• About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News and Features
    • The Wellesley (COVID) 100
      The Wellesley (COVID) 100
    • In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
      In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
    • Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
      Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
    • News
      • News in Brief
      • Nation & World
      • President’s Corner
      • Senate Report
    • Features
      • Alumnae Spotlight
      • Eye on Science
      • Faculty Focus
      • LGBTQIA+ Column
  • Opinions
    • The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
      The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
    • Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
      Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
    • No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
      No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • The Elephant in the Room
  • Arts
    • Chloe Gong could publish her grocery list and I’d pay $20 for it (Books Before Boys review)
      Chloe Gong could publish her grocery list and I’d pay $20 for it (Books Before Boys review)
    • RIP to Wanda, the male betta fish (Books Before Boys review)
      RIP to Wanda, the male betta fish (Books Before Boys review)
    • When talking to ghosts only worsens your existential dread (Books Before Boys review)
      When talking to ghosts only worsens your existential dread (Books Before Boys review)
    • Arts In The News
    • Reviews
    • Music Peek
    • Books Before Boys
  • Health and Wellness
    • February Student Athlete of the Month
      February Student Athlete of the Month
    • Athletics Update
      Athletics Update
    • Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
      Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
    • Athlete of the Week
    • Boston Sports Update
    • The Vegan Digest
    • The SHE Corner
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
      Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
    • Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
      Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
    • Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
      Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
  • Miscellanea
    • President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
      President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
    • Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
      Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
    • 50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
      50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
    • The Dose
    • The Olive Branch
    • Multimedia
      • Galleries
      • Infographics
      • Videos
By Gracie Studart Sports and Wellness, The Vegan DigestSeptember 24, 2015

Yo quiero taco bell: a vegan’s guide to eating outside of the bun

The fallen cherry tomato is the aftermath of the painstaking struggle the girl from HoCo had with fnding the perfect produce; it did not pass the test.

When I think of my fondest memory growing up in a suburban Carolina town, nothing compares to the moment my mother, a staunch nutritionist, let go of everything she learned in dietetics and let us eat at Taco Bell. I remember everything about the old set up — from the purple, turquoise, and pink color scheme that never made any sense to the little Chihuahua stuffed animals that I begged my mother to buy. I had the same thing every single time: a bean burrito with no onions and no cheese, cinnamon twists and a Pepsi. Looking back I can fondly say my mother unwittingly jump-started my venture into a vegan diet.

But how, you may ask, could Taco Bell be a gateway into a vegan lifestyle? Let me let you in on a little secret. Taco Bell, known almost exclusively for munchies and indigestion, is a slice of vegan heaven. After two years of animal free eating, I have learned a thing or two about how to eat at a fast food restaurant. The options at Taco Bell, when compared to McDonald’s apple pies and apple cinnamon oatmeal without cream, are actually quite extensive. But what makes Taco Bell such a great option for vegans? The key is that everything can be made to order. Their beans, potatoes, tortillas, taco shells, rice, guacamole, red sauce, salsa, and jalapeños contain no animal products, and so you can create almost anything you want with substitutions.

For example, if you want to order a taco, substitute the beef for beans and ask for fresco style. You can also replace the sour cream and cheese with lettuce and Pico de Gallo. Let’s say you want a bean burrito instead. Ask for one without cheese and voila — a vegan bean burrito. The substitutions can get trickier after the taco and burrito, but with a little ingenuity and help from my trusty sidekick, the Taco Bell app, anything is possible.

The app, compatible on both the Android and iPhone, is helpful because you can see all of the possible modifications on your screen that are otherwise not visible on the store menu. For example, when I go into the app and order a Mexican pizza, it shows what toppings are on it and gives me the ability to change each topping. So instead of seasoned beef, it shows the options for chicken, steak, shredded chicken, or beans. (I, of course, choose beans.) Then I can remove the three-cheese blend and add on a variety of ingredients, including onions, lettuce, Pico de Gallo, jalapeño peppers, potatoes, Latin rice, chunky salsa, and black beans. These modifications are possible for every menu item including my favorites, the sevenlayer burrito, tostada and the cantina power bowl — the budget friendly version of Chipotle’s rice bowls. Lastly, what makes the app incredibly useful is the ability to save yourself the embarrassingly lengthy conversation between you and the cashier when you tell them all the changes you want to make to your seven-layer burrito. All you do is order on the app, pay with a card, and show up to take your food.

So with that, get your hungry selves out to a nearby Taco Bell, either at the Natick Mall or on Cochituate Road in Framingham, andmake your vegan fast food dreams a reality. Remember, the cinnamon twists are vegan, so even a vegan like you can have your dessert and eat it too.

 

 

 

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous articleAsk the SHE’s
Next articleBoston Bruins experience first loss against Detroit Red Wings

You may also like

February Student Athlete of the Month

Athletics Update

Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health

1 Comment

  • David Ulrich says:
    September 24, 2015 at 10:30 AM

    Taco Bell is one of my go to fast food places. A good rule of thumb is never subtract. I used to get a 7 layer and delete the dairy. but I learned that it is less expensive and you get a better result if you add items. I usually start with a Fresco Bean Burrito and add lettuce, rice, Guacamole, and sometimes black beans. I get a good sized burrito and for less than the cost of a Seven Layer. As a 30 year vegan I have had to learn these tricks to survive on the road. True Taco Bell is not health food but it is about as close as you are going to get at a fast food joint. I have been planning to download the app. It will be interesting to see what other items I can add, Jalapenos sound good.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

Top Articles

Sorry. No data so far.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @Wellesley_News

The independent student newspaper of Wellesley College since 1901.

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

  • About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
COPYRIGHT © 2022 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top