I know that many college kids do not particularly care for dining hall food. Whether it be because they miss their mom, miss food that is cooked to their liking, or just plain want to eat fast food and can't, Rodney is not the most popular dining spot on campus. That being said, I have found that there are some perfect foods I cannot resist any time I see them.
1. Chicken Nuggets
I know this one sounds like a no-brainer, but chicken nuggets are delicious, and the dining hall having them for lunch (with the leftovers for dinner) makes me happy. I will stop in my tracks and abandon whatever other plan I had for food if I see chicken nuggets at the home station.
2. Vegan Thai Tofu Noodles
I am not vegan by any stretch of the imagination, but when the dining hall has spicy Thai noodles with the meatless chicken strips, I cannot resist. I'll get two. I'll even eat tofu, which rarely tastes that good to me. I cannot explain why I need these noodles, but the dining hall does something to them that makes them irresistible.
3. Red Velvet Bar
This seems like a vaguely new addition to the menu at Rodney, but it is nonetheless classic. Two layers of red-velvet cake with cream cheese filling in between. It has the consistency of a brownie, and it isn't too overwhelming, so you can eat them pretty quick, without much mess, and without too much guilt (except they are small, so if you take more than one, it could get dangerous).
4. Strawberry Mint Shortcake
I'm not going to lie to you, guys. I dropped my backpack at a table and got this shortcake first today. I may have made it my lunch, it was so simple and good and fresh. It isn't a cake so much as it is mint, strawberries, and a little bit of Cool Whip between biscuit, but the way the biscuit absorbs the strawberry juice-- YUM. I don't even feel bad that I was almost late to class for this cake. They were calories I was fine with needing to run off.
5. Caramel Apple Flatbread
This is a warm, tasty treat that occasionally sits right next to the pizza. It is a flatbread with cinnamon, walnuts, and cream cheese as well as diced up apples and caramel. SO GOOD. I know that it doesn't sound like everyone's type of thing, but there have been times I've needed seconds of this before we can go. I have carried it out in my hand before. Lovely.
Hopefully I have given you all some ideas of things to look out for in Rodney the rest of this semester. I'm sorry if I contribute to your Freshmen 15, but these delicious dining hall goodies are worth it, I swear.