ConsumerWatch: College Cuisine A Smart Choice For Non-Students
(KPIX 5) - You don't have to be a student to take advantage of the all-you-can eat daily feasts at the UC Berkeley and Stanford dining halls.
Two of the Bay Area's best universities are getting high marks for their cuisine. Cal and Stanford have both been named among the Best Colleges for Food in America for 2013, according to a survey by The Daily Meal.
Both schools allow non-students to dine alongside students and faculty for reasonable prices. Cafeteria meals range from $8 for breakfast at Cal to $14 for dinner at Stanford.
What's on the menu might surprise people who graduated college more than 20 years ago. U.C. UC Berkeley's cafeterias feature Niman Ranch beef, sustainably-certified seafood, and an all-organic salad bar. "Mystery meat really went out in the early 90's," according to Cal's dining director, Sean LaPean.
"We try to emulate what everyone else in the restaurant business focuses on – and that's fresh, healthier-for-you foods, farm to table," said LaPean.
Cal officials estimate about five percent of the diners at its four dining halls are non-students. Among them, Sam Dahi, who wandered into Cal's Crossroad's Café by accident. "Everything tastes really good. I'm very happy," Dahi said.
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