Hungry newbies, listen up. Whether you're a freshman, a transfer student or just not real observant, you'll need to learn the tricks to eating well (or at least cheap) here at UW-Madison. Our fine isthmus abounds in classy cuisine options, but that hardly matters when you're stuck in the dorms and dirt poor. Never fear-the Cardinal comes through with a few food guidelines to dull the pain when you're missing Mom's free cooking.
Dorm food isn't THAT bad
You may eventually tire of the rotating schedule of chicken products and noodle bars, but at least the food courtesy of University Housing is tolerable. The cafeterias offer a variety of entr??es, from soups to casseroles, meat to vegetarian, Tex-Mex to African. If you don't like the ready-made options, you can always make your own sandwich or salad-although these can be pricey-and you'll quickly learn which cafeterias stock your favorite salad bar ingredients.
Liz Waters is universally recognized as the best all-around cafeteria and it has the shortest lines, so make a trek there even if your classes don't bring you to the lakeshore.
Ordering out? Try the dorm delivery service
So, you're hungry for something fatty, bread-y or sauce-laden at 11 p.m.? So are 90 percent of your peers, and they keep those Gumby's guys pretty busy. Plus, you have to pay for your order in cash, and tips can be hard to negotiate when you're splitting the cost of a pizza with half your dorm floor. Solution: Carson's Carryout or Ed's Express. Carson's takes delivery orders until 11:30 p.m., and Ed's will take them until midnight. Both feature a variety of substantial snacks like personal pizzas, breadsticks, subs and wraps. Even better, you can place your order online and pay with your WisCard (invisible money!).
Two words: Free food
It's everywhere-if you're alert enough to look for it. Especially during these first few weeks of school, kickoff meetings and welcome activities abound, and the organizers know you'll show if they provide vittles. So go and graze even if you're not sure you're up for belly dancing, or your conservative upbringing makes you cringe at the very mention of College Democrats-principles and integrity mean squat in the face of free pizza.
Also, don't forget your folks are a superb source of free nourishment. When they visit and offer to take you out to dinner, steer them toward the nicer places on State Street you can't normally afford to go to (like Tutto Pasta, 305 State St., or the Essen Haus, 514 E. Wilson St.). Ask if you can bring a friend, who will be eternally grateful. And hold onto everyone's leftovers for dear life.
Hail the Farmers' Market
What's worth rolling out of bed earlier than 2 p.m. on a non-football Saturday? Definitely the weekly Dane County Farmer's market. Go early in the semester to soak up the sun as you walk up State Street with the rest of Madison, wait for autumn apples and warm cider, or visit it religiously every week-just go. The outdoor market lasts until Nov. 3 and is the city's best source of fresh fruits and veggies, cheeses and even cut flowers to brighten up your Union poster sale-decorated dorm.
Ian's Pizza is (not at all secretly) the best
Yes, everyone loves Ian's, 319 N. Frances St., and goes there drunk, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't too.?? With topping options that include Mac and Cheese, Steak and Fries, and Barbeque Chicken and Pineapple, you can try a different variety every time you go. Two-seventy-five a slice is a hefty price to pay but you get your money's worth, and $10 will get you a 20\ pepperoni pie-three good meals, at least.
Union Food ain't cheap
You'd think the large student population would make the Union's pumpkin muffins and chicken sandwiches reasonably priced, but you'd be wrong. Limit your Rathskeller purchases to time emergencies or the occasional Friday night beer on the Terrace, and treat the Lakefront Cafe like a real restaurant (pricey and requiring a wait).
But Babcock ice cream is
And you should eat copious amounts of it during your tenure at Madison. There aren't too many colleges that make their own dairy products on campus, but we're lucky enough to have our own cows, our own milk and, consequently, our own luscious brand of ice cream. Try the newest flavor, Union Utopia, or a classic like Orange Chocolate Chip-or both, since multiple scoops only cost a few cents more.
Give the food carts a shot
Yes, the boxy carts on Library Mall look sketchy, and you may only be able to decipher their handwritten menus with the help of a translator, but that's no reason to shun them. They provide some wordly culinary variety and a tasty excuse to escape the dungeons of Memorial Library on a sunny afternoon.
To fund your lunchtime splurge, opt for the ATM inside Memorial rather than the machines next to the bookstore, which are usually either broken or backed up with long lines.
Make friends with upperclassmen
Besides being in your best interest socially, this will allow you to get out of the dorm. At the houses or apartments of your pals with seniority, you can partake in grillouts and other home-cooked meals.
No friends with their own digs? Try to use your dorm kitchen at least once during the semester and have your own ""family meal"" with friends. Especially around the holidays and the stress of finals, it's fun and cheap to pitch in for a big, starchy, comfort-food filled dinner.
Catacombs is underutilized
Catacombs, 731 State St., has daily $2.50 vegetarian lunch specials that are always unique as well as filling, and it sells excellent bakery and coffee at rock-bottom prices.
