As my time living on campus at URI comes to a close (I’ve found a nice little house for the next academic year off-campus) I’ve reflected on some of my favorite dining hall meals. I know it can get hard for us sometimes eating at Hope and Butterfield all the time, but don’t worry. If you think about it, every time you swipe into the dining hall it’s an all you can eat buffet. So let me try and help you make sense of the endless food options available to you by sharing with you my favorite health hacks!

Breakfast

I’m not even off of campus yet and I already know that the thing I’ll miss most is the eggs at Butterfield. My go-to breakfast in the mornings is always avocado toast and eggs. If you didn’t know already you’re able to order eggs at the grill in Butterfield and not just omelets.

Another favorite breakfast meal of mine that just recently got added to Butterfield is the oatmeal bar. It’s full of a wide variety of toppings to spice up (not literally) your oatmeal. As you can see I included blackberries, raspberries, granola, and coconut flakes. If you haven’t tried the oatmeal bar I would highly recommend it.

                                                              **Quick note, I just found out that Hope has packets of instant Quaker oatmeal if you’re not a fan of the oatmeal provided, especially on the weekends.

 

Lunch

The Memorial Union is full of so many options that differ from the dining hall food. Recently I enjoy a simple sandwich, piece of fruit, and water as a combo (one swipe) from Ram’s Den. It’s also really convenient if you have classes near the quad. A healthy option that allows you to take a break from the dining hall food. Plus the atmosphere in Ram’s Den is always great to be around.

However, if you want the best lunch from the Union, downstairs next to the pool tables and mailroom is Pete’s. Usually, students get coffee or smoothies from Pete’s but they offer packets of Sushi for one swipe. They have a colorful choice of sushi including selections like vegetable and spicy tuna. I always try to switch up my selection of sushi but I would highly recommend you try it.

Dinner

I don’t normally eat a large dinner so when I’m in Hope or Butterfield I’ll usually keep it light. The salad bar is where I’ll head to first to make certain that I’m getting in my vegetables for the day by starting with a bed of spinach and peppers. Next stop the deli, not many people know this, but if you ask the person manning the grill for some chicken they will give you cuts of hot grilled chicken. I enjoy finishing off with a bun from Astro’s and creating a chicken salad sandwich!

I asked some students around campus their favorite dining hall hacks:

• Grilled cheese (Italian bread + provolone cheese) and Tomato soup
• Peanut Butter and Jelly + Banana
• “The Salad Mixer”, Two small bowls-one with salad and one without- put them both together and shake to mix.
• Gluten-Free Room in both Butterfield and Hope for Gluten-free eaters only! (I have tried the chocolate gluten-free muffins and they are very good microwaved- p.s. find yourself a gluten-free friend).
• Root Beer floats. The ice cream machine in Butterfield paired with some root beer from the soda fountain is always a win!

There is such a variety of eating choices on campus and as you can tell it isn’t just home-style food over and over again. Make the most of eating on campus while you can because before you know it you’ll be cooking your own meals and freaking out looking up how to boil pasta.

Bye for now!
        Euan

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