For students who are vegan, vegetarian or want to give vegan options a try, Village Dining has an option for you.
Located in Tiger Zone at Village Dining, the FIT Station offers vegan options for students who are looking for more vegetables or an alternative protein source for their meal.
Starting this semester, the FIT Station will provide vegan options like basmati rice pilaf and tabbouleh for students who are vegan or vegetarian. In addition to the gluten-free options Tiger Dining already offers on campus, the vegan bar is the latest change for students who need alternative options.
Glenn Loughridge, director of campus dining, said because they already have a lot of vegetables available through Tiger Zone and lean proteins such as fish and grilled chicken each night, they wanted to include an alternative protein option for students.
"We knew that we do have more and more of our student population looking to eat more vegetarian/vegan [options]," Loughridge said. "So we wanted to be able to accommodate that."
Village Dining already has vegetarian and vegan options at some of its locations, but this self-serve bar in Tiger Zone allows students to have new options every day. Loughridge said alternative proteins such as tofu are available to students each night through the FIT Station.
"Students still have access to a healthy protein," Loughridge said. "Whether they choose it to be meat-based or one that's an alternative protein, that's up to them."
With more students gravitating toward healthier options, Loughridge said Tiger Dining tracks student numbers closely to see what appeals to students and when they need to look for new options.
"With students, they vote with their feet," Loughridge said. "If they show up, they like it [and] if they don't, they don't."
Students who are interested in the vegan bar's options, calorie intake and hours can look up the menu here.
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