Audrey Scagnelli is on a mission to engage the next generation of mindful eaters. The 20 year old Georgetown University student has created a new magazine, College & Cook, to share dorm-room cooking tips, allergy advice and stories about food artisans and trends. The magazine’s premiere issue was celebrated by the Washington Post, USA Today and other notable news outlets. For the latest edition, Audrey spoke to us about the growing trend of Meatless Monday on campus, sharing the movement’s history and benefits with her readers.Scagnelli’s piece details the roots of the Meatless Monday; from it’s start in WWI to its launch as a public health campaign in 2003. She also explains how the initiative promotes more choices on college menus and can help boost adherence to healthier habits.
“I’m impressed by that influence that the campaign is having on campuses across the country,” Scagnelli shared.“It seems no matter where I turn someone is mentioning Meatless Monday to me! The focus on college students is an important place to start, since it’s the first opportunity many people have to make decisions on their own as young adults. To get schools behind the campaign and, more importantly, to get individuals students behind the idea, is excellent.”
Audrey Scagnelli
With the help of food service experts like Sodexo, Meatless Monday options are available at about 100 colleges and Universities throughout the U.S. The campaign is also growing at schools around the world, like Canada’s McGill University, Tarlac State in the Philippines and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. As Scagnelli notes in College & Cook; “Student groups and school-specific Facebook pages seem to be springing up across the country – do some digging and see if your school is already on board! Chances are, it probably is.”
