationships with the dining hall managers and were able to order them plant based milks they could eat, or adjust for the allergies they had. So if you’re having trouble feel free to reach out, they are there to help you, and you’re paying a lot for that meal plan so get your money’s worth. Even if they’re just able to get you plant based milk or vegan butter, it can really help to add to your options.

7.       Bring fruit with you

My last and final tip is to take fruit from the dining hall with you. Most dining halls have a rule where you can take a drink, a fruit, or a dessert out with you. Not sure if most dining halls actually abide by this, but stuff some apples or bananas in your bag just to have on hand. It is hard at first to find enough to eat and get comfortable where you don’t mind asking for help. So it’s nice to have a banana in your bag for if you get hungry in class or when you’re studying.

Best of luck to anyone’s that is vegan and going to be eating at the dining hall. I know it isn’t great all the time but just remember that no one loves eating at the dining hall. Leave any tips below if you’ve eaten plant based at school and have any suggestions that I failed to mention.

Always keep in mind that you’re doing this for your health, the environment, and the animals. It’s definitely worth it.

Best Cruelty Free Products

*Links below may be affiliate links, this will not change the cost, but I may get a small commission.

Okay so when I was first transitioning into veganism I started eating plant based, and that took a bit to get used to. I immediately stopped buying any leather goods, and knew my next step would be transitioning my products. This one was a bit harder for me than the food actually. There weren’t a ton of vegan products in my local stores, my curly hair doesn’t always do well with new products, and this was around the time I started to get adult acne. Never the less I knew that this was something important for me to do, and I started testing the waters with new products. When one of my products was getting low I would by a cruelty free product and start using that. Doing it this way allowed me to switch back to my original product if I really hated it and give me time to try another one. Below are my favorite products, structured out by type of product.

Shampoo and Conditioner

As I mentioned earlier I have very curly hair, therefore I’m not always trusting with new shampoos and conditioners. I used to use Organix, but now they sell in China, which requires animal testing. I’ve tried a few different shampoos and conditioners, most of which were coconut based because those seem to be the most hydrating. The shampoo and conditioner I always drift back to is Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner. I’ve also tried different kinds of their Hawaiian shampoo and conditioner but the coconut milk it my favorite. It’s super hydrating so if you have dry hair like mine, this is definitely a snag. You can find it at Target, Walmart, and drugstores but I find it cheapest at TJ Maxx. Click here for amazon link to the products.

Leave in Conditioner

I keep repeating myself, but my curly and very dry hair requires a bit of love. I use Renpure's Coconut Whipped Creme Leaving In Conditioner. I was nervous to switch leave in conditioners because curly hair has a mind of its own and is not very flattering when it’s dry and frizzy. Similar to the shampoo and conditioners, a lot of leave in conditioners that I’ve seen are coconut based. I’m biased to this one product, as I tried it once, it worked, and the bottle has lasted me over 8 months. For using leave in conditioner everyday, it takes me a very long time to get through a bottle, I still have barely put a dent in it. I bought mine at TJ Maxx, if you’re having trouble finding cruelty free products check there, because they have a surprisingly large selection.

Face Wash

If you saw my acne journey post you know I’ve been struggling with adult acne for the past 8 months or so. When I went to the dermatologist, I bought the Cetaphil she recommended, and I bought it a  couple times before making the decision that I needed to give another cruelty free brand a chance. When I started getting really bad breakouts I had just switched to Say Yes to Tomatoes face line. I don’t believe there is any correlation between using those products and me breaking out, because my brother had the same issues with his skin, so I'm assuming it's genetics. That being said, I was a little nervous to switch after my skin had gotten a little better. After doing a little research I decided to try Alba Botanica's Good and Clean Daily, it had good reviews and I liked their other products so I decided to give it a go. This face wash is a little bit drying for me (I think anything would be considering I use Retin-A and had dry skin before), but I love the way it makes my skin feel. I only use it once a day but make sure to follow with a good moisturizer but I will definitely be purchasing this again.

