How To Keep Up A Vegan Lifestyle at USC

By Adriana Bernal Martinez ‘20

Leading a vegan lifestyle isn’t necessarily a walk in the park (though it may or may not involve plenty of those). Leading a vegan lifestyle while in college, however, is a next level of difficulty. Not only is it awfully tempting to get a burger from The Habit at Tutor Campus Center, but it’s notably difficult to know exactly what’s going into your body when eating in the dining halls. Here is a guide of helpful tips and tricks for maintaining a vegan diet on campus (fear not, most of these tips can also be utilized for a generally more health-conscious semester as well).

Originally posted by NBCTheVoice.

1) Download the app Eats

Easily any student’s right hand man in an app, Eats is a USC-based app that shows you each dining hall’s menu for not only today, but for the next few days as well so you can plan your meals accordingly if need-be! More than just that, it offers an option to filter your search exclusively for Vegetarian (VT) or Vegan (V) options at each dining hall so you can know for certain what it is that you’ll be eating.

2) Visit the weekly farmer’s market!

Every Wednesday from 11 A.M. to 3 P.M. comes a chance to purchase healthy produce on your own campus. A farmer’s market bearing everything from tasty juices to fresh fruits and vegetables is on campus and ready to serve. I’d highly recommend having a form of blender in order to get a smoothie out of it if you don’t have a kitchen in your living space, for most undergraduate housing doesn’t provide that. This can be a way so you know for certain what’s going into your food and to cook your own healthy meals even while in college!

3) Make use of the on-campus restaurants!

USC has some amazing dining options beyond the dining hall, most of which you can use dining dollars for. Here are some of my favorite with the best vegan options –

1. California Pizza Kitchen

Tuscan Hummus meal! Absolutely delicious little appetizer that’s not too expensive and quite filling as well. The grilled vegetable salad is a personal favorite of mine, and it goes perfect with the Dakota Smashed Pea & Barley Soup. Pro tip: Make sure to ask for Neapolitan crust with no cheese and you can get some delicious Margherita and Wild Mushroom Pizza.  

2. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

It’s a given that there’s plenty of vegan drinks – you can get everything from the Iced Americano to a Latte so long as you ask for soy, almond or coconut milk. But as far as snacks go, my personal favorite options would have to be Justin’s Snack Packs (a better Nutella with pretzels in the pack, as well), Mango Bites and if you want a bigger meal, the absolutely delightful Mediterranean Picnic Box.

3. Lemonade

All salads available at Lemonade can easily be made vegan, but some personal favorites of mine are the Tomato Avocado and Kale Mushroom salads. Each one of their lemonades is incredibly tasty in its own way, whether you prefer the zesty taste of the Cucumber Mint lemonade, the Watermelon Rosemary or the the good old-fashioned taste of the aptly-named Old-Fashioned lemonade, something ought to pique your taste.

4. Verde

Just go without the meat and you’ve got yourself a great meal! There’s several bean and rice options to make for the backbone of a burrito bowl. They also newly brought in some really great nachos that can be customized to be made vegan! Stray away from the meat, cheese and keep to the delicious guac that goes well with pretty much anything you can get.

5. Nekter

A 100% vegan place at SC? You’re not dreaming, it really is. And oh, is it delicious. My personal favorite, I have gotten pretty much everything on the menu and can testify for just how filling and absolutely wonderful it is to have after a long, tedious day of classes. The Trojan Bowl is a way to show your school spirit through your meal choices, but my personal favorite is the brightly-colored Pitaya Bowl with a Greenie or Buzz drink. Make sure to try their Berry Chia Parfait, too! Great pick-me-up between classes.

I hope this was as helpful for you as compiling it was for me! Make sure to check out more Healthy Living guides from us here.

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