Imagine stepping into a famous restaurant, your mouth watering in anticipation of the splendid vegetarian dishes to come. But as you glance at the menu, a wave of uncertainty washes over you – how can you order your dish if you have no idea which meals are vegetarian and which are not?

According to the definition of the term, vegetarians do not consume grass. A vegetarian is someone who avoids meat and mainly consumes food like vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts. Some vegetarians may also incorporate dairy products and eggs into their diet. 

Many people may not be fully aware of the true meaning behind vegetarian food largely because of the prevalence of non-vegetarian diets in society. Plus, since the federal government doesn’t require proper labeling for vegetarian dishes, customers often have to guess which food contains meat or animal by-products and which doesn’t. 

As the variety of food preferences causes countries to grow rapidly like vegetarians and vegans, a clear categorization in restaurants has become more important than ever. It is important for vegetarians, vegans, and non-vegetarians to easily identify which dish fits their category and eating preferences without any confusion. 

Why is it important to label? 

By just looking at the menu, you can’t really tell if the food is vegetarian or not. For example, one of the famous dishes is “Vegetable Soup.” By the name, we could estimate that the food is vegetarian but that’s where the labeling is important. Mostly, “Vegetable Soup” comes in the non-vegetarian category with chicken ingredients in it. If the food is not labeled, then people would be mistaken and that can cause a problem for many individuals eating preferences. 

Furthermore, detailed descriptions of ingredients used particularly in sauces and dressing can empower customers to make confident decisions. For example, many people may not realize that many dishes labeled as vegetarian can contain gelatin, fish sauce, or other animal-derived ingredients. 

For junior Adya Jha, labeling on menus is important because it clarifies whether the food is vegetarian or non-vegetarian and it makes life easier for vegetarians. “One time, at Subway, we wanted a sandwich but the menu didn’t have any label for vegetarian or non-veg,” Jha said. “Being vegetarian myself, I asked the staff member if it was vegetarian or not, but they also didn’t know. [If they had already labeled it] then I would go to Subway more regularly and confidently. Personally, they should label vegetarian and non-vegetarian on the menu to attract more vegetarian people and to erase this confusion.” 

Only four percent of Americans are vegetarians and one percent are vegan. This shows that the majority of people are non-vegetarian and this affects the decision-making process of restaurants. As a result, these diners may find it frustrating to navigate menus that don’t fully embrace their dietary choices. From the recent survey conducted of 100 Rock Ridge student responses, only 28.6 percent of students are vegetarian. Based on these statistics, it can be asserted that restaurants are primarily supplying to the majority, which are typically meat-centered dishes, non-vegetarian. Because of this result, there is a lack of awareness for vegetarians and vegan diets.

Moreover, this can also lead to limiting exposure to diverse plant-based options. If more restaurants acknowledge these diets through appropriate labeling then it can encourage greater understanding and acceptance of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. 

As for sophomore Ridhima Koninty, if labeling is not done properly then people could eat non-vegetarian food on accident, which for many individuals, can be against their religion. “A lot of time, especially in cafeterias, they don’t label food properly [for whether it is vegetarian or non-veg],” Koninty said. “[This concerns me because] I know so many people who had beef by accident. [It affects me personally because] Hindus aren’t supposed to eat beef due to religious reasons and there are other religions that can’t eat non-vegetarian due to their specific reasons. I am lucky this hasn’t happened to me yet.”

Koninty is not alone in her opinion. In a recent survey at Rock Ridge by The Blaze, a total of 100 responses were received and of that, 53 percent of respondents had faced problems related to the absence of clear labeling on the menu on whether the food is vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

According to junior Pranathi Purushothamaiah, the problem of not declaring non-vegetarian and vegetarian on the menu can be a disadvantage to restaurants as some customers would stop approaching the restaurant. “As a vegetarian, I have faced this situation many times,” Purushothamaiah said. “Because of these reasons, I just don’t eat out as much as a lot of other people do.”

The absence of clear and transparent labeling on the menu presents a significant challenge in accurately reporting vegetarian and vegan options. The lack of clarity not only complicates the decision-making process for customers but also raises concerns about dietary choices. Ensuring transparency in the menu is important and training staff for information for vegetarian and non-vegetarian can support a lot of customers in restaurants. 

Koninty also believes that in many restaurants and fast food chains, the staff members are not aware of the food whether it’s vegetarian or not. “[I would suggest people to] educate the staff about [vegetarian and non-vegetarian],” Koninty said. 

Simple Solutions 

According to Koninty, the simplest solution for declaring vegetarian and non-vegetarian food on a restaurant’s menu can be done by labeling it by colors. “[Restaurants and food chains] should label the food with a green mark indicating vegetarian food and brown mark for non-vegetarians,” Koninty said. 

There are other options beside color labeling like symbols which can represent labeling, A circle for vegetarians and a triangle for non-vegetarians. Besides that, they can also add a vegan symbol and have a small summary of ingredients which can clarify any allergies. 

If restaurants began to highlight and clearly label their food on menu then it would help customers, especially vegetarians, to make more informed choices and encourage wider acceptance of vegetarian and vegan diets.