The salad bar offers the most variety in the cafeteria. Make a new salad every day by putting different cheeses, meats, veggies and dressings on the salad. You will not become tired of having the same salad if you change the toppings. Use the meat being served in the entree line to top a salad or cut up fresh fruit as a topping. If your cafeteria does not carry a salad ingredient you want, write a comment card or ask the dining hall manager.
Panini grills toast both sides of your sandwich at the same time. They create the opportunity to make a variety of sandwiches. Make a standard grilled sandwich, such as turkey, ham or vegetarian with cheese. You can also saute vegetables on the panini from the salad bar and make a grilled veggie wrap with a tortilla. Quesadillas can also be made on panini grills. Grilled pita and hummus is also a great snack made possible by the panini grill.
Food served in dorms can be bland and lack flavor. If your cafeteria has a spice rack, add different spices and herbs to grilled vegetables, potato dishes and rices to make them more interesting and flavorful. By adding various spices or condiments at different meals, the same dishes can have more variety without the cafeteria preparing them differently. Salt, pepper and garlic salt are great on steamed vegetables. Rosemary and thyme enhance the natural flavors of potato and rice dishes.
Breakfast items, such as bagels, toast, cereal and hard boiled eggs, are viable dinner options in a cafeteria as they usually don't take these items away after breakfast ends. They offer a change to the standard, savory entrees provided at the hot bar. Cereal can also be a sweet dessert item. Bagels can be made into panini sandwiches or spread with cream cheese.
If your cafeteria does not offer breakfast food consistently, have a large salad bar or serves sub-par food, a microwave and refrigerator in your dorm room can help you make low cost meals. Keep fresh vegetables, fruits and dips in your refrigerator, such as carrot and celery sticks, broccoli, apples, low-fat ranch dressing, peanut butter and hummus. Buy ready-made foods that only require heating, such as pre-made rice, microwavable pasta dishes and ramen soup cups. Add vegetables that can be put into the microwave and steamed in their packaging. Season with salt and pepper to add taste and flavor.