Ciara O’Loughlin takes us through the vegan options available in DCU’s Glasnevin campus.
Finding healthy vegan options in DCU can be difficult. Amongst goujons and chips in NuBar, the new pizza joint in Londis and the numerous vending machines across campus; DCU does not tempt us with healthy wholesome foods. This struggle is especially heightened for students who follow a vegan diet. Here is a breakdown on healthy vegan options available on the Glasnevin campus.
Breakfast
As a vegan, eat breakfast at home. There is a very sparse menu in the canteen. The only suitable breakfast is hash browns, mushrooms and beans; not the worst, but definitely not a breakfast for every morning.
It was disappointing to find no dairy-free yogurt options.
Starbucks will satisfy your vegan coffee needs with soya milk (they’ve no almond unfortunately). Try an Americano either black or with a dash of soya milk.
Lunch
NuBar is a complete let down. Nearly all of their salads contain mayonnaise. The only vegan salad option from their selection is mixed leaves and peppers.
The canteen for a vegan lunch isn’t a bad shout, the salad and sandwich bar has decent enough vegan ingredients. However, it’s nothing too exciting. Putting together a wholesome vegan meal from the canteen proves difficult.
The salad bar in the gym is similar enough to the one in the canteen. However, they make it look a bit fancier and they do have some more options including chickpeas and lentils (a great source of protein) and they also have a wider variety of dressings. Try go for something like a vinaigrette as many other dressings add unwanted calories to an otherwise healthy salad.
Londis have one ready-made vegan wrap which has hummus, spinach and peppers; it’s just okay. Their sandwich bar is slightly better than the Canteens as they have falafel. Try this in a wrap with a mixture of salads and get it toasted, this should satisfy any hot food cravings!
Dinner
The pasta from the canteen can be vegan depending on what sauces are available. Look out for tomato-based sauces and ask if they are vegan. Another option is potatoes and vegetables from the carvery section. Again, it’s not extremely wholesome but an option for any vegan students who find themselves stuck for dinner.
Conclusion
Overall the lack of vegan options in the Glasnevin campus in DCU is very disappointing. As veganism continues to grow as a lifestyle for many people, it is very surprising that a campus as big as DCU does not provide for them.
Mark Philbin, an Assistant Professor in Health and Society, spoke to the College View about his experience of being a vegan in the DCU campus: “I prepare and bring in a lunch to DCU every day. It would be impossible for me to eat a wholesome vegan meal bought in DCU. The option simply does not exist”, he said.
He also stated that, “The lack of provision for a vegan diet in DCU needs to lie questioned by the reference to the universities policy on diversity and inclusion. At present, vegans are effectively excluded from being customers of the DCU food outlets.”
Ciara O’Loughlin
Image Credit: Alison Clair