Eating in the dining hall is not synonymous with exciting, so we have to let our creative juices flow when deciding on our meals. One of the go-to items, when we like we're still not satisfied, is hummus. We always feel better adding hummus to the end of a meal...as opposed to one (or four) cookies, since it's a lot healthier. But plain hummus is a somewhat boring food, and dining hall hummus is no exception.
In order to spice things up, here are some the best things found in the dining hall to pair with hummus, in order to make your meal a little more exciting.
The Basic Pairings
I have to start with the basic vegetables that are available in the dining hall, and those are carrots and celery. The shape of these foods make it easy to dip in hummus and you'll feel even healthier (if that's possible). Another veggie, though not as common for hummus, is broccoli. The little trees are harder to dip, but still taste great after a sub par meal. Pita bread triangles are an essential pairing as well. Easy to dip, fun to eat.
#SpoonTip: the pita bread tastes much better after going through the toaster once (or twice depending, on which toaster is available) and is even easier to scoop some hummus onto after a little toasting.
Let's Spice Things Up a Bit
Top right cup is plain, top left cup is Sriracha, and bottom cup is balsamic.
Now that the basics are out of the way, we can have some fun. The dining hall hummus, as classic and reliable as it is, gets old quickly when there's little flavor. The dining hall actually has some options to add flavor that may not come to mind right away.
For those who like it hot, Sriracha sauce is the way to go. Mix some of this into your hummus and you'll have maximum flavor in every bite. Spoiler alert: you may never go back. You can also try any other hot sauce that's available for that extra kick. Another mix-in is balsamic vinegar. Where Sriracha is hot, balsamic vinegar is sweet and goes nicely with the basic hummus flavor. This is my personal favorite. I pair it with some toasted pita bread; it's pretty difficult to beat.
Other satisfying options include adding olive oil, paprika, basil, or any other spices you're partial to. Campus dining halls are usually pretty good about providing us with oils and sauces and spices – use this to your advantage, and don't be afraid to go all out!