Hack #1: Poke Bowl
Anissa Wang ’24’s favorite dining hall hack is to create a DIY poke bowl with rice from the international station. Poke bowl is a Hawaiian-style dish consisting of jasmine rice, diced fish or other proteins, vegetables, and seasonings. Many of those ingredients can be found in the dining hall sal- ad bar — cucumber, chicken, tofu, and avocado — dressed with soy sauce, sriracha, or mayo from the sauce station to create the perfect poke bowl.
Hack #2: Green Tea Soda
Taking full advantage of the soda dispensers, Wendy Huo ’23 uses the different fizzy flavors to concoct her favorite drink: green tea soda. She arrived at the perfect formula of one part green tea and one part soda water plus some ice. “I like
to mix things up,” she said. Trying out a myriad of “cocktails” allowed Huo to discover this ginger-ale-like beverage, which she used to enjoy every day last spring. For a healthier option, she recommends a cool glass of H2O. “I got all my friends into drinking it,” Huo said.
Hack #3: Toast
The toasters and selection of bread at the dining hall provide students with many opportunities to create flavorful combinations. Honey banana toast, made by topping wheat or white toast with sliced bananas and a generous drizzle of honey, is a simple and delicious recipe. If one would like a savory choice instead, Emma Ding ’24 recommends a DIY avocado toast. After running the bread through the toaster twice “to make sure it’s crunchy and warm,” Ding tops it with avocados from the salad bar, smushed with a fork and drizzled with lemons from the tea station. “Lastly, a touch of salt and pepper would make it perfect,” said Ding.
Hack #4: Panini
Yuki Zhang ’24 became a patron of the panini press after trying it once at lunch. Taking two pieces of ciabatta bread, Zhang puts in her favorite items from the salad bar — salami, cheese, tomato, and lettuce — then places the panini in the machine, while “pressing it down hard,” she emphasized. She learned this trick from a friend, and despite only having tried it once, she has already recommended it to dozens more. “It’s very consistent because you can make it every day,” Zhang explained. On days with too long of a lunch line, this hack provides a quick solution with balanced nutrition.
Tip #1: Get Desserts First
Clara Kang ’26 believes the best dining hall strategy is to get the dessert before the main. The lines peak during lunchtime and can stretch all the way back to the salad bar; however, if one heads to the dessert station first, they can enjoy the sweet appetizer while others wait in line. If the timing works out, they might dodge the pizza line monstrosity when they are ready for their main course.
Tip #2: Handle Glassware Carefully
“Don’t pour a cold drink into a hot glass” is the best advice from Henry Ding ’24. Making iced lemonade at the dining hall has taught Ding a safety lesson to remember. Next time you try to make your own green tea soda, make sure that the glass has not been freshly placed onto the rack and is still warm.
