Top 10 college dining programs
By Benita Gingerella on Sep. 20, 2017Using a combination of student reviews and meal plan prices, review site Niche has crafted its list of U.S. schools that offer the best food, culled from among 1,383 colleges and universities. Read on to see the top 10 institutions.
10. James Madison University; Harrisonburg, Va.
Students attending James Madison are able to enjoy food from 28 on-campus eateries, which cater to many types of eaters. Leaning into interactive experiences, the dining team hosts over 150 events each year across campus, such as cooking classes and pop-up dinners.
9. California Baptist University; Riverside, Calif.
Many of the school’s eateries offer fare with Spanish or Mexican influences. Its main dining hall serves a menu inspired by Spanish tapas, while El Monte Grill offers made-to-order Mexican cuisine.
8. University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Comprising 31 dining facilities, UMass Amherst is constantly adding new ways for students to enjoy a meal on campus. This past spring, the dining team launched UMass Fresh, its own line of warm-and-serve readymade meals.
7. Wesleyan University; Middletown, Conn.
At Wesleyan’s main dining hall, students are able to enjoy a selection of dishes that meet a host of dietary restrictions, including vegetarian and vegan. Those following kosher and halal diets can grab qualifying meals to go at the school’s mini market.
6. Washington University at St. Louis
Known for its health and sustainability initiatives, WashU continues to expand its Bear Balance Movement, a schoolwide effort to reach certain wellness goals by the end of 2017. This includes offering a plant-based option at every station serving meat, and serving no more than one fried item per station during lunch and dinner.
5. Bowdoin College; Brunswick, Maine
With an in-house meat shop, bake shop and campus garden, fresh, local ingredients are at the heart of Bowdoin’s foodservice. The school recently debuted a pickup window at one of its eateries that allows students to call ahead and skip the line.
4. Bates College; Lewiston, Maine
Known for its sustainability initiatives, Bates rewards students for eco-friendly behavior. The school’s reusable mug program awards points to students when they use their mugs at the dining hall. Students can then exchange points for guest meal passes. Recently, the college joined the Green Restaurant Association, a sustainability group that provides specifications for purchasing green items.
3. Culinary Institute of America; Hyde Park, N.Y.
At The Culinary Institute of America’s main campus, students have the choice of eating and creating their own meals on campus. The Egg, the school’s largest eatery, features an in-house cafe, a brewery and a live edible plant and herb wall.
2. Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Va.
Serving around 7.4 million meals per year, the dining team at Virginia Tech connects with students where they are in a variety of ways, including via food trucks, kiosks, food courts and fine-dining restaurant Origami.
1. University of California at Los Angeles
UCLA comes in at No. 1 on Niche’s list of top dining programs for the second year in a row. Its students have the option to dine at four all-you-care-to-eat restaurants with a variety of plant-based options. The school also provides its own coffee service, which delivers coffee to offices across campus.