Written by Jessica Johnson & Hayley Salazar
Disclaimer: Does not include food options available in the University Dining Hall
The simple question of “What do you want to eat?” has become complex as food allergies have become more common.
Of the students who responded to the Collegian’s Twitter poll, 38 percent reported having a dietary restriction such as a gluten or dairy intolerance. There are 44 percent who are following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.
Additionally, 18 percent say they are “allergic to everything.”
So where do these students eat on campus?
The search was on to find food options on Fresno State’s campus to better equip fellow Bulldogs on their journeys across campus.
The result: findings were scarce in comparison to the majority of food options.
In a second Twitter poll, 83 percent of students voted “yes”, indicating that it is hard to locate dietary-friendly food choices on campus.
Paws-N-Go Market in the North Gym contains a gluten free section within the store. However, the shelves were picked clean by the end of lunch time.
For students like Rachel Ward, a senior who has a gluten allergy, finding food on campus seems to be difficult.
“I usually have to bring my own meals but there have been times where I wasn’t able to purchase anything filling on campus. Most menus on campus don’t have a gluten-free option except for a salad or trail mix,” Ward said.
Making food at home, packing it and lugging it around campus can be difficult for some students.
So where can students eat when they are on campus for hours at a time?
It took some digging to find items that are either gluten free, vegan or vegetarian. Some items overlap being all three, some just two and others are one or the other.
Below is a guide to eating within your dietary means:
Paws-N-Go–
| Paws-N-Go Cafe: Peters Business Building
Vegan: NatureValued Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels, fruit cups, whole fruit Vegetarian: fruit cups, whole fruit, crackers, chips, Chex-Mix, Nature Valued Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels |
Paws-N-Go Snack Bar: Satellite Student Union
Vegan: Tropicana fruit juices, Naked drink assortment, Izze sparkling juices, Nature Valued Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels Vegetarian: hummus and pretzels, bean and cheese burritos, trail mix |
Paws-N-Go Market: North Gym
Gluten free: Glutino pretzels, gluten free noodles, soup Vegan: Tropicana fruit juices, Naked drink assortment, Vegetarian: chips, fruit cups, whole fruit, crackers, Chex-Mix |
Paws-N-Go Cafe: Kremen Education
Vegan: Nature Valued Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels, fruit cups, whole fruit Vegetarian: fruit cups, whole fruit, crackers, chips, Chex-Mix, Nature Valued Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels |
USU–
| Snack Bar
Gluten free: Glutino frozen pepperoni pizza, fruit cups Vegetarian: Amy’s frozen entrees, bagels and cream cheese, all pastries |
Juice It Up!
Gluten free: Acai and Pitaya bowls, omit the granola. All smoothies, some soups Vegan: Alternative Baking Company, Inc cookies, ginger shots, fruit water, all fruit smoothies, Acai bowls, Pitaya Bowls, most soups of the day, raw juices, fruit water Vegetarian: Pretzels, soup of the day, yogurt bowls, juices |
Panda Express
Vegetarian: veggie spring rolls, mixed vegetables (side order), steamed rice, brown rice, white rice |
Subway
Gluten free: build-your-own salad Vegan: build-your-own salad Vegetarian: Veggie Delight sandwich, salad, cookies |
Robertito’s Taco Shop
Gluten free: Anything with a corn tortilla |
Other on-campus eats–
| Bulldog Bites
Gluten free: Grilled Chicken Taco Salad Vegetarian: Garden Fiesta Breakfast Burrito |
The Bucket
Gluten free: lettuce wrapped burgers Vegetarian: mushrooms in place of meat patties Vegan: lettuce wrapped mushrooms burgers, salads without meat or cheese, add extra veggies |
Starbucks
Gluten free: BBQ chips, Kind bars, beef jerky, popcorn, organic fruit chews Vegan: soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk (coming soon), organic fruit chews, KIND bars Vegetarian: Protein Bistro Box, Moon Cheese, all pastries |