Everyone on north campus knows the Saturday night drill; get in and out of Lisa’s before 6:45 to finish off your meal equivalencies for the week before the price limit drops from $9 to $7. Countless students make this mad dash each week, so my first piece of advice would be to stock up on snacks on Friday. There is more food variety in stock, and you won’t have to worry about the stampede of (mostly) underclassmen fighting to get ahead of you in line.
Photo by Ina Yang
Snacks
While Lisa’s has a decent assortment of snacks, it is important to maximize your meals, so steer clear of the ridiculously overpriced commodities. For example, the Lays and other 99-cent packs are priced at $1.49…hmm. Plus, they’re not the healthiest snack option. Slightly healthier Stacy’s pita chips come in a bigger pack and can last longer.
In preparation for the winter or if you’re just feeling under the weather, you won’t regret buying several Campbell’s soup-at-hands. These cups work well as a small meal and come in three flavors: Classic Tomato, Creamy Broccoli, and (my personal favorite) the Chicken and Mini Round Noodles. It is easy to microwave, only 160 calories, and at $2.39, inexpensive.
The Sabra hummus cups with pretzels aren’t cheap, $3.29 for a small snack, but a definite must-try. Sabra hummus is more flavorful than most, and the salty pretzel chips dipped into the rich hummus are a savory treat well worth the splurge. Hummus is also filling, so one cup should satisfy your snacking. Cups of different cereals are a breakfast essential, and only $1.75. While you can buy these cheaper in bulk at stores like CVS, it’s a pretty cheap and easy on-campus breakfast choice.
Photo by Ina Yang
Drinks
The array of drinks is one of Lisa’s main perks. Fruitwater, the soda version of Vitaminwater, can serve as a tasty alcohol chaser. Hungover? Powerade is an elecrolyte-replenishing solution, and Lisa’s has a range of flavors at any given time.
Essentials
Aside from the snacks Lisa’s offers, they have essentials such toothpaste, chapstick and an assortment of medicines that can save you a trip to CVS. All in all, Lisa’s may not have the largest selection of real food, but you can purchase some snacks and small meals with your meal equivalencies at prices that aren’t too steep. It won’t be hard to find something you like at Lisa’s, and most importantly, it’s 2am closing hour makes it a great late-night destination to grab a quick bite before going to bed.