Here’s a helpful dining hall food hack: Start bringing your own seasoning to the dining hall to spice up your meals (literally). If you spend the cheap price of $5 at Trader Joe’s– your meals will taste better for the whole semester.
Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
This seasoning is a staple from Trader Joe’s; it pairs perfectly with avocado toast. While avocado toast may not always be an option for you at the dining halls, this seasoning blend is best for your morning eggs. A blend with sea salt, garlic, and onion, will remind you of a great bagel at home– especially East Coast natives.
Chili Lime Seasoning Blend
This seasoning blend is amazing on top of mango, pineapple, watermelon, honeydew, or cantaloupe. Adding just enough spice and tartness to your fruit, you will keep going back for more. TJ’s is famous for their addictive Chili and Lime flavored tortilla chips, so why not go for the healthier option and just add the spice to some fruit?
Not only does this seasoning work on fruit, but it’s also a great addition to the season-less burrito bowls, grilled chicken, or even tossed on top of a salad with chickpeas.
21 Seasoning Salute
Can you guess what this seasoning is made of? That’s right — 21 different spices and herbs. If you put this on pizza, you won’t be disappointed. Yes, its most commonly used to season meats, but unfortunately, as college students we don’t have that luxury (unless you want to grill in your apartment).
This seasoning blend is also great in a salad (paired with olive oil and balsamic vinegar). Including some the best spices like, black pepper, celery seed, thyme, garlic, rosemary, cayenne pepper etc., this seasoning blend will not disappoint.
South African Smoke Seasoning Blend
This amazing smokey blend is complete with paprika, sea salt, garlic, and basil. Butter a piece of toast, add some scrambled eggs, and top it with this seasoning– it will be a sensation, I promise.
This blend is also great on top pasta with Alfredo sauce, sprinkled over bacon, or over some grilled vegetables.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
This spice is created with love and all things fall. If you are the kind of person who loves Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Lattes, then you will adore this warmth in a bottle. Add this to the dining hall’s oatmeal and it will bring that feeling of fall right down your body.
Another way to incorporate this into your meals is to add this to vanilla ice cream, soft serve, or frozen yogurt from the dessert sections of the three dining halls.
Smoked Paprika
Add this smokey spice to any grilled vegetable served in the dining hall. It is especially great on top of steamed cauliflower or corn. It’s also pretty tasty on quinoa!
Hopefully, this list of seasonings was helpful and saves you money. There is no need to go out for meals when all the dining hall food needs is some seasoning. Go to Trader Joe’s and pick up at least one of these, I promise the dining hall won’t seem that bad.