At the University, the letter "V" usually means one thing. It can be spotted anywhere on Grounds -- on posters, buildings and students' T-shirts. But in dining halls these days, there are Vs everywhere -- and they don't stand for Virginia. They indicate food options: dishes that are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. For fans of these meatless meals, a new organization on Grounds offers fun, food and friendship, and it calls itself VVV.
The Virginia Vegetarian and Vegan Club? was established last spring by third-year College student Meghan Tertocha and fourth-year College students Simone Hickman, Carly Romeo and Katie Sullivan. The club become an official contracted independent organization last spring and kicked things off at the activities fair this semester.
Tertocha said she and her friends formed VVV to bring together vegetarians and vegans at the University and learn what issues are important to them.
About 40 people attended the club's first meeting in early September, where they enjoyed various vegetarian and vegan dishes including dips, appetizers, casseroles, pastas, salads and a chocolate-chip, peanut-butter vegan pie.
In addition to holding bimonthly potluck-style suppers and group dinners at vegetarian-friendly area restaurants, VVV's members plan to attend the Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival at the end of the month and also hope to sponsor cooking classes that focus on meatless lifestyles, nutrition information sessions open to all students and a vegetarian-cooking contest.
?VVV's efforts are intended to supplement the dining options already available on Grounds for University vegetarians and vegans. According to University Dining Services nutritionist Paula Caravati, at least 25 percent of dining halls' offerings are vegetarian or vegan.
"Over the past 10 years we have made a concerned effort to provide vegetarian and vegan options," she said. The 'healthy bars' at Runk and Newcomb have nutritious, vegetarian options, she noted, and Runk and O-Hill have an entire bar devoted to vegetarianism. The Granary at Newcomb and the stir-fry station at Observatory Hill Dining Hall also offer vegetarian meals.
"There is always room for improvement," Caravati said. "But if any students think there are not enough options ... we would love to hear from them. We are really interested in hearing more from students."
University Dining Services will sponsor several vegetarian-themed meals in October for Vegetarian Awareness Month, she added, noting that students are encouraged to stop by the dining halls on select nights in October for games, prizes and featured vegetarian food.
For first-year College students Miles Sisson and Sasa Jusufovic, who are required to purchase University meal plans, being vegetarian and eating in the dining halls is manageable.
"The dining halls have a lot of options, and it hasn't really been hard finding things to eat," Sisson said. He added that though eating the same foods again and again could become tedious, he has enjoyed dining hall food so far.
Jusufovic said she tries to eat at least one meal a day in one of the dining halls, often indulging in her favorite dish: biscuits with vegetarian gravy and vegan chili.
"Everything is labeled, and people are really nice about answering your questions and helping you," Jusufovic said.
Tertocha and Romeo live off Grounds and cook for themselves but remember the dining hall food of their first year at the University.
According to Romeo, the University's vegetarian and vegan options are "middle of the road -- it's not really good but it's not bad either."
Romeo added that one of her complaints is that ingredients in dishes labeled as vegetarian and vegan are not usually listed. Vegetarians and vegans often have different standards, Romeo said, explaining that clarification would be helpful.
VVV would consider lobbying University Dining Services for changes, Tertocha said, but will focus for now on identifying the needs of students.
When vegetarians and vegans tire of the dining halls, they can head off Grounds to several area restaurants. VVV has compiled a list of Charlottesville restaurants that serve vegetarian and vegan meals. One favorite spot is Revolutionary Soup: with locations on the Corner and the Downtown Mall, the restaurant offers an array of vegetarian-friendly options. The list also includes other Charlottesville staples like Bodo's, Mellow Mushroom and Splendora's, which offer a number of vegetarian options including soup, veggie pizza and dairy-free gelato.
Romeo and Tertocha said regardless of where they are eating vegetarian foods -- in the dining halls or in local restaurants -- they feel healthier for doing so. Romeo said she is much more aware of what she is putting into her body now that she has to be make a conscious effort to ensure she is getting enough protein and vitamins.
For the members of VVV, being a vegetarian has been a positive experience, and the new organization hopes to "spread the veggie love in the U.Va. community," as Romeo put it. The members encourage all University students, including non-vegetarians, to attend meetings to learn about a different lifestyle and enjoy tasty food.
Jusufovic, a self-described "semi-vegan" for several years, said although being a vegetarian does "take a lot of control," the VVV meeting was a great way to socialize and spend time with people to whom she could relate.
So next time you see a "V" on grounds, think twice. It could just be the back of a friend's T-shirt -- or perhaps that veggie burger from Newcomb is calling your name.
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