Organic Vegetarian Meals
We are the first boarding school in the United States to offer an all-vegetarian, organic, freshly prepared menu — one reason why our students are healthier when they graduate than when they enroll.
Today's teens are battling obesity, Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other diet-related health problems.
Maharishi Academy is taking nutrition seriously by offering a menu that has less fat, more fruits, more vegetables, more fiber, and better quality food than at most cafeterias. Our meat-free menu includes a wide variety of dishes, from home-style American pizza to Chinese stir fry, from Mexican to Indian menus, and more. Our breads and pastries are made with organic flour. The menu contains sufficient protein in the form of dairy products, tofu, beans, pulses, and lentils, prepared deliciously, and served with plenty of whole grains and vegetables.
Food is served buffet-style. Our meal plan, moreover, includes breakfast, lunch, and supper seven days a week — all you can eat.
Students who bring their own food on to campus will need to store and consume these foods according to campus rules.
Why vegetarian?
- Healthier for the individual — A large body of scientific research indicates that a vegetarian diet is the healthiest. Vegetarians, for example, have the lowest rates of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and many other ailments.
- Healthier for the environment — Animal agriculture poses a grave threat to the environment. Central and South American rainforests, for example, are being destroyed in part to provide cheap beef for export to other countries, including the U.S. One of the easiest ways to help restore our environment is to reduce meat consumption.
Why organic?
- Healthier for the individual — Organic fruits and vegetables are free of poisonous pesticides and herbicides used in conventional agriculture. Organically grown produce, moreover, is not genetically engineered. Short-term effects of eating genetically engineered food may include allergic reactions, and long-term effects of consuming genetically modified food are simply not known.
- Healthier for the environment — The poisonous chemicals used in conventional agriculture end up in our streams, rivers, and lakes and in our water supply. Organic farming methods, on the other hand, focus on building the richness of the soil through natural means.
- Healthier for the farmer — Farm chemicals are linked to higher incidence of cancer among farmers. Organic farming is not only healthier but more financially sustainable in the long run.
Why freshly prepared?
Whereas most institutional service operations rely heavily on pre-prepared and frozen foods, we make our dishes from fresh ingredients each day. The result: our meals are more nutritious and delicious.
 “It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.” — Albert Einstein |
 “I have from an early age abjured from the use of meat.” — Leonardo da Vinci |
 “My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chided for my singularity, but, with this lighter repast, I made the greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension.” — Benjamin Franklin |