There are few moments in life more satisfying than opening a can of beans. Perhaps it is the gear of the can opener sinking its teeth into the aluminum lid, the glossy sheen of plump, ripe legumes or simply the reminder that I’m indulging in the pleasures of a plant-based diet.

I became fully vegetarian during my freshman year, but the meager options in the dining halls (eggplants and rice) did not make for a satiating meal and quickly forced me back into an omnivorous lifestyle. Now, equipped with the freedom and counter space to cook my own meals, I have become a self-proclaimed “vegetarian with benefits”: I do not cook with meat in any capacity but will eat the occasional piece of chicken or pork outside my apartment.

My initial motivation to become a vegetarian stemmed from my passion for environmentalism. According to the U.N.’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the meat and dairy industry alone is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

However, I quickly realized while my current diet — often referred to as “flexitarian” or “plant-based” — did not have any tangible impact on global warming, it made a significant difference in my personal well-being. 

Consider a can of organic black beans from Trader Joe’s, which costs $1.09 and supplies

 24.5 grams of protein. While I pity the fool who consumes an entire can of beans in one sitting, I pity the cash-strapped college student who spends $7.99 on a Trader Joe’s organic chicken breast far more. While that hefty slab of meat is certainly satisfying, it costs about $0.08 per gram of protein whereas the can of black beans costs about $0.04 per gram of protein — half the price. A small difference, but these numbers add up.

Netanya Sodoff, a third-year student, was raised vegetarian and has maintained a mostly meat-free lifestyle in college due to environmental concerns and dietary restrictions.

“My roommates have kind of unintentionally become vegetarian in order to save money,” Sodoff said. “Most of them have cut back to eating little to no meat whatsoever because it’s not affordable for them.”

Sodoff, who admits to occasionally eating meat outside her apartment, said she would eat leftover meat in the kitchen she worked in over the summer to prevent food waste. 

“A big hindrance to the vegetarian movement is the idea that if you’re not going all the way with it, if you’re not being a strictly vegetarian person all the time, it’s somehow a moral failing,” Sodoff said. 

She raises an important point: you can make the conscious decision to avoid meat without considering yourself vegetarian. After all, vegetarianism isn’t a religion. The sweet potato police won’t come knocking on your door if you’re caught eating chicken. 

Louisa Brody, a fourth-year student who defines her diet as “flexitarian,” shared a similar perspective as Sodoff. Brody said she avoids meat during the week but occasionally eats white meat on the weekends.

“If you’re thinking about cutting meat out of your diet, just know that you don’t have to go all the way all at once,” Brody said. “You definitely don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to eat plant-based alternatives.” 

Brody said plant-based cooking has inspired her to discover new recipes that focus on holistic nutrition, which has transformed her relationship with food into a source of nourishment as well as happiness. 

For more perspective on the benefits of plant-based eating, I spoke with students from Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA), an organization that operates on campus and throughout Minnesota to speak out against the environmental and ethical harms of factory farming and to provide resources for people interested in switching to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

“When you go vegetarian, you’re introduced to a lot more vegetable alternatives and things like jackfruit and tofu, which tend to be less processed,” said Joscelyn Sturm, a student member of CAA who is vegan. 

While meat provides a solid source of protein, vegetables supply a wide variety of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber that meat products lack. And for people worried about protein intake? With the proper ingredients, a vegetarian meal can be just as filling. 

“Lentils and soybeans like tofu and seitan are some of the highest protein foods there are,” said Kelso Anderson, a student leader of CAA. “If you’re eating beans or nuts or lentils and legumes, you can get sufficient protein and iron.”

Furthermore, cooking with meat can be unsafe and time-consuming. As a student with a crammed schedule, I try to cook as expeditiously as possible, but raw meat requires sanitation practices and a specific internal temperature to be considered food-safe. 

Given I only just learned how to cook onions, properly preparing meat for my own consumption is a daunting task. The members of CAA agreed, noting the reduced risk of food poisoning as an added benefit of their vegan and vegetarian diets.

A plant-based diet is a practical, if not inevitable, lifestyle choice for college students. Whether as a means to save money or as a framework for healthier eating, avoiding meat has the potential to significantly improve your quality of life.

So what are you waiting for? Dust off that can opener, crank open some beans, and breathe in the wonderful smell of protein, fiber and Mother Nature in her purest form.