Plant-based dining center hacks
Are you curious about incorporating more plant-based meals and snacks into your diet? Maybe you want to start participating in Meatless Mondays or avoid eating meat or dairy at lunch. There is no right or wrong way to explore plant-based eating.
Fortunately for Buffs, CU Boulder was named No. 1 for plant-based dining and sustainability this year with more than 50% plant-based menu offerings. Check out these tips and ideas to try more plant-based options at campus dining centers.
For all dining centers
Vegan options rotate daily on a three-week cycle, and you may need to visit two stations to build a full meal. Use the Nutrislice app with the vegan filter to plan and find your best options.
You can also look for the “V” on the food labels. Every station is required to label all their items with “V" if the item is vegan.
Breakfast options
Campus dining centers offer vegan bread, bagels, peanut butter packets and vegan Smart Balance butter! Top toast or a bagel with avocado, or peanut butter and fruit from the yogurt bar for a filling breakfast.
At the C4C Dining Center, you can visit the Latin station and top a vegan tortilla with chorizo tofu, pinto beans, home fries, avocado and vegan salsa.
The Toast Station at Village Center Dining offers a tofu scramble, plant-based chorizo, sautéed veggies and rotating sides like tater bucks, mini potato triangles and potato pancakes.
Build your own tofu veggie scramble with toppings like jalapeños, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers at Sewall Dining.
Lunch and dinner ideas
At the C4C Dining Center:
- Explore the Plant Powered Protein Station near the salad bar area.
- Hummus is always available in the deli bar area and it’s perfect for dipping veggies or spreading on a deli sandwich.
- The Latin station always offers a vegan protein option like chipotle tofu, plant-based chorizo or taco seitan—perfect with rice, beans, veggies and tajín fruit.
- Persia offers daily vegan options like vegetable kabobs, a variety of stews, two types of rice and toppings like nuts and herb salads.
Snacks
Stock up on vegan snacks like fruit and edamame, or grab a Greens, Tomato and Quinoa Salad from grab-and-go spots like CU on the Run and The Alley @ Farrand! This is a great way to use Munch Money and Campus Cash.