Sometimes I just can’t believe I’m doing this again. Three years ago I thought I was done with education for life (no plans for grad school in my career path) and now I’m eating in the dining hall with the Freshmen! It was so fun though and so nice to not have to pack a lunch and get this whole spread for $6!
I made a sandwich with Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat Bread, 2 slices of deli turkey, tomato, lettuce, pickle, banana peppers and mustard. Plus a big ol’ pickle on the side! It was great!!!
Salad bar. Of course I took advantage of the smogasbord of raw vegetables!
Toppings included:
- Lettuce
- Zucchini + Squash (cut into cute shapes!)
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli + cauliflower
- Yellow + green peppers
- Sunflower seeds (about 3/4 a tbsp)
- Green olives (about a tbsp)
- 1 square of tofu
- Hummus (about a tbsp – it was REALLY good for a dining hall!)
- A few goldfish (!!)
- Honey mustard dressing (about 2 tsp?)
I also grabbed an apple and 2 bananas to refill our fruit bowl. I thought I might want the apple, but I didn’t end up eating it.
And my “dairy” – iced milk!!! I was excited to find this somewhat healthy dessert option. I put 1/2 a small brownie on the bottom and had about 1/4 a cup of iced milk. PERFECT ending!
Off to CHEM LABBBBBBBBBBBB.
Melissa says
Haha! I feel the same way! I actually never had a meal plan as a student, but the employee discount at NYU for meal plans was too good to refuse! Plus, NYU has a sustainability movement, so the produce is mainly organic and locally grown. And all the meats, cheeses and eggs are from cage free, free range farms. The napkins and to go containers are biodegradable and recycled too.
Katie says
Wow! for $6 I’m jealous! My college caf was WAY more expensive, so I always packed. 🙁
Nadia says
looks good 🙂
I agree Melissa.
I went to NYU also and although they always had a plethora of food options I was so happy when they started offering vegan/vegetarian dining options on top of everything else during my last year there. Plus they give the nutritionals and ingredients for everything they serve on their dining hall website so it’s easy to figure out what’s healthy or not. oh how I miss college…
Rachie says
I’m jealous, isn’t it nice not to have to cut up your veggies and prep your meals for once? I miss those days!
Cara says
I love banana peppers in my sandwich. Maybe I will add that to my pita today. Hmmm.
TC says
Oh wow, this post reminded me of how I often miss my college’s salad bar. No prep work and so many options. Sounds like you had a great lunch!
BethT says
You are lucky. I went to UNC Charlotte for grad school, and the dining options there were HORRIBLE. It was cheaper to get Chick Fil A or pizza than to eat something healthier, and the few healthy options they DID have were always yucky looking – old veggies, dry bread, etc.
angelcubbie says
Hey everyone! I’m curious, how much dietary fiber do you intake daily? I intake an average of about 45 grams a day and I’m wondering if this is normal for everyone else (I know 25 is the recommended) and for those of you who intake high amounts of fiber does it every cause bloating or digestive problems for you or has your system gotten use to it?
Amy says
Is there such thing as too much fiber in one’s diet?
Amandamoo says
I take in anywhere from 35-50g of fiber a day. My body has gotten used to it but I feel it if I go over 50… and I feel it if I’m under 35, just in a different way ; )
chandra says
Now I’m craving green olives.. yum!
Leah says
Wow, the cafe must have improved since my Winthrop days….ugh, it was absolutely horrid back then…..didn’t stop me from gaining the freshman 15 though!
bikergurl says
i am so jealous of your dining hall! I’m sure there were other less healthy options, but that looks so much better than what I remember 🙂
Megan says
Hey Kath,
Sorry to just get back to you now with your question (I’m on west coast time). You can make your own ice cream without a maker with a bucket, some ice, some rock salt, and A LOT of elbow grease! If you want to work off your ice cream you can do it, OR you can go to walmart or target and get a NON state of the art ice cream maker for $20 or so.
I have a cuisine art ice cream maker cause I take my ice cream seriously 🙂
But if you have a kitchen aid mixer there is actually an ice cream attachment you can buy, don’t know how much it costs though.
Its great to have one because obviously you can make more than just ice cream,…frozen yogurt, sherbert, and sorbets (even frozen margherittas and dacqueris!)
You can make sorbets without an ice cream mixer just free the sugar and fruit puree, but the texture is much creamier with a mixer and less like an italian ice!
