Sometimes it’s inevitable. Oftentimes you’ll compromise good food for a better education. I may or may not have done this and am now paying the price. But I’ve survived two semesters of some of the most subpar food I’ve ever been subjected to, so here are some tips if you’re struggling with your own school’s dining hall.
Make your own food
This one may seem like it defeats the purpose of the buffet style dining hall where all the food is prepared for you, but if you’re a picky eater like me this is a great way to make sure you actually enjoy your meal. A lot of times dining halls will leave things like deli meats out so you can make your own sandwiches. Even though you have to put in some extra effort, it’s worth it to make something you’ll actually eat and like. Made to order stations are also a good idea for the picky eaters.
expand your tastes
This is something I still struggle with. I know what food I like and what food I don’t. This can make it hard to find anything appetizing in the dining hall. Though it sounds cliché, trying new foods is a good way to add variety to your diet. You might find a new food you really like that will help you find more to eat in the future. Dining halls typically have a new specialty dish or two every day. I know it’s difficult when you have a very specific palate, but you’ll probably be happy you tried something different.
don’t judge a book by its cover
Dining halls are notorious for some of the ugliest foods you’ve ever seen. But just because it doesn’t look good, doesn’t mean it won’t taste good. While this doesn’t apply to everything, like chicken that’s a bit too pink, it can help you find more to eat on a daily basis.
learn the dining hall schedule
This tip is super important; it’s not just about knowing when it’s open or closed. Figure out when they put out the fresh food. That’s obviously when it will taste the best. They might also bring out different food options. If they only have a limited amount of food, they won’t refill it when it’s all gone. That means you might miss food not listed in their daily menu.
have back-up food
Even when using all these tips, there are going to be days where the dining hall just completely misses the mark. So it’s good to not only have simple back up food in the dining hall, like a bagel, but also in your dorm. If you go to the dining hall and nothing is catching your eye, take an apple or banana to go and cook some ramen back in your room. Obviously, you can’t do this all the time, but it’ll help in desperate times.