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11 Dining Hall Hacks You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.

Eating in the dining hall gets old really quickly. If you’re like me, you’re used to yummy, home-cooked meals and real food. Not food that came out of the microwave two minutes before they serve it to you. Not chicken breasts that have a texture similar to rubber. But real, balanced meals. Eating at Hillcrest or Burge almost twice a day every day can get pretty redundant, but here’s a few ideas to spark your creativity and get you thinking beyond just what they serve us.

1. Yogurt parfait

Every day they serve at least one type of yogurt. My favorite is when they have vanilla yogurt. I take some granola from the cereal station and slice up some bananas to put on top. You also can add any of the fruit from the waffle station.

2. Add anything to your pasta

Personally, I think that the pasta sauces they serve are pretty bland. However, it’s super easy to spice them up. You can add a chicken breast, peas and other veggies from the salad bar. If you’re looking for more flavor, you can add some Italian seasoning from the deli. Now, you have a little bit more protein and nutrients from veggies than you would if you had just eaten the pasta with sauce.

3. Oreo cereal

I would like to take the credit for discovering this. I love Oreos and milk. Actually, I can’t eat Oreos without milk. So one day, I saw the crushed up Oreos at the soft serve station and decided to put them in a bowl with milk, just like cereal. So if you’re in the mood for a good treat, this is a fantastic one.

4. Steamed veggies

For dinner, I love to have some warm veggies as a side. They don’t offer them every day, but it’s super easy to make your own steamed veggies. Just take whatever cold veggies from the salad bar that you’d like (carrots, cauliflower and broccoli are all good options), add a tablespoon of water, and microwave for a minute.

5. Egg salad

One thing I really miss from home is my mom’s egg salad. It’s a great source of protein and a good go-to when there’s nothing else to eat. You can put it on bread for a sandwich or just eat it plain. Use hard boiled eggs from the salad bar, mayo and mustard, and mix it all together. Add salt and pepper, and you’re done!

6. Chicken salad

This is the same idea as egg salad but with chicken. Simply shred a chicken breast, add mayo, chop up a piece of celery and some onion from the salad bar, and mix together. You’ve got a great protein source and a great snack for later if you want to bring it back to your dorm in a container.

7. Pizza bagel

For a super easy snack or a light meal that will remind you of your childhood, make a pizza bagel. Start with a bagel, add marinara sauce from the pasta station and cheese from the salad bar. Pop in the microwave for 30 seconds, and you’re done!

8. Buffalo chicken salad

One of my favorite things that they have here is the buffalo chicken salad. Since it’s such a rarity and only comes around every few weeks, I’ve found a way to make my own. When they are serving popcorn chicken, put that on a salad with celery, carrots, hard boiled eggs and bleu cheese dressing from the salad bar. Then, add some buffalo sauce as you would dressing.

9. Root beer float/milkshake

I learned this one the first or second week of school when I saw an entire table with yummy looking milkshakes or root beer floats. For a root beer float, fill a glass halfway with root beer and add soft serve. For a milkshake, fill a glass with a tiny bit of milk, add soft serve, and then add whatever fixins you’d like. Mix with a spoon.

10. Ice cream sandwich

This is the same idea as the root beer floats and milkshakes. It’s so simple but something I had never thought of until I saw someone do it. Take two cookies of your choice, put some soft serve between the two, and enjoy your delicious cookie ice cream sandwich.

11. Grilled cheese

One of my favorite meals growing up was grilled cheese and tomato soup. My mom makes this amazing homemade tomato soup and although I can’t exactly duplicate it in the dining halls, I can still have my one of my favorite meals once in a while. Burge is super nice because they always have grilled cheese available, but if you’re dining at Hillcrest, you’ll have to make it yourself. Not to worry, though, it’s super easy. Go to the panini station, choose your bread and cheese, and ask them to heat it up for you. Now you have the perfect complement to your tomato soup on a cold day!

Eating in the dining halls twice a day almost every day can get really difficult. Sometimes you feel like you’re just eating the same thing over and over. However, with a little bit of creativity and the energy to create something of your own, you will be able to make the most of your experience dining on campus.

Carly is a freshman majoring in Journalism with hopes of someday becoming the boss of the world. She grew up in Saint Paul, MN and left her heart there when she went to school 300 miles away in Iowa City. In her free time she enjoys blogging, eating good food, and being outdoors.
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