No more mundane food, liven it up at Homewood!

With only three weeks of the school year under our belts, it’s surprising that it’s already possible to be sick of Levering salads, Sabra hummus snacks and Subway sandwiches. For some reason we don’t seem to get sick of late night Uni Mini mozzarella sticks and “specials with egg” in the same way. Whenever we waltz into Uni Mini past midnight, we are filled with excitement and enthusiasm of a new adventure into our own version of heaven. One that is chock full of hash browns, powdered donuts, chicken fingers and barbecue sauce. That being said, since most of us don’t frequent Uni Mini on a daily basis — and usually not in daylight — we have to look for ways to prevent the Levering salads from making us crazy.

Three weeks into the school year, the groceries we bought with our parents on move-in day have largely run out. Cereal boxes that now hold only a few dusty crumbs, which college budgets convince us we’ll eat eventually, continue to sit on our counters. When we wake up in the morning for our 9 a.m. class and, somewhat cross-eyed, fumble around for breakfast only to find that out of the eight cereal boxes in our kitchen none have any truly edible cereal inside. We then enter a state of anxiety about the suddenly high potential for stomach grumbles during our 9 a.m. lecture.

After a whole summer of fresh fruit and farmers’ produce at our fingertips, as well as effortless trips to our favorite take-out joints and neighborhood restaurants and even mom’s home cooking, most of us have been spoiled by our favorite foods. So it’s important that, as we fuel up for our sessions in the library, we find some of Baltimore’s best grub to sustain us.

The new café in Brody, Daily Grind, (Café Q 2.0) offers a whole new range of snack selections complete with a bright and airy seating area. Paying in J-cash makes this new spot almost too convenient. It’s perfect for a simple granola and yogurt pick-me-up, and it also offers a wide selection of sandwiches that range from egg salad to salmon with tartar sauce. There are samosas for those of us seeking variety and chocolate covered espresso beans that will save lives and sanity during exam week. The coffee menu is extensive and mouth-watering. One thing is for sure: the Java Chip blended drink is not for the faint of heart, but at the right moment, there is probably nothing better. My advice? Don’t skip the whip.

If you’re looking for groceries, Giant offers a better price than Eddies and CharMar for most things. As long as you’re willing to bear the weight of your groceries on the walk home (or manage to find yourself a ride), it’s an easy trip. If you time it right (meaning heading to Giant on Saturday morning between 7 a.m. and noon), you can swing by the 32nd Street Farmers’ Market for crêpes and handmade soaps or tie in a trip to Pete’s Grill for brunch. (Be sure to notice the tribute to devoted customer Michael Phelps!)

And don’t overlook the non-Hopkins options that are just steps away from pretty much anywhere you are! Get a side of Carma’s sesame noodles for $3.75 or take it to go and stash it in your fridge. (Warning: they are slightly spicier than last years!) Also take a trip to Freshii and explore the new self-serve froyo complete with self-serve toppings galore!

If you can’t bear to eat at a single one of the St. Paul, North Charles or campus locations for the millionth time, but leaving Charles Village is out of the question, look no further than the food trucks. An array of decorated trucks line the streets around campus, and the best part is, they come and go. Check out Chowhound for a burger...it’s on my to-do list too!