VEGAN OPTIONS AT STATE HIGH

Kiara Smith

Why Vegan?
These days, as people pay more attention to the source
and quality of their food, the prevalence of vegetarian
and vegan diets has skyrocketed. Vegetarianism is
defined as omitting meat and fish products and
byproducts from the diet, while veganism is omitting
meat, fish, milk, eggs, and all other animal byproducts.
Health is hardly the only reason people eschew animal
products––other reasons include animal rights,
sustainability and environmental concerns, and the
practice of some religions, such as Hinduism or
Buddhism. There are also those who cannot eat specific
animal products, such as people with lactose intolerance
or egg intolerance.

A poll by Pew Research Center found that, on average,

nine percent of Americans follow a vegetarian or vegan
diet, and that most are younger in age. Twelve percent of
those polled who were 18-29 said they were strictly
vegetarian or vegan; the same number was true for those
aged 30-49; but only 5 percent of those aged 50-65 and
another 5 percent of those 65 and older reported
following these diets (Funk). Using the numbers available
for students enrolled at the State College Area High
School and multiplying that by the national average of 9
percent, there are likely around 205 vegetarian or vegan
students in attendance (“CCD...HS”).

9% = 205 Vegetarians
and Vegans at SCAHS
Because of these dietary restrictions, many restaurants
and food providers like Penn State have made
accommodations for vegetarians and vegans, especially
since these changes can also benefit those with related
restrictions. State High should do the same, and
consistently provide a vegan entree option and fortified
soy milk to offer a full meal for all students as per the
United States’ Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
guidelines, and the school should also strive to better
label the available food options for students. 
At State High, the nutrition of
all students as a group has
been well attended to, but it
is time to start considering
the nutritional needs of those
students who have these
dietary restrictions. Already
the high school caters to
vegetarians, stating that “any
entree can be requested
from the server with the
meat portion withheld” and
on days where such a thing is
not possible, “a grilled
cheese sandwich can be
requested… [if the request
is] prior to 9:00 a.m.”
(“Procedures...Menus”). This
provision, along with the
other daily available foods,
gives vegetarians the
following options on a
regular basis: grilled cheese,
pizza, PB&J uncrustables,
and hummus and pita chips.
Looking at the menu for
February 1st through March
2nd, vegetarians would also
have the daily special
options as follows: marinara
pasta and breadsticks
without meatballs, italian
dunkers, berry and yogurt
parfait, soft pretzel and
cheese, tomato soup with
crackers, and finally
macaroni and cheese
(“Menus...School”). There are
a few things on the menu
which could be vegetarian,
but are difficult to tell, such
as the bread bowl with chili
and soft taco on rice. Of
course these are each
available with the many side
options, from fresh fruits and
vegetables to rolls, fries, and
fresh cow’s milk.
Vegetarian
Daily: Grilled Cheese, Pizza,
PB&J Uncrustables, and
Hummus and Pita Chips.
Specials: Marinara Pasta and
Breadsticks, Italian Dunkers,
Berry and Yogurt Parfait,
Soft Pretzel and Cheese,
Tomato Soup with Crackers,
and Macaroni and Cheese
Possible Options: Bread
Bowl with Chili and Soft
Taco on Rice
Vegan
Daily: PB&J Uncrustables
and Hummus and Pita Chips.
Specials: Marinara Pasta
without breadsticks, a Soft
Pretzel without cheese, and
Tomato Soup without
crackers
Possible Options: Bread
Bowl with Chili and Soft
Taco on Rice
For people with lactose or
egg intolerance, the high
school will also allow
substitutions to daily meals,
for example removing
cheese from a cheeseburger,
salad, or taco. They also
provide a list of the foods
prepared which contain milk
and eggs online. Vegans,
however, have notably fewer
options than do vegetarians
or people with intolerances;
for vegans the daily
available foods are PB&J
uncrustables and hummus
and pita chips. From the
same range of daily specials
they can eat marinara pasta
without meatballs or
breadsticks, a soft pretzel
without cheese, and tomato
soup without crackers. Like
vegetarians, they would also
be able to eat many of the
side options, such as fruits,
vegetables, and french fries.
While these foods may be
tasty and provide something
for these students to eat, not
all entrees are created
equal, and many of the
entrees become nutritiously
poor once the meat is
removed. Although the
nutrient analysis provided
online does not contain
protein count, the marinara
pasta, for example, is likely
lacking any healthy fats or
proteins after the meatballs
have been removed. This
leaves vegetarians and
vegans with many high
carbohydrate entrees and
sides with nothing to
properly balance out their
lunch.
Even the extra options available, however, are
something which might make students
Current Menu Design
uncomfortable, since they must notify the cooks
in the morning before lunch or during lunch,
while in the crowded and bustling environment of
the cafeteria. Many students do not know they
are allowed to ask this of the cooks, since it does
not say so on the take-home lunch menu or in the
lunch facilities. The menus themselves do not
notate well what is or could be vegetarian,
lactose free or otherwise suitable for students’
diets. This makes it difficult for students to know
if they should notify the cooks ahead of time that
they will need something special, as they may be
unaware of what exactly is being served. If
ordering food is this difficult for students, it
might encourage them to not order anything; for
those who cannot pack from home for monetary,
timely or other reasons, it may leave them with
nothing else to eat except small side options and
snacks. These students should be able to rely on
their school to offer them well balanced healthy
“Menus for March 2018: SCASD High School.” SCASD Food Service Dept
meals every day as well as any other student.

