Excellent! PETA rates main canteen as vegan-friendly

The animal rights organisation PETA has now awarded the most vegan-friendly refectories in 2023. Among them is once again the Hauptmensa of the Studierendenwerk Dortmund, which received three out of five possible stars. Only establishments that offer a completely vegetarian or vegan programme received more stars. A total of 41 student and student services organisations from all over Germany applied.

PETA praised the Hauptmensa in Dortmund for both the large selection of plant-based meals and the continuity with which they offer meat-free dishes. Two to eight dishes - taking into account the extensive buffet - are offered daily in Dortmund's largest Mensa. These include dishes such as vegan mince rolls with tomato filling and hummus dip, filled Maultaschen with tomato pesto or a courgette gnocchi pan with tarragon sauce. This selection makes the establishment a top address among the most vegan-friendly student canteens in Germany.

"Vegan is not a trend!"

"Vegan is not a trend, but has taken its permanent place in our everyday student diet," says Tobias Engel, head of university catering at the Studierendenwerk, and at the same time promises that the offer will be even more consistently adapted to this in the future. Special days are also to follow to stimulate topic-related exchange.

Canteens provide stimulation and motivation

With the award, PETA looks beyond the actual menu : "With your range of vegan dishes, you offer all students and university members the opportunity to eat healthy food that is free of animal suffering, even when away from home. In doing so, you show that aspects such as nutritional physiology, ecological compatibility, social justice and animal welfare can definitely be reconciled with the daily demands of running a university canteen."