4 New England Schools Among The Best For College Food

As we get deeper into spring, many students will begin to receive college acceptance letters. Of course, numerous factors go into making such an educational decision. In our region, four New England schools were recognized for being among the best for college food.

This begs the question, does dining options come into consideration when thinking about your college experience? It's fair to say this topic is certainly not at the top of this list.

Nonetheless, cuisine and nutrition should certainly be taken seriously when considering the next few years of your life. What dining options do you have? How healthy are your food choices? Where do you have to go to eat? Lastly, how does dining factor into your budget?

As you can see, Massachusetts is highly regarded for its college food. Two schools in the top 25 is quite admirable. Furthermore, UMass Amherst has developed quite a reputation over the years for having such great food options.

"With food offered across four residential dining commons, 12 eateries at the Campus Center, over twenty cafes, The University Club, Concessions, two food trucks, and their Catering Department, you’ll be sure to have options for when you grab a meal with friends or are running to class hungry," College Transitions states.

The Princeton Review also ranked UMass Amherst as the top college for food.

It's standard that every college, university and campus has a dining hall option. Many schools based in a more metro area are filled with fast food restaurants in close proximity. Sure, spending $5 on a combo meal will save you money and allow your resources to be allocated elsewhere, but is that the best decision?

Nowadays, colleges are putting more attention and detail into the quality and delivery of their food options.

"You’ll find that certain colleges directly implement their principles into how they source their food, whether that’s via sustainability efforts or in their offerings of both local and global cuisine to support independent businesses," College Transitions said.

It's also important to consider when and why you are choosing to frequent such eating establishments at school. How meals fit into your routine should be based on healthy efforts rather than what is most convenient. Understandably, that is not always as easy as it sounds for a busy college kid.

For example, if you are an athlete who has classes early in the day so that you can attend practice in the afternoon, is there a reasonable meal available in the morning to start your day? Conversely, perhaps you work a full-time job while at school and need to review your dinner choices at 8:30 p.m.

What's available eat throughout the day or even into the late night is also fair to examine when laying out all the options.

As a father of four, my mornings are always a bit hectic. I enjoy being an early bird; however, I rarely have the time to prep a good breakfast. Therefore, I was quite thrilled to see that Tasting Table recognized three New England restaurants for having the best breakfast sandwiches in the country. I'm always looking for a good quick breakfast.

A morning in my world usually consists of a sunrise workout, followed by a scramble to get myself and the kids out of the house. Then I embark on an hour-long drive to the office. On the weekends, it's taking one of my kids to their sports game. Let's focus on the latter for a moment.

While I am more lenient on my breakfast choice (a banana or shake will do), I insist upon a healthy start for the little guys. Driving them all around New England on weekends requires a few drive-thru meals that you eat in the car. My preference is for the kids to have something substantial, with a protein they enjoy. A breakfast sandwich is often the choice.

The perfect breakfast sandwich should follow three simple rules. It's quick, both to order and make. It's fresh (not a microwaved egg slab pulled out of plastic). Finally, it's a balanced hand-held item that is not too heavy, processed or sugar-filled.

When trekking through interstates and unfamiliar towns at sunrise, it's easy to settle upon the quickest Dunkin' Donuts. Now, there are some other options that you (and I) should know about. These three New England restaurants ranking among the best breakfast sandwiches in the country.

Before we get into the list, it is necessary to give one other shout-out. The Portland, Oregon establishment named by Tasting Table has both the best restaurant and sandwich name. The "Yolko Ono" by Fried Egg I'm In Love.

Sofra Bakery and Café in Cambridge, MA, is the first stop. Tasting Table calls out "Geno's Egg Sandwich." This is a brioche bun filled with egg topped with halloumi cheese, feta butter, tomato concasse, and spicy green cilantro.

Next, we hop on 95 North and pull into the Elephantine Bakery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Here the selected breakfast sandwich is called the "Egg Simit." It's the healthiest of the three choices based on pure ingredients. This sandwich consists of egg, hummus, beat pistachio spread, feta, and spinach on a sesame simit.

I actually had a very hard time securing a quick bacon, egg, and cheese this past spring while in Maine for a lacrosse tournament. Now I know I need to go to a coffee shop next time. Tandem Coffee has something so good, it doesn't even need a clever name. "The Breakfast Sandwich" is simply egg, American cheese, and smoked paprika. However, when you rest it upon a homemade buttermilk biscuit, you reach a new level.