Of all the things I’ve ever loved, food is pretty consistent. Transitioning to college and a dining hall makes you more creative with food or complacent with whatever is served… or I suppose you may be the type to just go buy food in the Square. Regardless, here are some dining hall hacks I’ve accumulated over the years when I want to get creative. Disclaimer: they’re not the healthiest.
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Rice Krispy Treats: a classic, a favorite. Grab a bowl, and put a chunk of butter and some marshmallows. I have no recipe, and I tend to go what I’m feeling, but you can either look up recipes and watch videos. There should never be more butter or even half as much butter as marshmallows. Warm those up for 30-seconds at a time until you can stir a nice consistency. Then, mix in the generic crispy rice cereal do your desired level of sticky or crunchiness.
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Chili cheese dog: this brings me kinda home. In Chicago, we eat chili cheese dogs, and they’re delicious, and you must try one. Order a hot dog from the grill on a day where they’re serving the nice, hefty, bean and meat chili. Retrieve hot dog, pour chili over as shown in the picture, and top with cheese. It will be so good! But, be warned that the buns aren’t super strong, so eat with caution.
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Gourmet egg cheeseburger: there are many beautiful pictures of these floating around the internet, and you can make your own in the d-hall. Order a burger from the grill (with cheese tastes better) and an over-easy egg. Add your other condiments. Put the egg inside—don’t break it! Bite and watch that yolk calmly ooze out.
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Deviled eggs: yum! I personally love eggs but something about deviled eggs has made me never try them. However, this is popular around my friends, and it works, so try it if it’s your thing. Apparently, you can find the spices, the mayo, and everything else in the d-hall. Go crazy!