Everybody who’s ever had a meal plan knows the eventual fatigue that comes with the constant trips to a dining hall. The novelty of the buffet-style cuisine wears off at different times for everyone, but it’s inevitable.
It’s easy to disregard Suwannee Room and Seminole Café dining halls altogether and shift your focus to the various restaurants on campus, but dining dollars get spent fast, even with the helpful discount of a “meal swipe.” However, there are a few hidden gems that can be covered with just one swipe (about $7).
- Gelato, Gelato, and More Gelato
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Honeywhirl Creamery at 1851, located next to Azalea Hall, has a $6.99 cup of gelato that gets you two scoops of whichever flavor you choose. My personal favorites are either Pirate’s Treasure, which includes Oreo bits and M&Ms mixed into a caramel-flavored gelato, or their raspberry truffle flavor.
This is a great option for a quick, on-the-go sweet treat, and since 1851 doesn’t close until 10 p.m. most nights, it’s also a great late-night guilty pleasure.
- Rolls and Rangoons
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If you’re in the mood for something savory but don’t have the appetite or budget for a huge meal, Panda Express has multiple appetizer-style snacks to tide you over. From egg rolls to spring rolls, they’ve got you covered.
My pick every time, though, is the cream cheese rangoons. Why not mix and match, though? When a spring roll is only a dollar a piece, you can even add a medium or large drink to your order for under three dollars.
- Mac Bites
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Looking for something cheesier? Let’s head back to 1851 for the Mac Bites at Tally Mac Shack. Ringing in at $4.99 for four bites, this option falls far below the $7 limit, so feel free to indulge.
You get a choice between Gouda and Bacon bites or Tikka Masala Bites. No offense to the Tikka Masala stans out there, but I’m 100% Team Gouda and Bacon. At this point, I might need an intervention because I’ve ordered them a concerning number of times.
- Late-Night Snacks at the Den
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As one of the last on-campus dining locations to close every night, The Den is a breeding ground for last-minute studiers and the occasional clubbing enthusiasts. If you have a meal swipe left at the end of the day, your options are endless: French fries, sweet potato fries, mozzarella sticks, and even three-piece chicken tenders, just to name a few.
What you’ll want to do when ordering is look for the “Marvelous Munchies” section — that’s where the gold is. If savory isn’t your vibe, you can also snag a cookie or two for $2.69 each.
- Don’t Forget a Drink
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If it comes down to it and you have a few leftover swipes at the end of the week, a snack isn’t your only option. Almost every campus restaurant has a drink option for under $7, and those Suwannee fountains aren’t always reliable.
Meal plans are a great way to take advantage of the fabulous selection of dining locations here at FSU — I didn’t even get to mention Chick-fil-A. Don’t let the threat of low dining dollars scare you away from living out your snack-aholic dreams.
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