Hey everyone!! I'm from upstate New York and I go back to school in about a week to start the second semester of my sophmore year. Let's just say i have a horrible meal plan! Unfortunately if you live in a dorm, you have to have a meal plan and i really can't afford to spend money on food that isn't available on campus. Last semester i lived off subway and crappy salads after living HCRV all summer. I cannot go back to eating that way this semester. It was not healthy. Very little fruit is offered and when it is, it's usually bananas, oranges, and apples and to get enough calories i would have to take the whole rack of fruit just for myself! Does anyone else have this problem? Is it possible to be a healthy vegan on meal plans that are catered to meat eaters. Thankfully i only have one more semester left till i get an apartment off campus where I am free to buy as much fruit as i want from the local co-op:) but for now I'm kind of in a pickle. Your thoughts would be appreciated:)
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You gotta reach out to people and show them how awesome your lifestyle is. All the guys on my floor are super jelly of the things I make and always ask me about my diet. They know that my vibrant health and abs are due to the way I live and I'm sure it influences them.
Last year my roommate ate the worst garbage imaginable but as our relationship grew and he saw the delicious fruit I was eating he started eating some too.
I know it's hard at first to eat large amounts of fruit in the food court but I actually grew to like it. It's like a bountiful feast at every meal with melons, berries, grapes, bananas, oranges, etc...
Sure people look at you weird but just give them a smile back and they will accept you. It's important not to come off like a snob and try to change everyone, just say you feel better eating the way you do.
I emailed the school's dietitian to talk about how my meal plan wasn't able to support my nutritional needs being a raw vegan. He emailed me back telling me he KNOWS my nutritional needs were met and asked where I got my protien. A very surprising comment...not! I'm meeting with him in person once I get back to school. Hopefully I can get my way, If not I am going to try to get off the plan.
Isnt it your decision or you re or how old are you ? Which class you re visiting ?
You ask the cafeteria for fruits ?
I had the same problem last year. This year I was able to get exempt from the meal plan so I buy all my own food. Last semester was awesome because I started a great relationship with a local Co-op that gets me fair trade bananas for really cheap; and they sell local romaine heads that are the best tasting lettuce I have ever had. I only spent on third of the money I would have otherwise spent on a shitty ass meal plan.
The other suggestions of working with the meal plan are good but I think just getting off it is the best option.
I also have the same issue. I met with a few people from school dining to have my meal plan switched, however they would not allow it. I was told that they would not condone this lifestyle, because they thought it is unhealthy. Instead last semester I was pushed toward cooked, packaged and processed foods. Halfway through the semester I got sick of eating that way and got back on LFRV. Ive been working over 20 hours a week in order to pay for expenses including the food I actually eat as well as what they are charging me. They wouldn't even lower my meal plan unless I have medical papers from a doctor or class scheduling issues :(
Sadly, you might have to do the same for this semester, and work at a way to pay both.
Hey Kerry! I'm actually in a similar situation. I'm a Freshman here at Augustana in Sioux Falls SD and had been eating really nicely up until coming here. Unfortunately, for the first semester I mostly kept silent and didn't talk to anyone in dining services about how much fruit I eat. So I would mostly just take lots of bananas several times a day and get by ok with that and making rice from my dorm room. In finally realizing that until I have a more steady stream of income, I need to make best use of the dining hall as I can. So today I went in and talked to the people at the head of it to see if I could get some more bananas coming my way, using the logic that if I have an unlimited meal plan (which I do), I should be able to get as many bananas as I want to sustain myself. They told me they would get back to me soon after they contact some other people in the staff about it, so hopefully my query is met with justice and I can get maybe a box of bananas or more a week :) So I would definitely say to go talk to the dining hall staff at your school and let them know about how you eat and just explain it. It should be treated just like any other diet related need like gluten free/vegan etc. you know? I'll let you know how it goes with myself over here, good luck to you though as well!
Wow thanks!! That never even crossed my mind. I'll definitely try doing that:D