Survey: College vegan options at all-time high

That vegan dining is a hot trend in the college segment may not be startling news to those familiar with the market (see here, here and here for some of the most recent examples), but now there are numbers to back up the anecdotal evidence in the 2017 Vegan Report Card from the peta-2 youth division of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The report was compiled from the results of a survey of more than 1,400 four-year colleges and universities.

The survey results indicate that the number of vegan options available on campuses to students is at an all-time high, with the most dramatic increase coming in the number of schools with dedicated vegan dining stations, which jumped from 132 to 274 in the past year. The survey also found that about 70 percent of all schools now have at least one vegan option available every day, which is a nearly 10 percent increase over last year.

The dining programs most successful in meeting PETA’s Vegan Report Card criteria are designated as member of the peta-2 dean's list, which now includes 69 schools, a near doubling from the 37 making the list last year. In addition, nearly 60 percent of schools surveyed earned an "A" or "B" grade versus less than half of those surveyed last year.

The Vegan Report Card grades schools on criteria such as the availability of clearly labeled vegan food at every meal, the presence of any dedicated vegan dining stations or dining halls, and the availability of vegan milks and desserts. The dean's list schools meet almost every requirement.

"peta2's Vegan Report Card documents the ways in which schools are keeping up with the skyrocketing demand for healthy, humane and eco-friendly vegan meals," says peta2 Director of International Youth Outreach Ryan Huling. "Universities that want to remain relevant and competitive with other schools must ensure that vegan food is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner."