Posts Tagged ‘gluten free’

The Superior Grocery Store

Monday, July 12th, 2021

I became a vegetarian in the 7th grade. The dietary restrictions that accompanied my new lifestyle were not so difficult to navigate since I was still living at home where my parents cooked for me and provided me with other nutritional sources. However, once I ventured into the world of independence and limited college food choices, I had to figure out the best and most affordable ways to nourish myself.  As a freshman at NYU, every student is required to select a meal plan.  Although the meal plan appeals to many, especially since it includes the infamous Chick Fil A restaurant, there are still many other students who struggle with finding vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or gluten-free options. 

When I started at NYU, I attempted to use the meal plan and tried to meet my 14 weekly swipe option. However,  I quickly realized there were very limited choices for me. As I walked into the dining hall known for the most options, I was hopefully optimistic. My eyes gazed at all of the different food options. I soon realized that most of the vegetables were cooked with meat. As I took a closer look into each of the tins, I saw that most options that were deemed to be “healthy” were cooked in unhealthy oils and other sauces that were not appealing. I had to eat something, and I already paid for the meal plan, so I had to try to survive off of what I saw. I thought my safest option was to go to the salad bar. I was hoping most salad bars include a multitude of ripe-looking vegetables and various options for protein. As I placed my order, my options included a choice of lettuce, what looked to be spoiled vegetables, mystery cheese, and no protein. None of those options appealed to me. For the first few weeks, I did indeed survive off of lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes. 

As I ate that I tried to survive off of the limited options especially since I am a  college student on a budget, but quickly realized this was not going to work. Besides the limited amount of money that I had, there was also limited space to store various vegetables, fruits, and even snacks since you are typically sharing a mini-fridge with your roommate. I had to find a way to be creative! Luckily, this is when I discovered Trader Joes, a well-known grocery store, located right near my dorm on 14th street between 3rd and 4th avenue. This is a prime location for every NYU college student as it’s a 5-10 minute walk from most dorms. 

“Trader Joe’s Union Square – Grocery Store (540).” Grocery Store on 142 E 14th St in New York, NY. Web. 12 July 2021.


This store is especially known for being super affordable for quality produce and snacks. As a college student surviving in a small dorm with limited cooking options, I found out that Trader Joe’s has a section dedicated to pre-made, pre-packaged food, ranging from veggie wraps to salads and bowls, for meat lovers, vegans,  and vegetarians. The options are endless.

“10 Must Haves Items From Trader Joe’s: Trader Joes Frozen Food, Trader Joes Food, Trader Joes Dinner.” Pinterest. Web. 12 July 2021.

Trader joes also has a bunch of affordable pre-packaged nuts, snacks, and freezer foods that are ready to heat up and be devoured. Their snacks especially were key because they are made with more whole ingredients, and also came in good sizes to store in the tiny dorm room spaces. Since many college students have microwaves along with mini-fridges in their dorms, this is a viable option. Overall, I overcame my journey to find edible meals, and instead found other various delectable meals! Those delicious meals then were options that I told my friends about that soon spread throughout campus for any college student with those dietary needs or not to eat healthy, pre-made, nutritious food at all times.

By: Hanna Mandel

Hanna Mandel studies Drama at NYU Tisch in hopes of being on the big screen one day. She hopes to venture into writing, directing, and producing. She loves to travel and explore new places, as well as trying new foods!

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Cultural Cuisine: Eating Your Way Around the World

Monday, October 6th, 2014

Writer and traveler Deborah Cater once said, “You have to taste culture to understand it”—and she wasn’t wrong. When you go to a foreign country and choose to eat only foods you are familiar with then you’re doing yourself a disservice. Traveling is all about trying new things—and food is one of the most important ones. In China, there are so many unique local dishes to try so you shouldn’t let fear of the unknown get in the way of experiencing the country like the locals do.

Sure we’ve all gone to our local Chinese takeout place and have ordered the pork Lo Mein or General Tso Chicken, but if you take the time to explore the country you’ll find non-Americanized Chinese food that’s definitely worth a try.

One of the most popular dishes to try if you find yourself in Beijing is the Peking Duck. This famous dish has been prepared since the imperial era and is served with steamed pancakes and eaten with scallion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce. Traditionally the meat is sliced thin by the cook right in front of you, which is definitely fun to watch. Two of the most notable restaurants are Quanjude and Bianyifang in Beijing, China.

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A chef prepares to carve a Peking Duck.

Peking Duck is traditionally served on a duck shaped plate.

Peking Duck is traditionally served on a duck shaped plate.

 

We all know that Italy is famous for their pasta; but did you know that the world’s oldest known noodles were actually discovered along the Yellow River in China? Dating back to roughly 4000 years BP, noodles have been a staple food in China—and watching hand pulled noodles being made is definitely something to go see if you visit. Hand pulled noodles, or Lamian, is made by stretching and folding the dough into strands. This unique method of making noodles originated in China and dates back to 1504. Lamian literally means pull or stretch, lā, (拉), noodle, miàn (麵) and watching a professional noodle chef pull noodles is a tourist attraction in itself!

The process of preparing hand pulled noodles is so quick that it happens in a blur!

The process of preparing hand pulled noodles is so quick that it happens in a blur!

Whether you’re traveling to China, or any other country, make sure that if you have food allergies you are well prepared. The chefs know what ingredients they use to prepare their food with and a language barrier shouldn’t stop you from being safe. Having a restaurant card is a great way to stay safe, and still be able to enjoy many of the delicious unique foods available. The card clearly states in another language the types of food you are not allowed to eat and your servers and chefs can take it from there.

Gluten-Free restaurant card picture taken from www.chinahighlights.com/

Gluten-Free restaurant card picture taken from www.chinahighlights.com/

Also, take the time to find out if the water is safe to drink in your country of origin. Often times it’s just easier to choose to drink only bottled water for the duration of your stay. You know it’s clean and safe, and you definitely don’t want to get sick while studying abroad!

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Sam Levitz is a graduate of Brooklyn College and went on the CUNY Study Abroad trip to China the summer of 2013. Follow her on Instagram: slevitz

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