Freshmen and sophomores, listen up! No longer do you have to live off of dining hall pizza and greasy fries. What kind of life is that? I am here to give you some advice on how to turn that bland and overcooked chicken into a flavorful masterpiece. Food hacks so good you will never look back.
1. The Burrito Bowl (Nelson)
Not enough money for Chipotle and still have a hankering for some meat on top of rice? Don't you worry! Just grab some rice from the Bamboo Bowl, make your way over to the salad bar and load up with lettuce, beans, corn, cheese, guac, sour cream and spicy chicken! For an extra kick, add some chipotle ranch dressing on top or some sriracha.
2. The Quick and Easy Hummus Wrap (Shively)
If you're looking for a healthy snack on-the-go, stop by Shively's salad bar and fill one of their whole-grain flat breads with a smear of hummus from the sandwich bar and top that bad boy off with peppers, cucumbers, chicken, olives, spinach and anything else from the convenient salad bar.
3. The Classic PB and B
Wanna feel super energized and look extremely healthy in front of the fellow peers onlooking your creation? Grab a piece or two of 12-grain bread and smear that puppy with protein-packed peanut butter. To top it off, add some nuts (optional) and slice up a nice and ripe banana.
4. Salad Extravaganza
Maybe you're on a strict diet and salad is your only option. Well here is the answer to your prayers. Get creative! With so many toppings and dressings, you could make a completely different salad every day. One of my favorites includes lettuce or spinach, walnuts, feta cheese, Craisins, chicken and balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette dressing. For an add-on, feel free to chop up some apple chunks and enjoy!
5. Breakfast Bonanza (Nelson)
Although the dining halls don't really open until 11 A.M., sometimes all you want in the morning is a good old fashion breakfast. Instead of waiting 30 minutes for an omelette that is rubbery and brown, fill a bowl with eggs from Sunny Side Up and add peppers, spinach, hash browns, cheese, beans and a little bit of salt and pepper for flavor. There you have breakfast in a bowl!
6. Eggsellent Avocado Toast (Nelson)
Here's another dining hall hack that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Order an egg over easy from the omelette station, and while you're waiting for that, toast a piece of 12-grain bread and load it up with guac from the salad bar. Once your egg is finished, place it directly on top of the luscious bed of guacamole and sprinkle on some pepper flakes near the pizza bar for extra flavor.
7. The Smoothie Combo (West Green Market)
If you don't have time to sit down and make a masterpiece, West Green is now introducing an alternative: smoothies! At the market, you can use your meal swipe to buy a delicious array of smoothies which come with either a muffin or a power bar and a piece of fruit. Sip and enjoy!
8. The Mexican Trio (Nelson)
This meal is a classic and so easy to put together, consisting of rice, beans and chicken. It's as simple as that. Chicken from the Grill, rice from Bamboo and beans from the salad bar. Add sriracha because sriracha makes everything better.
9. This is Nacho Cheese (Nelson)
The snack that everyone loves, nachos, can be easily recreated and loaded up with all kinds of goodies. The salad bar at Nelson provides lots of opportunities for a delicious plate of nachos. Place some chips on a plate and add a heaping pile of cheese, jalapenos, sour cream, olives, beans, etc. Heat it all up in the microwave a few steps away from the salad bar, and voila!
10. OUtrageous Oatmeal (Nelson)
Another breakfast-y item that will put a healthy spin on your daily routine is helping yourself to a heaping bowl of oatmeal over by Sunny Side Up. I know you're all saying, "Oatmeal... yum!" and yes, I understand sarcasm. I have created a concoction that will tantalize your taste buds and actually make you like oatmeal. On top of that boring oatmeal, add some chocolate chips and apple to create what I like to call the Chocolate Apple with a side of oatmeal.
11. The Pittsburger (Shively and Nelson)
This one takes a turn from the healthy junk and brings out a true delight. Coming from Pittsburgh, we put fries on virtually everything: salads, sandwiches and now hamburgers. First things first, you gotta get the base down, so order that hamburger. On your way, get some fries as well. Place said fries on the burger and add desired toppings. I usually add cheese, lettuce and barbecue sauce. Yinz, enjoy!
Now that I am sitting here drooling over all of these mashups I just created for you guys, it is time for you and I to go out and conquer the dining halls together. The most important thing to remember when dealing with the monotony of dining hall food is to get creative and don't be afraid to try that peanut butter and pickle combo you've been interested in.
