Trader Joe’s

For those of you who don’t like to eat out every night, rest assured, Boston has plenty of treats for you. From frozen meals to quick smoothies, eating in the dorm is not restricted to restaurants and dining halls. With the way the economy’s going, eating cheap seems to be the best option these days.
There are four easily accessible supermarkets around Boston University. Star Market ‘-‘- still Shaw’s in our hearts ‘-‘- has two locations, in West and South Campus. Star Market is conveniently open 24 hours per day for that late-night craving on your way home from Ashford Street. Johnnie’s Fresh Market, also in South Campus, is smaller and slightly more expensive, but it provides basically everything you might need. But if you’re going the supermarket route and you really want to do it right, we most recommend Trader Joe’s at Coolidge Corner. With organic, healthy offerings at a fairly inexpensive price, Trader Joe’s is a foodie’s heaven.
For the time-deprived and hungry, frozen food can be a good option ‘-‘- if you make the right choice. After some awful and other not-so-bad experiences, we’ve come up with a few proven dorm-friendly frozen meals. Like the name says, Healthy Choice makes some of the healthiest and freshest-tasting frozen meals. Their best offering is the steamer bowl in a bunch of different varieties, including steak, shrimp and chicken. In terms of lighter fare, the paninis from Lean Cuisine are filling and nutritious.
While these options are available in most supermarkets, the frozen food Trader Joe’s offers is uniquely created under its quality brand. With American, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Thai and more, these frozen foods are not your typical Stouffer’s. They don’t offer only meals, but also appetizers like spinach artichoke dip or pork dumplings. While it’s a slight trek to Coolidge Corner, Trader Joe’s is worth your while.
If you’re feeling slightly more adventurous and don’t want to just press ‘start’ on your microwave, a smoothie is a nutritious and sweet alternative to sodium-packed frozen meals. Rachael Ray’s Nut ‘n’ Honey Smoothie is light and low-maintenance. Just follow the recipe below for the perfect breakfast or afternoon snack.
With the changing weather and worsening economy, not wanting to leave the dorm is understandable. But don’t think you’re limited to bad food ‘-‘- just keep all your options in mind and pick wisely.
Smoothie Recipe
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups ice cubes
Using a blender, mix the almonds, milk, peanut butter and honey on high speed until smooth, about one minute. Add the ice cubes and blend until slushy, about 15 seconds.