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Alien invasion-themed special event at Tulane University creates out of this world dining experience

Cram Jam features funky outer space snacks, sips and fun straight outta Area 51, providing the ultimate escape for 1,400 stressed-out students. Check out the amazing menu items, costumes and props.

Tara Fitzpatrick, Senior Editor

January 2, 2020

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Finals week means serious stress for many students at Tulane University, so the dining team has created a distraction of the alien kind with the Cram at the Commons: Area 51 Edition/Cram Jam, a late-night event that helped take the finals blues away by turning the focus to the bigger universe out there, with alien costumes, glittery makeup stations from a local company and, of course, a menu with out-of-this-world items.

The space was set up with space-themed study snacks such as “Saturn’s rings” onion rings, moon pizza bagels, Area 51 hummus, rocket fuel hot chocolate, aliens in a blanket and many more snacks and treats, all focused on what would happen if aliens invaded campus. The event was a huge hit, shared widely on social media thanks to the cute props (love those inflatable aliens!), and about 1,400 students got to blast off from reality for just a while.

About the Author

Tara Fitzpatrick

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group

Tara Fitzpatrick is Food Management’s senior editor and a contributor to Restaurant Hospitality and Nation’s Restaurant News, creating editorial content for digital, print and events. Tara holds a bachelor of science degree from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Kent State University. Before joining Food Management in 2008, Tara was associate editor at National Association of College Stores in Oberlin, Ohio. Prior to that, Tara worked as a newspaper reporter in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, where she lives now. Tara is a fan of food history, legends, lore, ghost stories, urban farming and old cookbooks. 

Tara Fitzpatrick’s areas of expertise include the onsite foodservice industry (K-12 schools, colleges and universities, healthcare and B&I), menu trends, sustainability in foodservice, senior dining, farm-to-table and innovation.

Tara Fitzpatrick is a frequent webinar and podcast host and has served on the board of directors for IFEC (International Food Editors Consortium).

Tara Fitzpatrick’s experience:

Senior Editor, Food Management (Feb 2008-present)

Associate Editor, National Association of College Stores (2005-2008)

Reporter, The Morning Journal (2002-2005)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-fitzpatrick-4a08451/

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