If "you are what you eat" were really true, thousands of freshmen would turn into slices of pizza after a few weeks at UF.
Fortunately, the campus features more than brick buildings and a great football team.
Thanks to the 34 on-campus places that serve food and drinks, students can, with a little knowledge, eat something different -maybe delicious-every day.
Whether you choose a meal plan, declining balance or decide to take the culinary plunge on your own in those tiny dorm kitchens, knowing your food options can ease the college transition and help you avoid the feared Freshman 15.
The first decision is whether to choose a meal plan, which maps out selected locations and meals, or declining balance, which is like a debit card that can be used anywhere on campus. Neither is mandatory, but some students like the options.
"I would recommend declining balance," sophomore Eric Hoppenworth said. "[The meal plans] get old pretty fast."
However, freshmen can look forward to two new meal plans that allow more flexibility, said Jill Rodriguez, the marketing manager at Gator Dining Services.
The five- and seven-day Open-Access Meal plans let students pick whether they want a full meal or just a snack at any dining hall. The Fresh Food Company at Broward Dining Hall now offers full-service espresso coffee and ice cream bars, she said.
"With your meal plan, you can go into the dining hall and get a cappuccino and go," Rodriguez said. "We also added Orange & Brew and Home Zone for meal plan swipes."
Hoppenworth, who works at Moe's on campus in the Racquet Club, said campus food is almost identical to food off campus, and while he wouldn't drive to campus just to eat, he always chooses to eat on campus if he's already there.
Hoppenworth admits he frequently eats at Moe's because of his job but prefers to eat at the Hub, which offers Chick-Fil-A, Quizno's, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Starbucks.
"The Hub is the best because it's got a good variety, and it's not too busy," he said. "It's way busier to eat at the Reitz."
The Racquet Club, located across from the academic advising center and in front of the Racquet Club gym, is usually quiet because it offers just two restaurants and is farther away from typical on-campus hot spots.
The Racquet Club's quieter atmosphere is coupled with restaurant-style dining, featuring Chili's Too and Moe's Southwest Grill.
"We were the first college campus in the United States to welcome a Moe's," Rodriguez said.
A sign in the middle of the dining facility touts that prices are equivalent to-and sometimes cheaper than-eating at the traditional counterparts, both located on Archer Road. Popular Chili's menu items like baby-back ribs, grilled chicken sandwiches and pitas are anywhere from 30 to 70 cents cheaper, saving not only on menu items but also gas money and the tipping associated with dining in a restaurant.
"Our national brand locations match the street prices you find off campus," Rodriguez said.
However, Chili's Too offers a very limited menu and won't satiate customers looking for Chicken Crispers or the Molten Chocolate Cake.
Starbucks is a popular choice for stressed out students looking to fuel study-filled nights with a grande mocha frappucino. The five on-campus Starbucks-located at the Reitz Union, the Levin College of Law, the Hub, Library West and Shands-guarantee students will get their caffeine fix.
While the Hub may be convenient, its Starbucks is more sluggish than than other locations because of its placement in the heart of the campus-the farther from the concentration of classroom buildings, the quicker the service.
For those looking for a meal in a less hectic setting, the Camellia Cafè offers a peaceful view of the Harn Museum of Art and soups, salads, sandwiches, tapas and desserts guaranteed to please the taste buds-albeit at a cost slightly higher than most on-campus food.
The Arredondo Cafè, located on the fourth floor of the Reitz Union, reopened during Summer A and offers an upscale menu without upscale prices and a panoramic view of campus.
The Reitz Union has the widest selection of food and is a popular place for students living on campus to eat dinner or grab a meal between classes.
The Reitz also features Taco Bell, Starbucks, Pollo Tropical, Subway and Freshëns. In addition, students can enjoy Home Zone, which features homestyle comfort food, as well as the Noodle Bar and The Orange & Brew, a campus coffee shop.
On a beautiful fall day when the weather has finally dipped below 90, enjoying Hare Krishna lunch on the Plaza of the Americas is a treat.
Krishna lunch, which is served every day rain or shine, offers vegetarian and vegan Indian-inspired dishes and includes dessert and a drink, all for $4. It's arguably the best deal on campus, both in taste and price.
Vegetarian offerings helped UF make PETA's Top 10 Best Vegetarian-Friendly Colleges in the U.S. for the past three years.
In addition to vegetarian, animal-friendly options, UF also focuses on sustainability through its reusable containers.
"Our reusable to-go container program allows us to reduce the 178,000 disposable clamshells used on campus each year," said Susie Lewis, the sustainability coordinator at Gator Dining Services. "It reduces waste while engaging our customers in a sustainable habit."
The program, which began in the spring, has about 400 active participants, Lewis said.
Students with a meal plan can join the program for free and others can join for a one-time $7 fee. The boxes can be used at campus dining facilities as well as Moe's and Home Zone.
The express food centers like those featured at Little Hall, Pugh Hall and Beaty Market offer prepackaged samplings of sandwiches, sushi, bottled drinks and more. For convenience, these places are foolproof, but in terms of a bargain, it's probably best to avoid these places and stock up at the grocery store instead.
On top of dorms, classes, books and that whole independence thing, it may seem hard to keep track of all the food options on campus. But knowing options besides a late-night pizza delivery (hint: call Five Star!) can keep you satisfied for every meal of the day.
