On-Campus Dining | College Jolt

Popular Eats On College Campuses

Mon, Nov 10, 2008 by Alyse - Pitt

So you’ve narrowed it down to a few choices. Each school has its pros and cons that you’re willing to overlook. One thing you should never neglect, however, is that grumbling in your stomach. Are you into a cuisine full of flavor and even more grease? Scared of the dreaded weight gain? When you near the end of your college quest, DON’T FORGET THE DINING SCENE!

Sure, each school is bound to have a few familiar staples: cafeteria-like locations, the all-american deli, a place for salads (and gallons of ranch dressing), the grill, the pizzeria, the sushi place, the taco hut and various juice bars with delightful smoothies. They’re often local, indigenous to that specific university, and adorn clever names with elaborate, inviting signs.

But no on-campus dining experience would be complete without these 5 regulars:

Chick-Fil-A: These chicken specialists hit the college scene in 1992: first appearing at Georgia Tech & Clemson University. Wait. How is a greasy chicken sandwich healthy? Well, the truth is, they’re not so inspiring when it comes to shedding the pounds, but it’s a good choice over the other fast food restaurants of the world. Their char-grilled chicken sandwich is your best bet: at 270 calories, 3 grams of fat and 28 grams of protein. Their carrot and raisin salad and a fruit cup hit the menu a few years back, but the most popular side, despite its 420 calories and 24 grams of fat, is the waffle fries.

Subway: Yeah, I know, big deal- we are well aware of Jared by now. Nonetheless, if you can’t find a sub shop anywhere else on campus, this one is always there. And sure, they constantly harp on the nutritional quality of their sandwiches. But for those of you looking to cut your salt intake, pass this one up.

Panda Express: Even though they aim for it, this Chinese gourmet is anything but health conscious. If you’re a vegetarian, you’re basically out of luck- they enjoy their meat here. But hey, they are MSG-free. Just watch out for the cholesterol. My favorite is Kung-Pao anything.

Einstein Bros: Sorry, carb counters. In case you missed it, it’s a bagel shop that was created by, yep, you guessed it- a couple of brothers- who just wanted to keep it original, and keep it good. And that’s exactly what they’ve done- but often at the expense of your waist line. A bagel here runs you 300 calories and another 100 for the whipped topping. While they offer a wide range of breakfast food as well as lunch, their specialty is the 18 different bagel flavors ranging from Cranberry to Sun-Dried Tomato. Indulge a litte: smear on the cream cheese, and enjoy a hot coffee- you know, for those gruesome 8 AM classes.

Baja Sol: These guys try as hard as they can to take you off campus and into a tropical location. Tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas. Mmm. Strangely enough, it began in 1995 in Minnesota… brr! The chef who creates all the recipes has 21 years of experience that includes The Cheesecake Factory, Lettuce Entertain You and Planet Hollywod. It doesn’t exactly compare to the real thing, but it’s close enough when you want to give Taco Bell a rest, disregard your diet, and dream about spring break.