Turning Vegetarian: Exploring Dining Options On & Off Campus

Category Student Voices

Author

Sung Class of '19 Alumni
Authored on February 19, 2019

Article

I remember how difficult it was to eat healthy back at home. There were only 3 options in my school cafeteria -- stale cheese pizza, soggy hamburgers, and frozen corn dogs.

At home, with both of my parents working most of the time, I would often have to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner for myself and my sister. Unfortunately, I am not the best cook, and the limited ingredients I had access to were not very accommodating to this beginner chef. As a result of the circumstances, I would often resort to unhealthy and easy-to-prepare alternatives. I was never offered the privilege to be “picky” about food.

Things, however, changed dramatically when I got to campus. The multitude of options at Harvard’s dining hall was eye-opening. Annenberg, Harvard’s first-year student dining hall, is basically a giant buffet with multiple options for both the meat-lover and the vegan.

Initially, I wanted to try everything -- from the grape pizza to the fried tilapia. However, after my encounter with the infamous freshman-15, I decided to go vegetarian for a week. It was surprisingly easy.

Not only is there the option to eat strictly vegetarian on Harvard’s campus, but there is also a wide range of vegetarian offerings easily accessible beyond the campus.

Here are two of my go-to vegan/vegetarian options:

Saloniki Greek in Fenway and in Harvard’s Smith Center

They have everything here: meat, vegetarian, and vegan options. My favorite here is the vegan Katerina Pita. Greek food is always the right answer.

food from Saloniki restaurant at Fenway with text that reads: 'Saloniki Fenway'

Dining in at Saloniki Greek in Fenway.

By Chloe in Fenway

Located just a couple MBTA stops away from campus, this strictly vegan restaurant has become one of my favorites in Boston. They have an assortment of meat-resembling vegan options, like their famous pesto meatball burger. My favorite here is their classic avocado toast.

Avocado toast from By Chloe in Fenway

Dining in at By Chloe in Fenway

Although I ultimately did not stay vegetarian beyond that week, I am grateful for the opportunity to have been given the choice to explore this option at Harvard.

Tags

  • Residential Life
  • Student Life

Sung Class of '19 Alumni