Whether dining hall food isn’t hitting or you’re looking for a cheaper bite, kid’s meals can act as a quick and easy pick-me-up between classes. Here are some of my top recommendations for affordable, filling, and somewhat underrated kid’s meals that give you the most bang for your buck!
cava
My No. 1 choice has to be CAVA. With a build-your-own pita, this meal comes with almost as many toppings and options as a normal bowl and can be equally, if not more, filling. My go-to order includes brown rice, hummus, falafel, pita crisps, tomatoes, onions, feta, corn, avocado, and cucumber. I top it off with some balsamic date vinaigrette and lemon herb tahini. On the side, I get pita chips and a classic lemonade.
All this totals to $6.75, a great price when you consider a bowl with lemonade and pita chips is well over $20. With this meal, you get almost as much food as you would in a bowl, with pita chips and lemonade basically for free. This kid’s meal is an absolute steal and 100% worth it.
Chipotle
As a long-time Chipotle kid’s meal fan, I’ll always advocate for the kid’s two-taco combo. While not as large a portion as the CAVA kid’s meal, the Chipotle portions are well-sized. I usually opt for black beans, cheese, and guac for my three taco toppings. The sides are served in large portions too, so after I finish the tacos, I usually have leftovers to create a mini bowl.
The meal comes with your choice of fruit or chips and a choice of drink. This all totals to $6.29, where a typical Chipotle bowl can range anywhere from $10 to $15, and when you add a drink, chips, and guac to the order, it can total to over $20 — very similar to the CAVA pricing. I ranked CAVA higher than Chipotle because you can get more toppings and therefore more food, but both meals are great prices for all that’s included.
First watch
A great way to start your day is with a delicious and filling kid’s meal from First Watch. With a plethora of options, including a granola bowl, French toast, a half waffle, or bacon and eggs, all for $6.99, these kids’ meals are affordable for what you get.
I often choose the Kid’s Granola Bowl, which is Greek yogurt topped with fresh fruit and First Watch’s freshly made granola. On the side, two slices of multigrain bread with jam and butter are served. Compared to the adult Granola Bowl for $10.99, that’s basically the same yogurt bowl, except with a muffin instead of toast — I’d opt for the kid’s granola bowl every time.
Panera Bread
Panera Bread’s mac and cheese has always been a classic kid’s meal for picky eaters, and when you include a side of chips and bread, it becomes even better. There are five main kid’s meal options at Panera: a turkey and cheese sandwich, a ham and cheese sandwich, mac and cheese, a grilled cheese, or broccoli and cheddar soup.
Now, this kid’s meal doesn’t come with a drink and has pretty standard side options, so it does get knocked for that. I do like the variety in kids’ meal combos, though. The kids’ meals start at $6.39 and go up to $7.39, which isn’t that bad when a normal mac and cheese is $12, and most sandwiches range from $11 to $15. The portions are large — almost as large as the normal size — so Panera’s gets a high ranking for the quantity of food, not necessarily quality.
Eating off-campus doesn’t have to be as taxing or expensive as it seems. Kids’ meals are a hack every college student should take advantage of to save time, money, and even food waste! So next time you need a break from the dining hall, take a bite that actually hits.
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