Top 5 Vegetarian Brands for College Students

More people are being vegetarian as there is a greater awareness of the philosophy of animal rights and compassion for animals. This is especially true for younger people. College students who are vegetarians will likely find many kindred spirits on campus, but not all universities have caught up to this change of heart in how we eat. Luckily, there are some great brands that offer pre-packaged vegetarian foods that are easy to prepare in the microwave or stovetop, meals that even a college student has the time to make.

Amy's Meals are a trusted, tried and true brand. The creators of Amy's Meals wanted quick, convenient vegetarian meals for themselves and their daughter Amy. The brand eventually found its niche and great market demand. You can get Amy's meals at most major grocery stores, health food stores and chain stores like Whole Foods. Amy's Meals offers canned soups, frozen, microwavable meals, breakfast foods, pizzas and more. Everything they make is vegetarian, and they also mark vegan products as such.

Luna bars are great vegetarian bars. I recommend the Nutz Over Chocolate flavor, but most of them are delicious. They provide a lot of nutrition, as they are fortified with vitamins and nutrients. They're not completely organic, but they do contain many organic ingredients. Buy them by the pack from stores like Target and your local grocery store. They can easily be tossed in a backpack and have shelf longevity.

Morningstar Farms offers a lot of "fast" food that's vegetarian. Instead of chicken nuggets, you can eat faux ones that taste even better. There are lots of different items that the brand puts out. Look for the brand in most frozen food sections. The imitation bacon is especially popular. The brand also offers great veggie burgers that come in 4-packs. They're great for a student to keep in the freezer, then prepare as needed. It's much healthier than grabbing a burger from McDonald's.

Lightlife is a terrific brand for mock sandwich meats. Offering vegetarian "not-turkey" and "not-bologna" flavors, among many others, the brand offers foods high in protein and low in fat. It's an especially nice brand for the college student because it provides quick and easy great nutrition, and the food will have students wanting seconds.

Tom's of Maine is a great cruelty-free brand for those basic necessities of a student's dorm room. It offers toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, deodorant and more. If you don't want to buy items containing animal by-products and that has been tested on animals, that's the company to seek for all the essentials.