10 University Dining Halls That Feature More than Just Quality Food

Summary: Read this list of ten universities that offer fresh food that aligns with personal diets. There will be a second part to this list.

Decision time is coming up. If you have not already received your college acceptance letter, you should be receiving it within the next couple months. Receiving more than one acceptance can make for a hard decision. Here is a factor that may be an important one for you to help you make that decision.

Some school cafeterias are severely lacking in variety and quality but these 10 schools are on the list of best dining-hall food experience.

• Saint Anselm College is a smaller college in Manchester, New Hampshire. However, their main dining hall for the 2,000 students doesn’t lack just because they are small. They have chefs ready to prepare Paninis, burritos, Asian noodle bowls, and sautéed pasta. There is also a grill, deli, and salad bar. The real treats are their bulk candy bar, self-serve milkshake machine, and in-house bake shop.
• High Point University in North Carolina offers more than just the usual dining hall food. The single meal plan gets students access to three all-you-can-eat buffets that include things like a trail-mix bar, baked potato bar, and omelet station. The university also gives students the choice to dine-out at an on-campus steakhouse with serves filet mignon and seared duck breast.
• University of Scranton offers more than just the typical cafeteria food for their students. They can order barbecue pork chops, creamy parmesan penne, cod bruschetta as well as low fat, low sodium, under 500 calories, baked not fried, high in calcium, and vegetarian options. Their food court is also home to chains like Starbucks and Chick-fil-a
• Purdue University, being an elite school, expectedly provides high quality foods like quinoa-stuffed peppers, tortellini stir fry, maple-glazed pork chops, panko chicken parmesan, and more. There are also 28 on-campus restaurants and cafes that feature items like handmade sushi rooms and late-night burgers.
• Yale University has world-class food to go along with their world-class education. Their food options include grilled wild Alaskan salmon, spinach and cheese ravioli, and French lentil salad. There are 11 dining halls and 12 restaurants and stores where students are able to find food.
• Occidental College rotates the menu in the Marketplace dining center with personalized options like omelets, tacos, spaghetti bars as well as entrees like barbecue riblets, Hawaiian pork with citrus mint pineapple slaw, and chicken cacciatore. Many of the ingredients come from local sources and are as sustainable as possible.
• Scripps College is part of The Claremont Colleges in California. Students have access to dining halls on all eight campuses. The Scripps campus dining hall partners with local vendors to obtain fresh, local ingredients for entrees like Creole jambalaya with shrimp, Thai barbecue chicken, and cranberry almond basmati rice.
• Stanford University, another California school, makes an effort to cater to their students individual diets like vegetarian, kosher, vegan, and halal. One dining hall even offers a peanut-free environment for those with allergies. Students can even pick up food from the Cardinal on the Run program when they are unable to make it to the dining halls during regular hours.
• Bryn Mawr College relies on student input for the food options on everything from cereal to beverages to salad dressings. There is always a do-it-yourself pasta bar, salad bar, and deli. The dining hall features a different “speciality” bar every night such as breakfast for dinner or stir-fry. They even hold themed nights to celebrate international cuisines.
• Vanderbilt University likes their themed nights like “Back to Childhood Night,” “Tabasco Night,” and a Thanksgiving feast. Their every day meals include options like balsamic-glazed salmon, Portobello stroganoff, roast pork loin, and banh mi tacos.

To be continued…

Photo: vanderbilt.edu