These issues are things the USDA has already 

 considered. According to the USDA’s Federal Register
in 2012, which covers what is required in school
lunches, they say schools have “the option to offer
Tofu, Mature
commercially prepared tofu as a meat alternate…
Beans, and Dry
 [allowing] schools to diversify the sources of protein
Peas as Meat
available to students and better meet the dietary needs
Alternates
of vegetarians and culturally diverse groups… schools
[also] have the option to offer mature beans and dry
peas… as meat alternates” (“Nutrition...Programs”).
State High does not have to do anything excessive to
meet the needs of students who are vegetarian or
Nutritionally
vegan. As per USDA guidelines, the school could offer
Equivalent
meat alternates in meals that are already being
SOY Lactose
prepared, such as using tofu instead of chicken in an
Free Milk
entree salad, using veggie burgers instead of
hamburgers, or offering soy or bean replacements to
other meat or dairy products. Offering a fully vegan
entree would allow a new option for both vegetarians
and vegans to choose from in a nutritious diet. It would
USDA Allowances also offer students who eat omnivorous diets, or who
cannot eat certain animal products, a way to expand
the types of proteins they eat regularly. 
Offering a soy milk beverage would also be beneficial for
vegans and lactose intolerant students since milk is a staple
in a healthy student’s diet. The USDA acknowledges that
schools already have the option to “offer lactose-free and
reduced-lactose milk,” so long as the substitutes “be
nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk and provide specific
levels of calcium, protein, vitamins A and D, magnesium, One Daily
phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin B-12” (“Fluid
Milk...Programs”). While it is not necessary for lactose
Vegan
intolerant students to drink soy milk as opposed to lactose
free cow’s milk, offering it would allow both groups to
Entree
benefit. It would also provide a more comfortable solution
for some lactose sensitive students who may want to drink
cow’s milk for the nutritional benefits, but who may prefer a
substitute. Once again, it could also simply provide a
different option for students who still want to drink cow’s
milk but also want to expand their diets and try something
new.

A further idea for State High would be to add a daily vegan

entree and soy milk for a brief period of time while making it
well known to the students in the school, such as by putting
it on the take-home menus and the daily announcements.
After making students aware of their options, State High Soy Milk
could closely monitor whether many students were taking
advantage of the newly available food and weigh the costs
against the benefits. If few students do take advantage of
this opportunity, then the high school could offer these
options in lower amounts than the regular meat and dairy
based meals. State High could make it more well known that
students could request these or other substitutions from the
cook staff before the school day starts by putting such
information on the daily take home menus and mentioning it
at the beginning of the year in homeroom. The school could
also point out what foods are available to them on take-
home menus or on signage in the new cafeteria, with V for
vegan, M for meatless, or something of that nature. Better
On the surface, State High does a good job of meeting the Menu
nutritional needs of many of its students, but there are some
whose dietary restrictions are not being acknowledged. Labeling
Offering a vegan meat alternative and a soy milk beverage
every day would not only benefit the vegans at the high
school, but also the vegetarians and students who want
more variety. This is the perfect opportunity to try something
new, as the high school is moving things around in the new
building and trying to find what works best for its students.
 Works Cited
“Base Menu Spreadsheet: Portion Values.” SCASD Food Service Department, Jan 28th 2018.
      www.scasd.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=5455&dataid=98226
      &FileName=Feb%20HS.pdf
“CCD Public school data 2015-2016, 2016-2017 school years for State College Area HS.”
      National Center for Education Statistics. nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detai
      l.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=4222770&ID=422277001364
“Fluid Milk Substitutions in the School Nutrition Programs.” Federal Register, USDA, Vol 73,
      No 178, Sept 12 2008. www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2008-09-12/pdf/E8-21293.pdf
Funk, Carry and Kennedy, Brian. “Public Views about Americans’ Eating Habits.” Pew Research
       Center. Dec 1st 2016. www.pewinternet.org/2016/12/01/public-views-about-americans-
       eating-habits/
Funk, Carry and Kennedy, Brian. “The New Food Fights: U.S. Public Divides Over Food
       Science.” Pew Research Center. Dec 1st 2016. www.pewinternet.org/2016/12/01/
       the-new-food-fights/
“Menus for March 2018: SCASD High School.” SCASD Food Service Department, Feb 2018.  
      www.scasd.org/cms/lib/PA01000006/Centricity/Domain/108/March%20HS.pdf
“Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.” Federal
      Register, USDA, Vol 77, No 17, Jan 26 2016. www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-01-26/p
      df/2012-1010.pdf
“Procedures for Serving Students Who Require Modified Menus.” SCASD Food Service
       Department. August 2016. www.scasd.org/cms/lib/PA01000006/Centricity/Domain/
       108/allergies.pdf
“2016-17 High School Allergens List.” SCASD Food Service Department, 2016. www.scasd
       .org/cms/lib/PA01000006/Centricity/Domain/108/Allergens%20-%20HS%202016.pdf