The first week of the school year is in the books and already I'm wondering if there's a way for the human body to function without eating. As a student, dining options are limited: there's not enough time in the day for a substantial trip to the grocery store and not enough spare cash to go out or order in on the regular, so sometimes dining hall food is an unfortunate reality, especially for those living in dorms and other campus housing.
I probably have an unhealthy relationship with food because I love eating. I consider eating a hobby. Eating is a general activity, suited well to most times of day. However, the cafeteria food has eliminated all excitement of mealtime. I anticipate spending the rest of the semester munching cereal on my floor and trying to come up with new ways to disguise the fact that salad is just a pile of leaves. If you're in the same boat as me, here are 5 ways to make dorm food more palatable.
1. Add vegetables
As disheartening as salad is, you can still use the salad bar to your advantage. Put brightly colored vegetables on top of whatever questionable dish you're eating to make it seem like it's fresh.
2. Mix it up
I suppose adding variety to your diet could make it more fun, but I want you to literally put all of the foods you take into one bowl and combine them. That way, you can blame the off-putting tastes on the nontraditional combinations (Moo Shu Chicken, watermelon, and tomato sauce anyone?) instead of the quality of the food.
3. Dine with friends
Breaking bread in good company will turn your focus away from the meal itself and towards the conversation. The more you're laughing, debating, and storytelling with interesting folks, the less likely that you'll notice the hair that somehow found its way onto your plate.
4. An apple a day
Not even the sketchiest college dining hall can mess up fruit. Choosing a piece of fruit that has seen no other part of the cafeteria except for the basket it's displayed in is a low-risk option. Eat one with your lunch, and take one with you so you can have a semblance of a healthy life.
5. Time it right
The hungrier you are, the more satisfying overcooked pasta tastes. Have dinner after a draining workout and every simple carbohydrate will seem like a good choice. Trans fats will resemble nirvana. Go to the cafeteria when you're really tired or otherwise incapacitated; your lack of judgement skills will mask the fact that those delicious pancakes came out of the freezer 20 minutes ago.
Use these 5 tips when using your 5 million meal swipes, and hit me up when you call it quits and go to Panera!
