College cafeteria food has for a long time been dubbed disgusting, with little to be desired. Indeed, there was a time when the food offered in campus cafeterias was either undercooked, served cold, or constituted of suspicious ingredients. While this may sadly be the case in some colleges even to date, most colleges have taken a turn for the better and improved cafeteria services for their students.
This transformation includes impressive dining areas, a variety of dish options, considerations on dietary restrictions, and improved service. Making college cafeterias a more desirable place has influenced many students to make healthy dietary choices as they can choose from many delicious, well prepared meals.
Below are some colleges in the United States with top of the notch cafeterias that give their students services only comparable to high end restaurants.
1. Hendrix College
This liberal arts college found in Conway, Arkansas has a dining program that includes a diverse selection of delicious and nutritious food. Every day, students are spoiled with choice as there’s a deli, salad bar, soup bar, and a wok throughout the week. There’s also a grill in the main cafeteria. For those who want to take their taste buds around the world, there’s a station that serves international cuisine.
Part of the produce used in the cafeteria is sourced from a campus garden. The rest is supplied by local, organic vendors. Vegetarian dishes are served daily, and every week there is meatless Monday. To top it all, students even receive homemade cakes on their birthdays from the cafeteria.
2. University of Massachusetts – Amherst
With a dining program that has won several successive awards for years, it’s clear that UMass puts their best foot forward when it comes to cafeteria matters. Here, they seek to sustain healthy food always, with dishes from around the world. There are a total of four dining halls in the university, 18 cafes, and a bakeshop. Even better, students can access delivery services. Different dietary preferences are accommodated with kosher, vegetarian, and halal diet options. There’s also a sushi bar, a pizza station, a cereal station, and an international cuisine bar.
3. Yale University
With a steady focus on healthy, natural, and nutritious meals, 40% of the ingredients used to prepare cafeteria meals at Yale University are organic and sourced from the Yale Farm. Students can get superb services from 26 different cafeterias on-campus. Students with special dietary needs are accommodated. Students who keep kosher have an entire dining hall to themselves. There’s also vegetarian and vegan meals offered at each of the cafeterias for every meal.
4. Bowdoin College
The dining area at Bowdoin college gives the feels of an expensive restaurant with wooden tables, a vaulted ceiling, and an eye-pleasing view. Meals offered at the Thorne dining hall are prepared using organic produce from the school farm. International food available includes Chinese, Mexican, and Italian.
5. Kennesaw State University
Growing a quarter of the produce used in the campus cafeteria, raising its own chicken, and even having an apiary are steps that KSU has taken to ensure food sustainability. With a 1,200 square foot herb garden, the food options at KSU are highly nutritious. There’s even an app where students can order their food online.
