People in my classes are always asking me, "How do you maintain your vegetarian diet in the Caf?!"
Well, it’s actually quite simple. You just have to make do with the options you have. If you have been struggling with eating at the Caf, read-on.
Breakfast can be tricky, but what I have found to be the most filling is a bagel with peanut butter from “The Grind Up” and a side of fruit from “Classic."
The meal that I gravitate towards the most is from “Salsa”. Loading up a burrito or burrito bowl with all the toppings will be sure to fill you up. Pair this meal with a side of fries from “The Grill."
A great way to get in and out of the Caf is to get a soup. They always have really great vegetarian soups and I’ve heard from some non-vegetarians that they’re better than the soups with meat in them.
Of course, a salad is the way to go when you are in a rush too. Just be sure to use the spinach instead of the iceberg lettuce. And don’t forget to add protein: beans, tofu, nuts and quinoa.
A hack that I have found is to take advantage of the salad bar. The only vegetarian pizzas that “Roma” makes is cheese and I know that is never enough. Grab your pizza and go to the salad bar to pick a vegetable or salad dressing to pair with it. Or you can ask for a side of vegetables from “Roma.” I have found that the sauces near the “Grill” are delicious with pizza too, so head over there to add some flavor to your plain pizzas.
This hack also works for when “Classic” is serving tofu with rice. I’ve noticed that the rice is almost always dry and the tofu can be somewhat flavorless. But again, the sauces and salad dressings are a great way to add some flavor!
Sandwiches from “Don’s Deli” are awesome because you can customize your own sandwich. If you tell them you don’t want meat, they give you twice as much vegetables and cheese.
The snacks that I tend to gravitate to can be found in the “Undercaf” and “Grab ‘N Go”. They often have packets of nuts that are resealable, which are great to bring to classes. The Odwallas are really great and most of the Odwalla protein shakes have at least 25g of protein per serving. My go-to snack lately has been an apple with peanut butter. You can use the small containers at “The Grill” to grab some peanut butter that is kept by “The Grind Up." Up at Lone Mountain Campus’ Café near the sandwich line there’s a whole display that has olives. A lot of people don’t know this, but olives are a great source of iron. Also up at the Lone Mountain Cafeteria, you can find tons of soups that can be warmed up in under 5 minutes!
It’s super easy to take of yourself while here at USF if you just try. I hope some of these tips will help to make eating in the Caf a little easier.
