Hamilton’s. Hamilton’s is a place where you can get food. Sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s not. I am a vegetarian and have been one for about four years now, so I’m pretty accustomed to a meatless palette these days. That being said, I’m not a great cook, and even if I were, I don’t have the money or time to do it consistently. For this reason, Hamilton’s is a necessity, and I think most students here understand that. We all complain, but we all go anyway. We have to. Beggars can’t be choosers, but as my options for dinner are somewhat more limited than the majority, I’ve grown to be more judgemental, especially concerning the nutritional values available to me.
Starting out with something positive, there’s more variety than you might think. There are always fruit and vegetables, with plenty of spinach to keep iron levels high in lieu of red meat. There are also yogurts and nuts, which are a nice touch. Of course, this is all part of a balanced diet already, stuff everyone should be eating anyway. The main concern is protein, and without meat, the options are quite limited. Hamilton’s seems to have plenty of tofu, and it’s sometimes good, like when it’s made into chorizo or doused in butter sauce. However, besides the blandness, which is just standard for tofu, most of the time it’s tough, clearly reheated, and, honestly, depressing. It’s like eating a football. I understand Bon Appetit recooks food in order to waste less, and I agree with that practice wholeheartedly, but it’s rough out there, man.
Other than tofu, there are various nuts and occasionally plant-based meat, which I can appreciate. The black bean burgers, however, have been terrible this semester so far. I don’t know if they got new ingredients or changed the grill, but they are typically burnt and tough. It’s unfortunate, because they were always very good in previous semesters. The saving grace these days are the hard-boiled eggs. The idea of eating one will never not be funny to me, but they are quite delicious and filling. They’re high in protein and calories, making them ideal for any vegetarian meal. This extends to the scrambled eggs at brunch too, which are usually pretty good. Back to the hard-boiled eggs, they go well with a salad or you can make yourself an egg sandwich, so I am grateful for them. Did I mention they’re funny?
So if we tally up the score it’s… not terrible. I can imagine there are worse kitchens out there. We should be eternally grateful for the privilege of having easy access to food and water, something a lot of people in the world don’t have. And to share it in a community where we are trained and educated for our future? Things could be much worse. That being said, the meat industry is a business built on slaughter and mutilation, and it destroys the environment and impoverishes millions of people across the globe, enslaving them to the U.S. dollar. Do I think you should care? Yes. Is it too late to go back? Probably. Anyway, I’m in no position to judge. I just don’t think chicken tastes that good.
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