The dining hall is all-you-can-eat, so that means I’m good right?

We all have been to the dining hall and thought to ourselves, “How easy would it be just to grab this right now?” And I can tell you: it is easy. With some skill and precision, using one meal swipe has lasted me meals upon meals. 

This includes:

  • Tofu, carrots, and cucumbers
    • To make a solid tofu bowl, utilize the tofu in the John Jay or Ferris salad bar. That perfectly dried-up tofu is the exact texture you need for a crispy fried tofu. The carrots and cucumbers help to add that freshness.
  • Pasta
    • I know pasta costs like $1 a box, but a dollar is a dollar. By utilizing the cooked pasta from the dining hall, I can make pasta carbonara from the bacon bits and parmesan cheese, vodka pasta with some “water,” parmesan cheese, and tomato paste (supplied by myself), or even the feta cheese tomato pasta that went viral on TikTok years ago.
  • English muffins, Nutella, and bananas
    • By grabbing seven English muffins, bananas, and Nutella packets, you have yourself a whole week of breakfasts. If you want to go really wild, you could fill a cup with peanut butter.
  • Half-and-half
    • We all use half-and-half to sweeten our coffees or elevate our sodas. And sometimes, when there are a lot of tiny little containers of it in the dining hall, there is just enough to fill a whole pint of half-and-half.
  • Worcestershire sauce
    • What a perfect way to season your meat. For a low, low-cost of a meal swipe, you can enjoy a whole bottle of Worcestershire sauce. Whether you make meatloaf, Sunday football dips, or anything else you can imagine, the Worcestershire sauce will get you there.
  • Tabasco 
    • Sometimes we all need a little spice in our meals, so what is better than just swiping a little, unopened container of Tabasco? 
  • Salt and pepper
    • Lastly, my favorite, is the salt and pepper grinders. Nothing beats freshly ground salt and pepper. Thanks to our Columbia Dining Services, we get only the best salt and pepper. And that means I get the best salt and pepper for my homemade meals. 

The Columbia Dining Services provides us with quality food every single day. By utilizing everything available as much as possible, you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck. And the most tasty homemade food.


Image via Columbia Dining Services