Frozen bananas also taste just like ice cream, dip one in chocolate, roll it in walnuts (or whatever you want) and you have a tasty treat that is pretty healthy. Also I have tried the frozen bananas rolled in honey which is also fantastic.
Can you tell I love sweets!?
JENNA says
does anyone know what your heart rate should be while exercising? i know this varies for different people obviously but i’m just curious what the average is for a small/med framed person.
Suzanne says
Your lunch looks so good! And you even got a little chocolatey/vanilla treat at the end. It’s so great that you can find healthy options anywhere you go!
Kelly T says
man- i should go to college just to save money on my food bill.
I dont know why but i just pictured Kath throwing a freshman in a trashcan.
meanie.
Claire says
my eating plan’s pretty great for my college! 3 meals a day and a $100 dining dollars ^_^
VeggieGirl says
Haha, it must be interesting dining with little freshmen again – but know that you’re doing the right thing, with education! :0)
Good luck with chem lab – remember, it’s your LAST one!! :0D
tiedtogetherwithasmile says
That all looks so good! A drastic difference from the way my dining hall food looked, yuck.
Ally says
Very cool!
I bought the meal plan for college next year. I get two meals a day for 5 dollars each. The school I am going to has a ‘groccery store’ where you can spend your money and even has a great sushi bar!
It’s exciting to see a ‘college’ lunch!
Betsy in Pittsburgh says
I used to eat the same. exact. thing. every day in college. Bran muffin & chocolate milk for breakfast, bagel sandwich & yogurt parfait for lunch, and another bran muffin (or two) and some fruit or something for dinner. Yikes. I went to George Mason University… not know for its culinary delights.
Jessica says
i dont think i have ever heard of “iced milk” is this like frozen milk or what? i go to the university of arizona, our dining hall is no good!
SarahF says
Kath- I made your Danish pancakes this morning (while kind of, I substituted apple sauce rather than using the cottage cheese, and used blueberries rather than bananas) but they were absolutely amazing! I heated up some strawberries and raspberries on the skillet and used them like a syrup and was perfectly full after eating them & they kept me full without even thinking about hunger for a full 5 hours!
I don’t know how I ever ate without reading your blog! Thanks again for another great suggestion (and also thanks Peanut Butter Boy because I think that’s where the recipe originally came from!)
Betsy says
awwww-this is making me miss dining hall food. it was soo easy!!! and my school had really good food (and an entire vegetarian cafeteria) so that helped. and helped with the freshman 15 too.
Kelly T says
i second jessicas question. is it just milk frozen? is there sweetener it? cause if i c0uld freeze some milk and splenda and have it actually be comprable to ice cream, my head might explode
rachel k says
I went to UNC-Chapel Hill and the dining hall was like $7+ for lunch/dinner…kinda pricey for everyday food if you aren’t gorging yourself. It was fun to go every so often when someone would “swipe” me in with their card–but after a while, everything starts to taste the same (@ least at UNC)!
The bets part of it was the frozen yogurt, for sure.
Jill says
Wait wait, what all did you get for $6?! That includes buying the sandwich?
Anon. says
Jessica,
I’m coming to the U of A this coming fall… I was hoping they’d have some good food! Depressing!
NCCarter says
rachel K – I went to UNC-CH, too. I didn’t eat in Lenoir much, though. I lived in Granville freshman and soph. years, and then ate a lot of meals in my sorority house. when did you graduate? (I have a feeling you’re probably a good big younger than me….I graduated in ’98).
CourtneyS says
Wow, I’m a grad student at Boston College and the food is so expensive and not worth it. Luckily I cook a lot anyway and bring my own lunch. I feel so OLD with all the college kids!
On the fiber questions, during the week I shoot for 30 grams and vary anywhere from 25-50. Weekends don’t count. 🙂
creatingadiva says
haha we had about the same days it looks like! I hit the dining hall too after a long time it feels like! Off I go to study chemistry for the MCAT!
Sonia says
NEED HELP PLEAAAAASE. I have been craving carrot cake since Monday and I am doing my best not to go to a bakery and eat the whole cake.
Does anyone have a recipe for a low fat possibly whole wheat carrot cake?
Tara says
Kath,
How did you trudge through your to-do list when you had your sit-down job? I am finding that sitting in front of a desk all day just takes away my energy. Did you ever have times when you sat in front of the computer and couldn’t work (and you ah-hem read blogs)? Do you have any tips for getting through a to-do list while at work? Did you make a to-do list at work?
