<p>This might be too trivial a topic, plus food has been discussed numerous times and in great details before, so apologies for my inability to find the answer I was looking for in previous threads hence starting another thread on this..,although maybe a bit different.</p>
<p>Do you have a lot of (if any at all) wholesome, "healthy" food choices at Caltech? I'm pretty sure there's low fat stuff, like dairy and salad dressing...but anything like whole wheat pasta/bread/bun? whole-grain/high fiber cereal? (I love whole wheat stuff) low fat/low sugar dessert?</p>
<p>Also I recall someone saying vegetarian/vegan food is reserved for vegetarian/vegan. Is this for dinner only? I'm neither, but I eat very little meat (most of which is fish), and I was just wondering how I can be spared from having salad every meal, since I'm not allowed to have vegetarian/vegan food.</p>
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Do you have a lot of (if any at all) wholesome, "healthy" food choices at Caltech?
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<p>Unfortunately, I think the answer is no. The pasta, bread, and whole-grain food here is generally on low supply, and of poor quality. </p>
<p>If you want to eat healthy and have a good diet (easier said than done for me!), you'll probably have to shop at Trader Joe's, Pavilion's, and/or drive to the Asian farmers' market. </p>
<p>It's not as bad as it sounds, since the first two are within comfortable walking distance, but I doubt you'll find what you're looking for at Caltech. If you do...let me know!</p>
<p>I don't think Platero will have any problem with lunches, and breakfast cereal he can keep in room. As I'm not a student, I'll let others address the dinners.</p>
<p>The food and the choices look pretty good. As a parent, my only concern would be about food on the weekends, but I hear that many students get take-out, some get food delivered, while others walk over a few blocks to nearby restaurants.</p>
<p>Let me assure you, that link is extremely misleading.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong; the food at Caltech was far better than what alumni told me, and there's an abundance of food regardless of one's appetitie, but if you're looking for a healthy, balanced, athlete's diet, you're not going to find it on campus.</p>
<p>How is it misleading SilvaRua? The menus posted seem pretty accurate. </p>
<p>Of course, dinner is definitely not very healthy but I think the menus reflect this. On the other hand, Chandler does have some decent healthy options.</p>
<p>While they do a great job of prominently featuring all the "fruits and vegetables" included in the menus, as well as featuring a lush, fresh picture of each on the top of each page, they omit to mention that many of them are simply of poor, questionable quality, and are better off not being eaten. </p>
<p>It's pretty much impossible for anyone who has spent at least a term at Caltech to argue that the school has "fresh fruits and vegetables" while maintaining a straight face.</p>
<p>I ate fruit and vegetables (from the salad bar) reasonably often during the year and I never had a problem with their freshness. I mean, they didn't have a huge or amazing variety for dinner, but what they had wasn't bad. </p>
<p>As for the fruits and vegetables offered at breakfast/lunch in Chandler, they are VERY good. Have you ever had the strawberries and cantaloupe in the morning? Delicious.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm just not as particular as you are when it comes to such things.</p>
<p>Rather than listening to two people argue about it, I urge anyone who comes to Caltech to do the following;</p>
<p>Eat some of the "fresh" fruits and vegetables Caltech offers, then buy the same exact stuff at Trader Joe's. If you think the two taste the same, then you're probably in Tom's camp. </p>
<p>If you think the Trader Joe's fruit and vegetables are superior, then you agree with myself and at least 90% of the undergrads I've talked to here. </p>
<p>Super Focus</p>
<p>Do not, under any circumstances, eat Caltech apples. You can thank me later.</p>
<p>Thanks for all replies...(.."and breakfast cereal he can keep in room"...just to clarify, I'm a she ^^)</p>
<p>so I guess I'll just have to do some shopping myself and leave some of the 400 bucks on my card unspent. btw what can I do with the extra money since it doesn't roll over? give it to someone who's running low as a Christmas gift?</p>
<p>I'll keep in mind all your wise advice about the fruit and vegetables, including lizzadfire's, and I'll go and see for myself..but you are allowed to get veggie burgers even if you're not a vegetarian/vegan, right? (I can't imagine they can be so mean as to prohibit this)</p>
<p>and lizzardfire, if I recall correctly you're a girl (and I remorsefully beg for your forgiveness if I'm wrong), so why TOM?</p>
