Summer camps embrace veggie option

Institutionalized meals pose some of the most awkward situations for vegetarians and vegans.

Banquet dinners, cafeteria lunches and wedding receptions can be tricky for adults to navigate. But it’s getting easier and easier for vegetarian children to eat at summer camps.

In the past five to 10 years, there has been a real shift for more nutritional food provided at camps, says Jeff Solomon, spokesman for the National Camp Association. More camps are offering salad bars and flexible dining options, he says.

“Many if not most camps can easily accommodate (a vegetarian diet),” he says. There has been a rise in requests for vegetarian meals at camps, Solomon says, but most campers are still selecting camps based on activities offered, the cost and the length of the camp session.