Have you ever found yourself craving filet mignon? Lobster? Pretty much anything that isn’t dining hall food?

Same.

Do you ever crave these things and then cry because you remember you have $3.27 to your name?

Same.

Fear not, friends.

This blog has introduced me to so many new things at Rutgers that I didn’t even know existed after being here for over four years. I know I’ve probably said this before. BUT it’s really shocking when you think you know everything about your home, then behind the next corner is something new.

Has anyone else heard of The Rutgers Club???

‘Cause I haven’t… well, now I have, but before I hadn’t.

For those of you who don’t know, The Rutgers Club is a fancy ass dining room above the Livingston Dining Commons. It’s a members-only dining service that provides, claims their website, “a unique collegiate and charming atmosphere.” 

So, like, if it’s members only… who cares?

I do! I care, and you will too just wait, because they offer Student Night every Monday for students with meal plans and guest swipes. They offer a healthier, less mass-produced dinner than typical of the regular dining halls. It usually includes some pasta, soups, salads, and other casual foods. It’s no Ritz-Carlton, but it’s a nicer, more secluded dining experience with just a swipe of your RUID. They even require reservations so you know it’s gotta be fancy. It’s allllll about the atmosphere, my friends.

You know what else?

This weekend I treated myself.

I went home to see my family and some friends. On Friday night, my best friend and I went to our favorite sushi spot and literally gorged ourselves on sushi.

I know what you’re thinking, right, where’d I get the cash to live in this luxury?

Here’s the thing: It’s all you can eat, high quality sushi for $23 a head. It used to be $20 but those snakes raised the price. Still, though, $23 and we had like 15 rolls of sushi between the two of us.

Maybe you don’t know what that means, but let me break it down. At a reasonably-priced sushi establishment, one roll (8 pieces of sushi) is about $6.

If the deal was only for sushi, we technically had about $90 worth of sushi for $46. But, it also includes appetizers and dessert. We probably had about $110 worth of food for $46.

I’m no mathematician, but that seems like a damn good deal.

Btw, it’s called Arigato in North Haledon for any of my North Jersey hoes.

I don’t have a specific recommendation here in the New Brunswick area, I’m kind of just flexing, but my point is: if you go to a place that’s all-you-can-eat, and listen close, EAT ALL YOU CAN EAT.

Don’t die, but like, get your money’s worth.

A lot of the time, where I find myself losing out on money is when I don’t take full advantage of what I’m paying for. A huge example of this is not finishing meals when I go out and not taking food home with me. If I’m paying $20+ dollars for as much sushi as I can eat, you better believe I’m gonna find a way to smuggle some of that sushi home and then order more.

The bottom line is that you don’t have to live off cheese and crackers (like I did for dinner last night). There are other reasonable options besides subjecting yourself to Brower for the sixth meal in a row. Explore what’s around you for good, cheap food, even food included in your meal plan.

Here’s a link to all the food options on campus, not just the dining halls, and those that accept meal swipes.

Happy hunting, friends.

xoxo broke, but satisfied