I remember one of the most challenging experiences freshman year was adjusting my eating to the freshman dining hall. The food options of Everybody’s Kitchen or as most people say EVK, to keep it concise, aren’t that healthy or that creative.
They range from Mexican food, to grilled cheeses, to pasta, to a quesadilla bar, and the occasional steak night. I started getting super bored with the monotonous circling of food options week-to-week. It wasn’t until I ran into one of my friends one lovely afternoon in the dining hall when I noticed her unique method of switching it up, it was nothing short of genius. Here are some tips to solve the freshman dining hall slumps ;)
For starters, Don’t be afraid to mix foods from different stations to make something of your own! Just because the food is split into sections does not mean you can’t mix and match. If you take some turkey from the salad bar and ask them to add it to your quesadilla they can! Similarly, you can ask for grilled chicken from the grill, grab some veggies from the slow cook section, and some rice and make a bowl. Another great way to mix it up is by taking protein from the grill and mixing it with toppings from the salad bar. If you add a turkey burger patty to any items in the salad bar, you have made yourself a great salad packed with protein!
Now, I know we all love dessert. That doesn’t necessarily mean those options get dated either. Hit up the soft serve machine and play around with mixing in different toppings! You can put in mixed berries from the salad bar, as well as crushed cereal to add some instant flare to your favorite sweet treat. If you take 2 cookies from the dessert cart, and add soft serve to them, you now have an instant ice cream sandwich!
Dining hall food doesn’t have to be boring, by mixing and matching food from different areas, you can utilize the food offered to get the best dining hall experience! Next time you are in EVK, Parkside, or CAFÉ 84, try one of these options, I’m sure that they won’t disappoint!