This question is important. You all know that college food will not be like mom’s cooking, but you walk through the doors of every college’s dining hall hoping to find the closest option.
The food at Grove City was the best I found on my college visits. Here’s a peak into what I eat on a daily basis at Grove City. I am restricted to a low carb diet and the options at Grove City never fail to provide what I need. In fact, the Bon Appetite staff will even meet with students about health needs and concerns. They plate food for students with special dietary needs separately and even offer an extensive gluten free section.
My favorite aspect is the Farm-to-Fork program. This means that Grove City’s food will come from local farmers as much as possible, not only supporting the community, but also always ensuring lots of fresh veggies and even especially delicious apples from local orchards in the fall.
CHICKEN SALAD
My classic go-to is chicken salad. Hicks cafeteria offers grilled chicken at almost every lunch and dinner and it’s my favorite source of protein. I top if off with some veggies, other toppings from our salad bar, and one of our many dressing options. Sometimes I even make my own vinaigrette from the balsamic vinegar and olive oil provided.
GRILLED CHICKEN AND VEGGIES
Here are three of my favorite chicken and veggie combinations. As you can see, the dining hall never fails to have enough vegetables. You might be wondering if this is all I ever eat. I honestly eat this ALL the time, not because of a lack of options but simply because it’s just so good! During the fall there is usually a great array of acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash. My favorite was butternut squash roasted in maple syrup. I requested for them to make the dish again on our “tell the chef” comments board and they brought it back! The key here is that Bon Appetite cares about what the students think and listen to them.
PANINIS
I also frequent the Panini press. The options of cheese, meat, vegetable toppings, etc. are all too extensive that they keep me coming back from more! The Panini pictured above has turkey, swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce, and house-made black bean hummus.
FRUIT
Obviously fresh fruit is much more expensive and can be less frequent in the dining halls, but here is an example of what comes around every once and a while. This medley has strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwis, pineapple, and melon. The dining hall will always have apples, bananas, and oranges. They also often feature pears, peaches, grapes, and plums.
MORE SALAD
Honestly, the topping options are so extensive that I never get bored with salads. Pictured above is a southwest salad I made with cheese, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, black beans, tortilla strips, and after the picture I topped it with a veggie burger and southwest ranch dressing. I often make taco salads as well on the days when they serve tacos, burritos, etc.
GET CREATIVE
The options are endless if you get creative! Pictured above is a broccoli au gratin I created by steaming broccoli with milk in the microwave and topping it off with some cheese, salt, and pepper. My friend even added croutons to hers. If you unleash your inner chef, your options are endless.
“OK, I DON’T EAT HEALTHY”
You may be reading this and think, ok this is great, but I hate veggies. No fear, your options are still endless. Here are some cheesy ranch fries! Hicks cafeteria has pizza, burgers, an extensive ice cream and dessert section, and much more unhealthy food as well!
CREATIVE MESS
I’m always looking for more ways to be creative. Pictured below is a cookies and cream rice krispie treat and buffalo chicken dip.
Hicks café also features multiple types of soup and a bread bar with house made bread, bagels, English muffins and sweet breads like ginger bread and banana bread. It also has a variety of butter options such as honey butter, cinnamon butter, garlic butter, peanut butter and apple butter – all homemade!
The stir fry station is another one of my favorite options. You can choose from an array of vegetables which are cooked with the meat of the day and finished with either rice or noodles. If you want to keep it lowcarb, you can just make it with two bowls of vegetables.
There is always a pasta bar with white and wheat noodles and sauces. Our two main stations serve more “homemade” options ranging from casseroles, to barbeque, and even pierogis.
If you’re curious what Grove City is serving for the day, you can always check out this site http://grovecity.cafebonappetit.com/. Students can actually have the daily menu emailed them!
Obviously, I cannot begin to feature every food option at Grove City, but hopefully this glimpse into what I eat is helpful. Come visit and see all we have to offer!
Author, Emma Thomas, is a Junior at Grove City College majoring in sociology with minors in philosophy and environmental studies. She’s from Colorado Springs and loves mountain climbing, drinking tea and handwritten letters. Her hope is to go through life seeking God’s goodness in each and every moment and to enjoy the crazy adventures along the way.