10 campus menu essentials: Meals to-go are here to stay

College and university campuses look very different this spring—no frisbee on the quad or concerts in the park—since coronavirus brought campus life-as-we-knew-it to a halt. But the students and staff who remain on campus today are finding nourishment and lifted spirits with the grab-and-go selections of creative campus chefs and cooks.

Which menu items are proving to be essential? Both healthy items and timeless comfort classics. For those still on campus, one particular day may call for a power bowl with grains and lean protein while another day is all about a homestyle casserole.

“Top sellers have been anything salmon, chicken and then mac ‘n cheese,” says Derrick Cripps, senior director of dining services at the University of North Texas, where the culinary team has also been testing out new items for the catering menu and creating fun theme days to “keep the focus on food” during this uncertain time. Here’s a look at some go-to menu items for colleges during COVID-19.

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