We’re the first U.S. college to offer an organic, vegetarian, freshly prepared menu — it's one reason why our students are healthier when they graduate than when they enroll.
Our dining hall serves a wide variety of vegetarian fare, from home-style pizza to Chinese stir fry, from Mexican to Indian and more. We bake our own breads and pastries using organic flour. We use locally grown produce whenever possible, and our milk, yogurt, and ice cream come from a local organic dairy farm.
“It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.”
— Albert Einstein
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“I have from an early age abjured from the use of meat.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
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 “My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chided for my singularity, but, with this lighter repast, I made the greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension.”
— Benjamin Franklin
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Why vegetarian?
- Healthier for the individual — A large body of scientific research indicates that a vegetarian diet is the healthiest. Vegetarians, for example, have the lowest rates of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and many other ailments.
- Healthier for the environment — Animal agriculture poses a threat to the environment. Central and South American rainforests, for example, are being destroyed in part to provide cheap beef for export to other countries, including the U.S.
Why organic?
- Healthier for the individual — Organic fruits and vegetables are free of pesticides and herbicides used in conventional agriculture. Organically grown produce, moreover, is not genetically engineered. The long-term effects of consuming genetically modified food are not known.
- Healthier for the environment — The chemicals used in conventional agriculture end up in our streams, rivers, and lakes and in our water supply. Organic farming methods, on the other hand, focus on building the richness of the soil through natural means.
- Healthier for the farmer — Farm chemicals are linked to higher incidence of cancer among farmers. Organic farming is not only healthier but more financially sustainable in the long run.
Why freshly prepared?
Whereas most university food service operations rely heavily on pre-prepared and frozen foods, we make our dishes from fresh ingredients each day. The result: our meals are more nutritious and delicious.
Locally grown Maharishi Vedic Organic vegetables
The University’s organic farm provides some of the produce for campus meals. We can pick the vegetables at their peak of ripeness — and serve them the same day.
Our organic farm uses Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture principles. In addition to avoiding toxic chemicals, this approach enlivens the plant’s inner intelligence, so that the vegetables have maximum nutritional value and promote growth in consciousness.