Many Long Beach State students have decided to opt-out of eating meat in favor of a plant-based diet.
It’s no secret that becoming vegan is something that is on the rise. Companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are changing the ways of traditional fast food by incorporating their products in many fast food restaurant’s menus.
According to a report by Report Buyer, the number of vegans in the United States rose from 1% in 2014 to 6% in 2017.
Although veganism is making a drastic impact on plant-based food availability, there is still a problem with how little vegan options there are at CSULB.
Each restaurant on campus has minimal options and the students say they want more. Restaurants on campus currently offer: the Beyond Burger from The Nugget Grill & Pub, a falafel sandwich from OPA! Greek, a veggie delight from Subway and a veggie bowl from El Pollo Loco.
“In general, more vegan options would be great to promote sustainable lifestyles on campus,” said Noor Masri, a third-year hospitality management major. “If I could add anything, it would be some kind of tofu/rice combo.”
Brandon Winn, a fourth-year computer science major, said that if he does not pack a lunch for school every day he has few options for food.
Other students, like Ashley Weber, a first-year pre-mechanical engineering major, feel the same way.
“It definitely discourages me from wanting to eat on campus and encourages me to bring my own food…or wait until I get home to eat something,” Weber said. “I feel like they might even bring in some revenue if they put more vegan options on the menus or put a vegan establishment there.”
Some students don’t even want to try to look for food on campus anymore. One of the only options left is going off-campus and finding some of the closest fast food or restaurants that the city has to offer.
Here are some of the closest establishments that offer vegan and vegetarians options:
Ike’s Sandwiches in Long Beach offers at least 10 vegetarian options, with half of them being customizable to vegan by simply taking out the cheese and replacing it with vegan cheese. The James and the Giant Peach sandwich, which contains vegan fried chicken and yellow barbeque sauce, is definitely one of their more popular sandwiches on the menu. Located at 5745 E. Pacific Coast Hwy, Ike’s Sandwiches is a quick walk or short drive from campus.
Plant Power is a vegan establishment that offers numerous options, from a western burger to a “chicken” wrap the options are endless. Plant Power tends to mimic different popular items, like the “Big Zac,” which looks almost identical to McDonald’s Big Mac. Plant Power is located at 5095 Pacific Coast Highway.
Veggie Grill is one of the first vegan fast-food chains in California. With newly added items to the menu, Veggie Grill offers many options for vegan food lovers. Veggie Grill is located 6451 E. Pacific Hwy.
If the campus offered more vegan options, both the school and the student would benefit.
“I would most definitely eat more on campus if there were more vegan options there,” Weber said.