ARAMARK: COLLEGE STUDENTS WANT VEGAN MEALS

This is pretty stunning: Nationwide food supplier Aramark did a survey of over 100,000 college students and found that "nearly a quarter said finding vegan meals on campus was important to them." That doesn't mean 25% of college students are vegans, of course, but it does mean food companies are increasingly going to have to take us seriously - and Aramark is doing so. They've added new menu items like "Sweet Thai Tofu Stir-Fry, Broccoli Teriyaki, Chili Garlic Stir-Fry, Vegan Cheese Quesadillas, Vegan 'Chicken' Burritos, Eggless 'Egg' Salad, 'Turkey' Subs, and Vegan 'Cheese' Burgers. Of course actual vegans don't need to have every meal revolve around meat/cheese substitutes, but these are good transitional choices for young people who are willing to try new things.

For anyone who thinks this is just Aramark patting themselves on the back, vegetarian/vegan options in school cafeterias are becoming a major issue, so far only chronicled on a case-by-case basis. For example, this story from the Flint Journal about high-school students' protest that all six pre-packaged specialty salads at their salad bar include meat, or this one from Lehigh University, where they just opened a vegan section of their dining hall due to students' pushing for more and better options. There are plenty more of these; someone with time on their hands should do a big wrap-up.