Face Lotion

As mentioned above and my acne post, I use a Retin-A cream, therefore a good moisturizer is a must in my daily life. I’ve tried a few different moisturizers and I would definitely recommend staying away from any face moisturizer that has coconut oil in it. A lot of the more natural products seem to use it and I read a few articles of people swearing by it, but I hate the feeling of it on my skin and it didn’t help the dryness. I have also read articles saying that it clogs your pores, which is not what you want to do when you’re trying to clear your acne, and it isn’t very hydrating. After giving up on the moisturizer I had about a month ago, I set out to the stores to find a cruelty free moisturizer with no coconut oil in it, unfortunately most had coconut oil and salicylic acid (again, my face is so dry and I don’t want to risk drying it out anymore). Since I loved Alba Botanica's other products so much, I decided to try their oil free face moisturizer. This is an absolute game changer if you have dry skin like me, it feels great going on your skin and sinks in nicely. I highly recommend this if you're looking for a cruelty free moisturizer that is oil-free, which is hard to come by in my opinion.Seriously, if you buy one thing from this list, this is what you need to buy. I've been out for 3 days and my skin is peeling and itchy, and I really want my amazon order to come in. 

Soap

Okay not too much to say on this one, I feel like there’s not too much to mess up with a bar of soap. Again, home girl has very dry skin, so I just make sure to get moisturizing soap. I have bought one by Shea Moisture, and I really like it. It lathers nicely when using a loofa and smells really good. Not too much to say on this but I would definitely recommend. I also occasionally use Doctor Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap, this stuff smells amazing and makes you feel squeaky clean. I do get slightly nervous that it will dry my skin out, so I only use it at most twice a week. You can dilute it and make hand soap or cleaning supplies.

Deodorant

This is another one where I haven’t tried a myriad of different products. I tended to stock up on deodorant, so it took me a while to get through those. I really like Toms Lavender deodorant. I have heard complaints that because it doesn’t have aluminum it doesn’t prevent sweating, but I don’t feel like I sweat any more than I did using my last deodorant. It also goes on very nicely and I like the smell. Again, isn’t going to stop you from sweating, but I haven’t found a deodorant besides Certain Dri to do that anyways. Recently I tried their 24-hour one which in my opinion smells better, but I like the consistency of the lavender deodorant, because you never have to worry about the white build up. Does anyone know what I'm talking about when I say that? All I know is I've ruined a few too many tank tops over the years from that. 

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is a tough one because I feel like your teeth aren’t something you want to mess with. However, when I learned poor little bunnies get squirted with chemicals in their eyes for testing, I knew I had to switch. I have tried a few different cruelty free toothpastes and I have to say the only thing I have noticed is that it does not foam as much as ones I used before. I have tried a few different ones but I like Toms Spearmint the best.

Best Vegan Eats in Boston

Alright, this is probably weird to say but I don’t think I went to my first vegan restaurant until over 6 months of being vegan. I have no idea why, because it’s so nice to go to a restaurant and not really have to think about what you’re ordering, or only being able to order something other than a veggie wrap. Once I figured out how great it was, I started exploring different vegan/vegetarian restaurants in Boston, and here are a list of my favorites so far. Let me know if you have any recommendations for other restaurants in the area.

Veggie Galaxy

This restaurant is hands down my favorite, it is vegetarian, but I believe everything on the menu can be modified to vegan. It has such a cute atmosphere and is always packed, it’s a mix of an old school diner with galaxy theme. Also the staff here is incredible, I don’t think I have ever been somewhere with people this nice. Just the experience alone would be enough, but their food is really good and there’s so much on the menu I want to try. I’ve come here with meat eating friends and even they like the food. As for what to get, the vegan mozzarella sticks were very good, definitely recommend eating when they are warm because the texture gets a little off when they are cold. Also the Surf and Turf was delicious, I haven’t had coleslaw since I went vegan (I never really thought about it), but man theirs is delicious. I usually stay away from vegan comfort foods, because I don’t usually think they’re worth it, but this is definitely somewhere you need to try.

