VegIU finds more vegetarian choices

VegIU was officially re-launched in fall 2011 to help vegetarians and vegans feel welcome on campus. The group has now grown to an email list of more than 200.

“At the first meeting, the room was so full we had to move to a bigger room,” junior and President Jennie Plasterer said.

VegIU has events, such as film screenings, potluck dinners and meals at local restaurants. The first Saturday of each month is  dinner outings, and every third Saturday is for potluck dinners.

The Owlery Restaurant is one of the more popular vegetarian restaurants, Plasterer said. This Saturday, the organization is having a “Breakfast for Dinner” potluck at 6 p.m. at The Owlery.

Plasterer said she has been a vegetarian since she was six and became a vegan a few years ago. She said she made the choice to become a vegan because she loves animals and is also interested in the health and environmental benefits.

In 2011, IU was ranked the most vegetarian-friendly college in America by peta2, an animal rights group that challenges anyone who abuses animals.

“I have no doubt they were looking at Collins,” Plasterer said. “As it turns out, a lot of that’s mislabeled.”

Senior Thomas Fricktion said he thinks this mislabeling is because people don’t always understand what goes into the food, and things like by-products can slip through.

VegIU has plans to speak with Residential Programs and Services to discuss changes to its menus.

Fricktion said he became a vegetarian when he was about 12 or 13 after his older sister became one. He made the switch to veganism four years ago after he started to do more research about the topic.

VegIU also has cooking workshops to help members make vegan and vegetarian-friendly dishes. Many non-vegan dishes can be made vegan by substituting ingredients. For example, ice cream might be made with coconut milk instead of regular milk. Plasterer said she really likes barbecued tofu ribs, and senior and Vice President Elie Abraham said he is still able to eat pizza.

“I know a lot of people who come as omnivores and vegetarians who become vegetarians and vegans,” Plasterer said.  
 
The group has meetings every two weeks in Woodburn Hall and tries to have events during the off weeks.

“We try to do a good variety of events,” Fricktion said. “It can be easy, it can be fun, it can be delicious.”

Abraham said he became a vegetarian about two years ago and became vegan only a month later.

“I think I’m grateful to be at IU and Bloomington,” Abraham said. “Both are much more receptive to the vegan and vegetarian community.”

He said there are still misunderstandings.

“There are a lot of things we could change, and I think the change is happening,” Abraham said.