Winthrop University is exploring the new vegetarian option that is sweeping America.
Sodexo recently started distributing a new menu option called the “Impossible Burger.” It was released in September at The Grill in Markley’s in the DiGiorgio Student Center. Students are given two sliders when this new menu item is ordered.
The addition of the Impossible Burger provides a new vegetarian option for students on campus and is an alternative to meat with a similar taste of a hamburger.
Sodexo is not only distributing the impossible burgers on Winthrop’s campus but they have also worked to get it on some other southern colleges that use their company.
“We partnered with the impossible burger distributor as one of two selected accounts in our region to offer this product,” said Bryan Harriss, Winthrop’s Sodexo general manager.
The Impossible Burger was introduced in 2016 and is made of plant–based ingredients such as water, soy protein, coconut oil and sunflower oil.
“[The] impossible burger allows us to expand our vegetarian options in our retail locations. We have a growing vegetarian community on campus and we are always working to expand our daily and weekly offers for those that follow this type of diet,” Harriss said.
Winthrop does of course offer more options for students with a vegetarian based diet than just the new Impossible Burger, and students should still be mindful about their diet if they choose a vegetarian based one.
“There are various “levels” of vegetarianism, so students need to be conscientious of still meeting their energy and nutrient needs while attending to their vegetarian preference. In general, vegetarian diets tend to be higher in vegetables and whole grains which provide additional fiber and vitamins and can decrease health concerns,” said Karin Evans, a human nutrition professor at Winthrop.
When Sodexo showcased the Impossible Burger on campus, they did so by hosting a tasting event for students to try the impossible burgers before they were officially incorporated into The Grill’s menu.
“We have had good responses from the campus community about this product. We will look to highlight this even more in the coming months with a more focused marketing campaign,” Harriss said.
The new item is the second vegetarian option at The Grill. Before this, the only vegetarian option there was the black bean burger. While the black bean burger has fewer calories and fat, the Impossible Burgers offer a nutrient profile identical to an actual hamburger.
“Both products are good options for those that follow this type of diet. The Impossible Burger more closely resembles by its look and taste a meat based burger, so it really comes down to consumer choice,” Harriss said.
The Impossible Burger offers more nutrients that students can receive without feeling cautious when consuming a regular meat based sandwich.
“The Impossible Burger is nearly identical nutritionally to a lean beef burger except that the Impossible Burger has more saturated fat and sodium than the lean beef burger,” Evans said. “These are two nutrients that we encourage the average person to be mindful of, not consuming too much, because of their link to chronic diseases,” Evans said.”
The new impossible burgers are a healthy alternative for students. It is also eco–friendly when created as it is made from quick, renewable resources compared to a beef based burger.
“This product is much more sustainable than the traditional burger. There is a 96% land reduction, 87% water reduction and 89% fewer gas emissions with this plant based product,” Harriss said.
Photo: Savannah Scott/ The Johnsonian
