Take your pick: vegetarian, vegan, raw, gluten-free, allergic to nuts. For people following an alternative diet plan, eating away from home can be difficult. The more limited one’s diet, the harder it is to grab something on the go. This can be especially challenging for busy students who often face restrictions on both time and money.

An informal poll of 100 students showed that 27 did not include meat in their diet. 22

students were gluten-free or gluten-sensitive, 13 were vegan, and six were allergic to nuts. Fortunately, the Bucks Café and Grille provides a wealth of options for every dietary lifestyle.

For the vegetarian student, there is a host of options from cheesy lasagnas to custom sandwiches featuring your choice of assorted fillings. Grilled vegetables abound, begging to be stuffed between two halves of a glossy-topped broche bun.

“The Bucks Grille makes really delicious sandwiches,” said Joy Waldinger, 19, a liberal arts major from Warminster. “I hear all the time from my vegan friends about how much they love them too. There are a lot of different options available.”

Try layering rich American cheese slices with your spread of choice (pesto, anyone?) and then add some grilled vegetables. Portabella mushrooms provide a meaty texture and pair well with the lighter flavors of yellow squash and zucchini.

For vegan students, simply eliminate the cheese and substitute grilled red onions for a flavor boost. Gluten-free students can bring slices of their preferred bread and order just the veggies! There is often a vegan soup option as well, featuring fresh vegetables in a savory broth.

Allyson O’Rourke-Barrett, 25, an English major and visiting student from Smith College said that you can’t go wrong with the salad bar.

“Even though I’ve seen cafeterias that full-on cater to people with alternative eating habits, Bucks still has a good variety of options, especially if you’re vegetarian” O’Rourke-Barrett said.

There’s no doubt that, if you’re torn between choices, the salad bar is a sure bet.

It provides a wonderful opportunity to get creative with your meals and move away from the more obvious greens-and-dressing routine. For example, start with a nice pile of fresh spinach. Top it with freshly grilled veggies from the sandwich station – these will amp up the flavor factor as well as deliciously wilt the spinach just so, transforming it from traditional salad into something savory and unexpected. Throw some cherry tomatoes on top to add a fresh pop and balsamic vinegar dressing to take it over the top.

When life calls for a sweet treat, the Grille delivers. There are a variety of fresh fruit cups available for purchase that can easily be dressed up to suit one’s preferences. Cottage cheese and raisins from the salad bar are an obvious choice for fresh melon hunks. Sliced strawberries are transformed by a splash of balsamic, and carrots and grapes can be tossed with a creamy dressing to make an alternative slaw to please any palate.

The best part? Any of these would work for breakfast too!

The Bucks Café also features a coffee bar serving Starbucks coffee and true to the coffee giant’s inclusive nature, soymilk is available as a dairy alternative.

So take your pick. The Bucks Grille and Café provide a variety of options for virtually any lifestyle!