I know this isn’t necessarily food-related (or is it?), it’s just that anyone who reads this blogs knows that you are a huge expert on blazing through to-do lists!
CourtneyS says
Why not have a small piece and savor it?!
rachel k says
NCCarter–I graduated in 2006. Have you been back recently? They knocked down Chase and built a big, new dining hall–quite fancy. I mostly ate at Lenoir my freshman year but moved off campus after that. I lived in Eringhaus as a freshman, then off to apartments. Hmm..I miss Chapel Hill/Carborro right now…
Are you still in NC?
Carrie H says
Sonia …
Oh, oh, I have a great carrot cake recipe that uses whole wheat flour. Well, it isn’t mine … It is at:
http://happyherbivore.blogspot.com/2007/12/new-vegan-fat-free-carrot-cake.html.
I’ve made them twice and they are amazing. Did I say amazing? I meant it. The best carrot cake I’ve ever had.
Carrie H
Rachie says
To Kath, the Husband and anyone else with input:
My boyfriend of 4 years (we’re both 23) is moving to a New York apartment in a month or so. He’ll be living with 2 of his best guy friends. Does anyone have a good idea for a house warming gift for him/them? Interests: soccer, cooking and beer.
(Husband I’d love a guy’s input!)
Thanks!!
Rachie (in D.C.)
Eva Gonzalez says
Sonia,
Go here: http://happyherbivore.blogspot.com/2007/12/new-vegan-fat-free-carrot-cake.html
for the most yummy, delicious and HEALTHY!! recipe for my favorite type of cake ever… get your taste buds ready because this recipe will blow them away!
Carrie H says
Okay, the link didn’t work. But here is the recipe. I hope the happy herbivore doesn’t mind me posting it here. (I also used regular wheat flour).
Fat Free Vegan Carrot Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup raw sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 large peeled carrot, shredded
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 generous tsp vanilla
1/2 – 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional but recommended)
* you can use raisins too.
METHOD
Preheat 350 F
Mix flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt & cinnamon in a medium bowl
in a large bowl, mix applesauce, vanilla & carrots
Add dry mix to wet mix 1/2 cup at a time
Mix well before adding the next 1/2 cup of the flour mixture
Once blended, fold in walnuts
Fill muffin pan (greased or use paper cups) to the top
bake 15-17 minutes – fork check
Carrie H says
Me and Eva think alike! :o)
BMEllis says
Amy,
I’m pretty sure the answer to your question is yes. I knew a girl in college who ate Special K every day for almost every meal and she had a major problem with her intestines because of too much fiber in her diet. I’m sure there is some solid medical advice on this as well.
Sonia says
Thank You Carrie and Eva. I am going to try this today after work.
rhodeygirl says
what’s ice milk?!?!?!
Christianne says
I wanted to throw this out there for anyone looking for a good weeknight dinner recipe. The Asian style Meatloaf from cooking light is really good. My husband loved it (everything is better when someone else makes it) and I liked it as well. I am not a meatloaf fan but I was struggling to find a dinner recipe and all the reviews of this one were good so I tried it. The only change I made was to use all ground turkey and to top it with a spicier sauce, which was 1/4 c hoisin, 1/4 c ketchup, 1 T soy sauce, minced garlic, ground red pepper and some salt and pepper.
Katie says
BMEllis,
I believe that too much fiber could cause intestinal problems. But Special K has very little fiber in it (0 g, according to thedailyplate.com. Could it have been some other cereal?
babycakes says
ugh, I NEVER went near the food in college because it was so gross – any not very vegan-friendly at all. For such a great school, the food was terrible! I always went grocery shopping for my own food, which I kept in my own fridge. Those of you who have/had good quality food (and vegan/vegetarian friendly options) are lucky!
As for the fiber question, I eat LOTS every day – sometimes upwards of 50-60 grams due to all the fruits and veggies I eat. It can take some getting used to but there is no danger in overdoing fiber. The more the better!
Kath, I hope chem lab wasn’t too torturous – was it really your last one? Thank goodness this semester is winding down. This week is super stressful for me with a bunch of exams (not to mention impending finals) It helps to know I’m not the only one going through it all!
Hope you’re having a great evening 🙂
Nick says
Wow not bad a meal for a dining hall. And only $6? Not too shabby at all. I might have to try the dining hall here!
