Five Ways to Spice Up Your College Meals
Let’s kick dull dining hall food to the curb.
by KATIE HAUSLER ★ JANUARY 12, 2019
So, it’s the beginning of the second semester, and you already know you’re gonna be tired of eating the same subpar meals at your local dining hall. You’re not alone, and good news: you can change that (without having to drop money on Good Uncle for the third time this week). Here are five things you can do to make your college dining experience a little more colorful!
Avocado toast:
This super-popular food is perfect for any time of day. All you have to do is toast a piece of bread, take an avocado, and spread it onto that toast! Ernie dining hall serves whole avocados, but others may have packaged semi-avocados. Top it off with a fried egg from the omelet station if you’re feeling fancy! Bonus: bring along Trader Joe’s “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning and you’ll have a perfect snack.
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Burrito bowl:
Chipotle may not always be within your budget. That’s okay! The dining hall serves the staples needed for this meal almost every day. Take a bowl and add some lettuce from the salad bar, rice of your choosing, black beans, corn, salsa, and sour cream. As a bonus, you can cut up a piece of grilled chicken for your DIY burrito bowl.
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Milkshake:
Everyone knows the dining hall serves ice cream, but have you thought of the possibilities that this entails? Rather than spending $5 on a Kimmel milkshake, make your own for free putting a few scoops of ice cream into a cup, adding some milk from the cereal station, and stirring well. Lactose intolerant? Some of the dining halls offer dairy-free ice cream made with almond milk or lactose-free yogurts!
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Fruit Parfait:
This one is perfect when you’re running late to your 8 am lecture! Add some Greek yogurt, granola (or cereal of your choosing), and top it off with whatever fruit the dining hall has to offer. If you’re feeling fancy, you can layer it (i.e. yogurt, fruit, more yogurt, and granola)!
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Stock Up:
This one’s not so much a meal, but a tip: make the dining hall your mini-mart. Snag the box of almond milk or that loaf of bread! Stock up on the packaged yogurt or even the dining hall’s stack of bananas. Packaged peanut butter, gluten-free granola bars, and instant oatmeal are all useful too. Bonus: If you want some fresh fruit, sneak some Tupperware in and pile it up with cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon, etc.!
Items like these make for the perfect snack when you’ve got back-to-back classes, or you’ve been cramming for an exam at the library and have no time—or swipes—to go to the dining hall!