A friend of mine cannot eat gluten and is also a vegetarian, a crazy combination you might say. I personally love meat and gluten, and both are usually present at my meals. I’m always excited to see what she brings to the table in the dining hall, since we college students already have pretty limited options for our meal plans. Eating as a gluten-free vegetarian doesn’t have to be the hardest thing in the world, even with a lot of bleak choices in the DH. It’s all about being creative. I’ve learned from my friend and have come up with the best combination of foods for every meal you eat.
Breakfast
Planning a meal is not as difficult when the main entree is eggs. Shelled eggs scrambled with vegetables (and feta cheese mixed in for flavor) is the go-to breakfast meal. Since donuts, muffins, and most cereals are not an option for a sweet treat at the end of breakfast, the classic greek yogurt and honey makes up for it. And of course, coffee for your caffeine fix.
Lunch
Here’s where the creativity starts to shine. As you might imagine, a big bowl of lettuce is just the beginning. Mix the lettuce with tomatoes, corn, and edamame (the protein-filled star of the show), among some other veggies. As for the dressing, olive oil and salt is the foolproof way to add some flavor. If you have access to avocados, bring those along to the DH to spice up the meal too.
If all else fails, you can always melt a cheese quesadilla in the microwave when there are gluten-free wraps/tortillas available.
Dinner
Instead of a bowl of lettuce, grab a bowl of rice from the stir fry station. Rice and veggies mixed together, and sautéed with some soy sauce, make this dinner the best one yet. Don’t forget to add some carrots with hummus on the side.
Fish is another option (especially salmon and cod) to eat alone or in a salad. A wrap with lettuce and tuna salad hits the spot, too.
Dessert
You don’t have to skimp on the sweet stuff. Even though cookies, cake, and brownies are off limits, the next choice is ice cream. Peanut butter, honey, and banana slices are going to be its new best friends.
Eating as a gluten-free vegetarian is actually more plausible than it sounds, even in the bleakness of the dining hall. The creative juices really get to spread their wings and fly, so don’t be discouraged.