– The Peanut Butter Boy
mel says
katie, I was going to say that. I used to eat special k for breakfast in high school and I know it has less than 1 gram of fiber…prob the reason i was starving 5 mins after I ate it! haha
Kath says
angelcubbie ,
I get between 40-50 per day, sometimes a little more. I think I’ve read that going over 60 is very hard on the GI tract and can interfere with digestion, but anywhere from 25 (rec.) to 50 is fine.
Megan ,
Thanks for all the info! I’ll have to try it. I think we did make it in my high school chem class 🙂
Re. Iced Milk,
I am just as clueless as you guys are! I’m guessing it’s milk + sugar?? I couldn’t find any info on it so I counted it like gelato, which is apparently very similar? It really did taste like sweetened frozen skim milk.
SarahF,
So glad you liked ’em!
Jill ,
It was the dining hall – $6 at the door. All you can eat. Good deal, huh! I made the sandwich myself.
Tara ,
Clearly I had trouble trudging through my work to-do list – I hated my job and that’s why I’m no longer doing it! I didn’t have much energy to do my tasks either. But I used Microsoft Outlook’s tasks and calendar to organize my work life. The reminders and dates were very helpful, as were the categories for clients.
Rachie ,
Everyone needs a good wine opener/race. Perhaps some glasses – then you can use them when you visit!
babycakes ,
It was my last lab, but I have my skills exam next week – ugggggggg!
Kath
Bridget says
Tara,
I have the same problem at work sometimes- even when I have things to do, sometimes I just can’t get myself to focus! Anyways, I read an article recently that talked about getting things done and making yourself more productive at work and home (I can’t remember what mag it was in…). It suggested that you put only four things on your to do list for a day and tackle those things. I have been doing this for about a week – I take my mammoth To Do list and make a smaller list for the day with four big tasks on it (sometimes they have sub-tasks) and I make myself do those things first! After I have completed two things or just felt really productive for a few hours, I “reward” myself by taking a little walk, going to talk to someone, or reading blogs 🙂
Also, I think Kath wrote this recently, but I’ve been keeping in mind how much time I waste dreading doing things- why waste that time when I could just do it and get it over with? I got two HUGE things done at work yesterday and today, so I left work both days feeling great, instead of feeling like I didn’t accomplish anything!
ann says
definition of ice milk on wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_milk
NCCarter says
rachel k – I haven’t been back since the fall (we go to a lot of football games), but South campus just looks so different. I’m not sure how I feel about all the bricks!
I’m still in NC – just down the road in Raleigh. I’ve pretty much been here since I graduated. I took my daughter to Franklin St. for the first time last fall, so that was really fun.
Are you in NC?
Tara says
Thanks for the tips!!!
happy herbivore says
glad you all like my carrot cupcakes
be sure to check my cookbook when it comes out!
lexi says
kath,
i cant THANK YOU ENOUGH for the help you gave me this morning 🙂 if you want to check out and maybe leave me a comment i got a new food blog thanks to you! http://lexianded.blogspot.com/
i just got it and nobody has seen it yet (it will be better organised tommorow)
Lexi
oatmeal says
Whoa! I’m so jealous! The cafeteria at my school has a salad bar, but all it has is lettuce, tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, carrots, and beans 🙁 I wish we had zucchini and squash and mushrooms!! Still…I guess it’s good we even have a salad bar!
The iced milk looks really tempting…I’ve never seen that before!
kim says
I eat in the high school caf for $2.50. They have a pretty decent small salad bar, and that includes fresh fruit and one of those little milks. For a treat I can get a hoodsie cup for an extra 50 cents. 🙂
april says
megan: i have the same ice cream maker and so far i have only made the berry frozen yogurt from the recipie booklet it came with. I tried making my own substitutions with skim milk and splenda, but it didnt turn out! how do you usually make yours?
Megan says
April,
I never used Splenda I just cut out the sugar by adding some sweet fruit like bananas. I never tried skim, because I think you need some fat, so I used half and half, which is half cream and half milk, but if you want you can make your own “half and half” or version thereof. I went online and saw a bunch of lowfat ice cream recipes and just adapted my own. My favorite by far has been strawberry flavor, made with a pound of strawberries, mascerated in sugar water, and some half and half. So good! Good luck!
Katie says
April,
I have an ice cream maker too and I recently made a delicious green tea frozen yogurt. I just used close to one quart of plain yogurt, plus about half a cup of soy milk (regular milk would probably work too). I also added about a quarter cup of sugar–just enough to be slightly sweet but still tart. Then I added a tablespoon or two of matcha green tea powder, but any frozen fruit would probably work too!
Hope that helps for a lighter option.