Delta College students desire food that fits their dietary restrictions, but the current array is lacking for some.
According to a report published by Issac Robertson of Total Shape in 2021, California is the second most vegan state in the U.S., with 838 per 1 million people reporting they follow a vegan diet. California is also the U.S. state with the second highest Muslim population, second highest Jewish population, and 15 million people in the United States report having food allergies.
Despite those numbers, the Danner Hall cafeteria area lacks a large presentation for vegetarian options.
“There’s no options as a vegetarian/vegan,” said student Ramandeep Kaur Sandhu.
No matter what a student’s reasoning might be for having dietary restrictions whether it be religion, health, environmental and ethical concerns or anything else, an inclusive campus would offer options for all.
That’s not what students are finding.
“I think they should and shouldn’t [cater to dietary needs] as well because people can pack their own lunches. On the other hand they should try to make sure there are halal and kosher meals for religious people who observe those dietary requirements. And maybe hire a person in charge of making sure food is prepared that is in line to the needs of all students. There is also an importance of making sure there are food options for students with intolerances to dairy and other things as well,” said another student by the name of Diane Rivera.
While students do have the option to pack their own lunches, sometimes stopping by Danner Cafeteria is more convenient for them. Delta College students should have access to both convenience and food that suits their needs.
Alex Breitler, director of Marketing and Communications, says that Delta food services has been “operating a relatively low volume, which can limit the variety of options that can be made available to students.” “We do periodically offer vegetarian and other food category choices for both prepared breakfasts and lunches. On an ongoing basis we also offer frozen meals (Clean Eatz) that also offer alternative menu options.”
Breitler assures that Delta is working on offering more alternative food options for students. “The good news is that we are in the process of hiring new staff and are planning to expand our food services operations, which should make it easier to provide a wider range of menu items in the future,” said Breitler.
