With the absence of a four-course meal at Slippery Rock University, most students are craving their favorite homemade meal by the end of the first few of school weeks. The average college student’s meals now consist of Ramen Noodles, Starbucks and maybe a slice of pizza from Rocky’s before running off to Bailey Library to start studying. If you’re like most busy students, you are usually running out of your dorm or apartment eating that 90-calorie granola bar as you speed to class.
With the ending of Family Weekend in mind, Boozel Dining Hall has set out to create some family favorites for our students here on campus. AVI has sought out “Recipes from Home” from students and their families over this previous weekend. They will be serving dishes throughout this weekend into the following week of favorite home cooked meals. Their goal is to make students feel like they are “home away from home.”
This weekend will consist of serving some old family recipes and help students continue to carry on traditions while being away from home. AVI will be doing their best at replicating some famous home-cooked meals for our students this weekend. The inspiration for these meals has come from the feedback of students and their families from the results of Family Weekend. Talking to students all over campus, the ideal “home-cooked meal” will be displayed in Boozel for the next several days. They want to accquire some delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner specials for all the students at Slippery Rock. Thinking outside of the box was a challenge, but students will be in for a treat in these up-coming days.
Stuffed shells, rolls, chicken dumplings, and grape leaves are just a few home-cooked favorites from our student body here at Slippery Rock University. Let’s be honest, food plays an enormous role in the majority of student’s lives. The fast food McDonald’s and on-campus meals don’t always cut it for the taste buds. After the seventh day in a row of Bob’s Subs, your stomach is probably asking for something much different. Many students have certain traditions for special events and holidays where they eat certain types of food creations. Ethnic backgrounds also play a part of food choices and upheld traditions.
Good food means good conversation at the Nulph residence.Sophomore special education and elementary education major Stephany Nulph, 19, said her love of stuffed shells, garlic bread and salad on the dinner table takes first place in the race for her favorite home-cooked meal.
“No family traditions go along with our meal, we just love making Italian food,” she said.
Experimenting with food is also a favorite hobby around special holidays like Christmas for freshman psychology major Rex Gregory, 18. Gregory said he misses his mother’s “stuffin muffins” which are made for Thanksgiving in his family. Another tradition that has been upheld throughout the years when visiting with his grandmother.
“She always has a plate of sweet rolls ready for us because those are the absolute favorites of everyone in the family,” Gregory says.
For junior public relations major Jessica Horgos, 20, her family’s heritage influences what’s on the dinner table.
“It’s the chicken and dumplings I miss the most,” she said.
Her family celebrates their Polish and Slovakian heritage while eating home cooked dumplings, she said.
In other cultures, food choices are much more diverse from the regular pizza and ice cream that Americans would prefer.
Senior resort recreation and hospitality management major, Ghasoub (Zaid) Shehab, 21, is an international student from Syria.
My favorite food from back home is grape leaves that are filled with rice and ground meat.” Shebab said, “This plate is served when all family is around since it is a great meal and everyone should enjoy it!”
Shebab also states that respect and importance of family is demonstrated by the food they serve.
“To show people who are invited to your home for lunch that they are important to you or you care about them, you serve them grape leaves.”