<p>It's been a year since I've been on campus, but I had no issue with the fruits and vegetables on campus. I'm also not really a fan of Trader Joe's, especially with respect to vegetables, and do my shopping at Pavilions.</p>
<p>Yea, I'm a guy. It's true that my name is Tom, too. That being said, I would appreciate it if you would stop calling me by my name, SilvaRua. I'd prefer to have some slight control over who knows my name on the internet and who does not (yes, I realize that someone sufficiently motivated could discover it on their own, but I'd probably just tell them if they asked anyway).</p>
<p>The other thing, SilvaRua, is that this is not a black and white issue. I'd agree that the fruit is better at the store (although like dLo, I prefer Pavilions to Trader Joe's except for sashimi grade Ahi... yum) so in that respect I agree with you. </p>
<p>My point was simply that I find Caltech fruits edible / decent (in my opinion). I've even eaten the apples! Of course they aren't as lush/amazing as they are on the website, so you're right that a certain amount of misrepresentation has taken place, but this amount seems rather normal to me for American restaurants / places of eating.</p>
<p>Edit: Damn that IHOP with it's STRAWBERRY FUNNEL CAKE GOODNESS!</p>
<p>Again, it's completely unnecessary to argue with me about this. </p>
<p>I gave my opinion on the food. You, for whatever reason, started arguing about it, instead of simply giving your own opinion, and leaving it at that. (as if my opinion would change) </p>
<p>Platero has now heard both sides. He'll come to Caltech, and have his own chance to form an opinion, whether it be about Caltech fruits and vegetables, Pavilions, or Trader Joe's. </p>
<p>Personally, I find Caltech apples to be completely inedible and a few weeks past expiration date, but that's just me. </p>
<p>I consider the meals that they actually prepare (hamburgers, omelets, chicken, steak, etc.) decent, while the fruits and vegetables are not.</p>
<p>I'm afraid I don't quite understand your posts sometimes, SilvaRua. In both my posts I made it clear I was simply giving my opinion--especially in my post #14 "I find...in my opinion" </p>
<p>I don't see why you think I'm arguing with you. In addition, I don't see why you think that I'm trying to change your opinion. I'm simply providing an opinion that contrasts your own. </p>
<p>In any case, I should state that it certainly wasn't my intention to do the above mentioned things (arguing/changing opinion). I apologize if you felt it was.</p>
<p>Thank you all...In all this confusion I find it necessary to do three things:</p>
<p>1) to apologize to lizzardfire profusely for mistaking him as a female;
2) to clarify again that I am a female;
3) to ask "Will anyone kindly pay attention to and address any of my concerns in post#10 (well except for the last one)"?</p>
<p>the way board works is that dinners are paid for in advance and you get about $400 of card money (i.e. money that's put on your student ID and you swipe your card to spend) for lunches at various on-campus restaurants and food from the on-campus convenience store (c-store). Lunches are always great and there are lots of actually fresh fruits and veggies at Chandler in the morning and afternoon. The c-store also has lots of drinks and snacks and what seemed to me to be fresh fruits. So spending the $400 shouldn't be a problem at all because there is plenty of good food to spend it on.</p>
<p>As for dinners, those are already paid for automatically (that's where the rest of the $900 board fee goes), so you can eat what you want. If you wish to supplement this with food from local markets, you can do that, but it doesn't involve foregoing dinner (or its cost). If you find fruits and veggies you like at the c-store (though they will be overpriced) you can buy those with your card money.</p>
<p>There are veggie burgers whenever there are burgers, and a vegetarian option whenever there are steaks, and anyone who wants to can eat them. Sometimes you'll be asked in advance by your house headwaiter so they can bring the appropriate amount of each kind of food, but that's as far as it goes. Nobody will check your vegetarian ID card.</p>
<p>Does that make sense? Ask if anything is still unclear.</p>
<p>Btw, I agree that it's bad form to use someone's first name online without permission. :)</p>
<p>If you want veggies/fruits... Souplantation on Lake St. is your friend. $8.76 for an all you can eat salad bar. They usually have a nice selection of fruits too. I try to go there at least once a week because I wouldn't get enough veggies otherwise (I'm off the board plan).</p>
<p>Has it opened again since the salmonella poisoning? </p>
<p>I went there at least twice a week before (tremendous value, with lots of soups, some even containing chicken and meat), but shutting down twice in six months because of serious health concerns? </p>