By Mike Simmons of eCollegeFinder
More often than not, college dining halls are right up there with communal showers when it comes to the horror stories produced by living on campus. You’d be hard-pressed to find a college freshman who doesn’t complain about the overpriced meal plans and underwhelming food options if given the opportunity.
Luckily, more and more colleges are recognizing that they’re not gaining any new students by serving meals that are, at best, bleak. In fact, some schools have food options that make students want to live on their campuses. Here are a few that will make you hungry.
Tufts University in Boston, MA
Tufts is one of the few universities in the United States that takes dining very seriously. The dining hall lives by the motto, “Think Global but Buy Local,” which is exemplified by their yearly farmers’ markets at which students can purchase local produce and other food. They serve cage-free eggs, sustainably-raised fish, and other eco-conscious food items made into delicious recipes. Though it appears to be a standard dining hall, you won’t find mystery meat and spongy pizza under the heating lamps; each recipe is artfully crafted to satisfy students’ tastebuds as well as their nutritional needs.
University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA
Many university students will vouch for the fact that just because a school is large doesn’t mean the food is on point. UMass, however, seems to have it down. They offer late-night dining, which is a must for every library-dweller, and they even deliver as late as 4 a.m. The community dining hall has well-loved meals such as blackened tilapia and Irish coffee bread pudding with Kahlua sauce, but Baby Berk is a favorite among UMass students – it’s a taco food truck located right on campus. The school also partakes in a “Real Food Challenge Commitment,” meaning they strive for using at least 20% locally-grown and fairly-traded ingredients. This university is also home to a student-run farmers market.
University of California in Los Angeles, CA
When you think of California, you think of fresh, healthy food, and UCLA strives to uphold that standard. The university has received numerous awards for their dining, including being named the most vegan-friendly university in the States. They maintain a strong Student Nutrition Awareness Campaign which promotes awareness of healthy ingredients, but they also take students’ feedback on taste extremely seriously. Thus, you’ll find recipe-perfected seafood pizza, chicken chile verde, and other favorite dishes on this campus. (Don’t even get us started on how incredible the food is at the newly opened Bruin Plate.)
Emory University in Atlanta, GA
If you’re the type of student who likes to eat while socializing, Emory is a university worth checking out. The school has a barbecue during homecoming weekend, a special Valentine’s Day dinner, and it hosts an heirloom tomato festival. The dining hall is home to specialty favorites like toasted paninis and a beyond-well-stocked salad bar, but the college also acknowledges that students sometimes just want a standard chicken sandwich from Chik-fil-A, so they have that too. It’s the best of every world.
Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
Last but not least is WU, a university that prides itself on combining fun with eating. For that reason, the school offers themed dinners several nights a week (like Dr. Seuss Night), hosts cooking seminars, and has frequent chef demonstrations. Their exemplary dishes, like orange pork stir fry, fresh fruit salads, and barbecue meats are well-loved among students, but even more impressive is the school’s commitment to being eco-conscious. Their oil is reused as biofuel, their food is composted, and their ingredients are local.
Guest Author Bio: Mike Simmons hails from the City of Brotherly Love and is a graduate of Washington College. He is a long time content writer for eCollegeFinder and loves all things online education, technology and sports. When he isn’t scowling at mountainous student loan debt, he’s eating “Whiz Wit” and rooting on the Phillies.