Everywhere I look on campus, there is a familiar feeling that wells up inside of me when I realize there’s nothing for me to eat.

Now, dear reader, you may be thinking there are many places to eat on campus, and to that I raise my glass and say yes, yes, there are — but are there any of them healthy?

If you have experienced finals in December or the pressure of every single project being due in November, you probably know there is little time to make and pack yourself lunch every day. 

For students who have the willpower to pack a lunch every day, I applaud you. Every time I go to pack one, I am hit with an overwhelming feeling of laziness and never quite manage to follow through. 

So, you turn to the food services that are offered on campus and quickly realize that the choices are either very expensive or a bag of chips, a donut or Pepsi — and a can or bottle of Pepsi is not much of a meal.

So, the choice lies between a donut or an expensive meal at Degrees. I love Degrees, I really do, but going there every day would be a hit to the wallet. 

There needs to be a middle ground — something between the cost of a donut and an expensive café meal. Now, you may be thinking that you could grab a quick bite to eat from the Greenhouse Cafe as a grab-and-go alternative, but even that is still quite expensive, and to be honest, the sandwiches are never my favourite. 

The need for more diverse options at the U of M is important, especially in a society that often pushes us into healthy diets. So, why aren’t there more healthy food options available to students?

And don’t even get me started on the vegetarian options available at the U of M — shocker, there’s next to nothing. Everywhere I look, there is either turkey, ham or chicken in the sandwiches on campus, but where are the vegetarian sandwich options that aren’t egg salad? 

There needs to be healthy options available on campus — alternatives to the donuts and Pepsi. Believe me, I love consuming both of those things, but perhaps there could be more options for fruit, sandwiches and quick snacks such as granola bars.

The diverse needs of students need to be reflected in the food the U of M chooses to sell on campus. Whether celiac, vegetarian or vegan, these food options need to be available to students who need them.