This is my daughter’s second year at the same school. She is complaining they changed the food and that it’s terrible. My mom took her home after a recent game and said she was starved. She has snacks in her room but is not allowed a mini fridge. I told her to order more from Amazon if needed. I even reached out to the Dean to see if they changed things up with the dining service and she said no. Have you guys sent your children snack boxes? How can I help being 2.5 hours away?
What’s the structure of the dining options? Set, seated meal or cafeteria style? Many schools have a range of choices. At my kids’ school, in addition to a rotating selection of hot entrees, they always had a salad bar, make your own sandwich station, pasta bar, stir fry station, so if you didn’t like the main entrees of the day, there was always something to eat.
Problem with a lot of snack foods is nutritional content. She could use Amazon to order nuts, dried fruit, etc. but that gets pretty repetitious.
Does the dorm have a common fridge and kitchen for student use?
She said they have salad but the veggies are old. They have pasta which is ok that she will eat. Otherwise cafeteria style other than two sit downs per week. She has been eating peanut butter sandwiches in her room.
Yes dorm has a common fridge but no kitchen.
Is she normally a very picky eater? How are the other hundred kids in her class managing?
Can she order a takeout from nearby restaurants? You know, Chinese, pizza, etc. Other options are ramen noodle soups or mac-and-cheese if she can heat up water in the kitchen, or frozen dinners if there is a microwave. All of this can be ordered on Amazon. If there is a nearby town, she could buy some supplies to store in the fridge (lunchmeat, mayo, bread, lettuce) and make herself sandwiches. I hope you can find a good solution. Hungry is no fun…
If it was me, I’d want to get a handle on what the food is really like and whether she is being overly picky. Maybe you can arrange a day to go visit and eat a meal or two on a random day, not Parent’s Weekend.
I will say that eating out of the same institutional kitchen can get old, even when they make an effort and the quality is good. I know this from my own experiences with both school and corporate dining.
Ordering out is a short term option only IMO. Too expensive and not really healthy on a long term basis.
I would also encourage your daughter to make the most out of breakfast. It was always my kids favorite meal as they cooked eggs fresh to order, had plenty of fresh fruit, muffins and other breakfast pastries, oatmeal, yogurt, etc.
Most salad bars will have fruit and yogurt as well as an option.
Did she complain last year? It does seem that there must be a change.
Kids generally eat when they are hungry. Maybe she can load up when they have something she reallly likes. As said elsewhere usually, there are plenty of alternative like peanut butter and jelly and pizza, pasta and a broad range of things that appeal to kids. If she looks hard enough, there are probably staples there she can always eat as backup if she doesn’t like the main entrees that are offered.
Encourage her to befriend day students for home cooked meals. 
If she is eating peanut butter sandwiches in her room, could it be that she is avoiding something socially in the dining hall? Or is she just eating them as a supplement to the bit of salad and pasta that she finds palatable?
My DD’s school posts the menu online. I assume this school does not? Our school also has a food committee where students provide input.
*Dry beef. Literally just cut meat up in strips, soak it in whatever kinda marinade your kiddo likes, and hang in from the racks in your oven at low heat…let it dry for 8 hours or so. It will be leathery and tough…but really delicious, and healthy. Think beef jerky without the chemicals. It’s amazing stuff. My kid begs me to make her more. Stores safely for a few weeks at room temp in a sealed tupperware.
*Smoked salmon and cream cheese are great on crackers and go in the fridge easily.
*Nutrition shakes like Premiere Protein. 30g of protein for 160 calories. I like caramel the best. Stores at room temp.
*Nutrition bars like Clif Bars. My daughter swears by a lunch of a Clif bar and a piece of fruit. Stores at room temp.
*Canned peaches, individual apple sauce, mandarin oranges, packed in juice Stores at room temp.
*individually wrapped cheese sticks. Stores in fridge.
- low fat salami, low fat swiss, pumpernickle bread and a jar of pickles....a dorm favorite. Stores in fridge.
- a pack of pre-peeled hard boiled eggs. Stores in fridge.
Can’t she get PB&J in the dining hall? It’s what my picky son lives on.
Are you sure this is really about the food? Her reaction seems a bit extreme. Is she otherwise happy at school? Maybe connect with the dining hall on her behalf and give some specific examples of what she enjoyed last year that is missing this year. We are encouraged to connect with dining services to make suggestions and they will even provide customized options if requested but the families have to be proactive. They can’t help if you/she doesn’t ask. Good luck!
Food issues are rarely about food …