Clover

Clover is all over the city, and they even have food trucks, so there’s an option for you if your co-workers are headed to the food trucks for lunch! This again is a vegetarian restaurant where most things can be modified to be vegan. Their restaurants are set up a little funky if you’ve never been, the staff is on the floor and they are there to help you, so it’s super easy to double check that what you’re ordering is vegan. I always get the falafel platter because I’m a sucker for falafel and fresh hummus. Make sure you get the fresh pita, it is delicious. The fries are also awesome and my friends have gotten many other things and they love it. Again, be sure to double check to make sure what you are getting is vegan, I know it can be a little hectic in there around lunch time, but they are very accommodating.

My Thai Vegan Café

This was one of the first vegan restaurants I went to, and it is still one of my favorites. I know the Loving Hut is a very popular vegan style Asian restaurant, but I was not a fan, so I was a little skeptical of My Thai Vegan. Also, ordering vegan at a thai restaurant isn’t too difficult, but this restaurant has so many options. The vibe in here is super cute, it’s on the second floor and the exterior is surrounded by plants. I typically get the Pad Thai and they also have vegan cakes for dessert! My friends have tried to Lo Mein as well as the curry and they were big fans. It has been relatively quiet in here when I’ve gone but I really like the food.

Jennifer Lee Bakery

Okay, before I went vegan I ate donuts maybe once every few months, then I went vegan and for some reason I always wanted donuts. I feel like most vegan donuts are cake like, if that makes sense. I had some time to kill at North Station and decided to check out Boston Public Market, because someone had said one of the shops had vegan donuts. Boy was that a great decision, their vegan donuts are delicious. When I went the first time they had a cinnamon sugar donut and a raspberry lime, of course I got both. They were better than real donuts, definitely recommend checking out. I have also got their donuts at farmers markets and vegan festivals. I definitely recommend checking them out, it might take a little to find them in the Boston Public Market, but worth looking for.

Life Alive

Not all vegans like salad, I hate lettuce. There I said it. That being said, a friend had given me a gift card to Life Alive as I worked near one in Salem, but there is a Life Alive in Cambridge. For someone who regularly says they don’t like salad, I will admit Life Alive’s salads are really good and there are a lot of options. They also have wraps and other sweet treats. Their smoothies are also really good, I recommend the Loco Coco Alive if you are feeling something sweet. It is a tad pricey but nice if you don’t want something that is going to weigh you down. Again, I'm a tough critic when it comes to salads, so if I'm recommending it, it must be good. Also the vibe is really nice in this place, it has a nice homey feel. 

By Chloe

Okay I put this on here because it is completely vegan and people seem to love it. There’s one in the Seaport and one by Fenway. Vegan comfort food is not always my favorite, I did not love their vegan mac and cheese but I know other people swear by it. However, their Kale Artichoke dip is delicious and I would skip the mac and cheese and go for their pesto pasta. It is a solid option, but I’m not too eager to head back there. I do know people who are not vegan and love it though, so maybe it just isn’t my cup of tea! I haven't gone their for brunch, but I also hear people rave about their cinnamon rolls, so check that out. 

Pizza and Sub Shop

I know, I know, this isn’t in Boston. But hey, Lowell is pretty close and if you live in the area you need to check out the Pizza and Sub Shop. They have hands down the best vegan cheese I have ever tried, and I’ve tried quite a few. The store owner hand makes the cheese from cashews and soy and it is more of a sauce rather than a melty cheese, but delicious none the less. They have a whole vegan menu, but I always get the same vegan cheese pizza with broccoli and mushrooms because it is so delicious. They also have a vegan pesto pizza, and I want to try and a vegan mac and cheese. Trust me, if you are in the area you need to check this place out. If you don’t believe me, check out the Yelp reviews for yourself. I drive 30 minutes to get their pizza and it is worth every minute. Plus the owners are very sweet, and supporting local businesses is always nice!