Trying to avoid the freshman fifteen or looking to continue or start a better diet? At Penn State, there are several dining options located on and off-campus that offer tasty and healthy dishes from salads to sandwiches to fruit bowls. These student favorites can help you maintain or improve your current health situation during your time at State College.
Check out these dining options that keep you feeling healthy and clean through the stress of spring semester.
1. Roots Natural Kitchen
Address: 270 East Beaver Avenue, State College
Mobile App: Yes
Meal Points not accepted
Lion Cash accepted
Roots offers a menu full of items with all-natural ingredients including gluten and dairy-free as well as vegan options. Choose from a variety of signature salads and grain bowls or create your own. Roots “tastes amazing and is actually healthy,” said Aditi Pallod, a Penn State freshman. A State College favorite, Roots is perfect for a mid-day lunch or a post-workout dinner.
2. Chipotle Mexican Grill
Address: 116 Heister Street, State College
Mobile App: Yes
Meal Points not accepted
Lion Cash accepted
Only using fresh ingredients with no processed or artificial additives to make its burritos and burrito bowls, Chipotle is a delicious and healthy option for Penn Staters and clearly a favorite — evident by the always long line. Beat this line by ordering with the mobile app. Chipotle offers pick-up and delivery services. “People that want to eat plant-based meals or become vegetarian can find several tasty options at Chipotle,” freshman Emily Romberger said. No matter the wait, Chipotle is worth it for a delectable healthy meal.
3. Panera
Address: Curtin Road at Visual Arts Building; 148 South Allen Street, State College
Mobile App: Yes
Meal Points accepted at Curtin Road location
Lion Cash Accepted
Salads, sandwiches, soups, mac and cheese and of course…bread bowls. Panera offers so many fresh choices along with thirst-quenching drinks like teas and lemonades. Both locations also offer great atmospheres to study and get some work done if you’re tired of the library or your room.
4. Frutta Bowls
Address: 262 East Beaver Avenue
Mobile App: Yes
Meal Points not accepted
Lion Cash accepted
Basically a hybrid combination of Jamba Juice, Panera and Starbucks; Frutta Bowls offers a menu featuring a variety of items, including acai bowls, kale bowls, toasts, coffee and smoothies. You taste the freshness in every bite or sip of Frutta Bowls’ creations and you feel healthy doing so.
5. Jamba Juice
Address: HUB
Mobile App: Yes
Meal points and Lion Cash accepted
Jamba Juice is famous for its delicious fruit smoothies, but it also makes acai and oatmeal bowls as well as breakfast bites, pretzels and flatbreads. “I love Jamba Juice because it’s super convenient, being that it’s located right at the HUB,” senior Ethan Freiss said. “I stop here between classes for a quick, healthy smoothie. Prices are reasonable and I prefer this place because it is a great option for on-the-go dining.” This is the perfect snack or lunch source to fuel a study session in the HUB or to grab a drink on the way to class.
6. Hibachi San
Address: HUB
Mobile App: Yes
Meal Points and Lion Cash accepted
Hibachi San indeed does have healthy choices. With the option to order an already created dish or create your own Japanese meal, Hibachi San provides Penn State students with a unique kind of Asian cuisine. “Hibachi San is a great healthy place to eat because the ingredients are simple and fresh,” freshman Rachael Frew said. Next time you’re at the HUB, switch it up and order from Hibachi San.
7. Subway
Address: 100 South Burrowes Street
Mobile App: Yes
Meal points not accepted
Lion Cash accepted
Name a more classic healthy lunch choice than Subway. There seems to be one in every town and State College is no different. When in doubt, if you’re looking for a healthy meal, Subway never fails. Whether you want a salad, a sub or even those delicious cookies (they might not be healthy but they sure are delicious), Subway has you covered.
8. Chick-fil-A
Address: HUB
Mobile App: Yes
Meal Points and Lion Cash accepted
Considered by most to be the healthiest “fast food” option, Chick-Fil-A is a Penn State student favorite, evident by the always long line at its location in the HUB. No matter the wait or the place, Chick-Fil-A’s chicken nuggets, waffle fries and that classic Chick-Fil-A sauce never fails to make you feel better about eating fast food. It truly does taste amazing.
9. McAlister’s Deli
Address: HUB
Mobile App: Yes
Meal Points and Lion Cash accepted
Most Penn State students have not eaten at McAlister’s Deli, but the truth is it’s one of the best healthy food options in State College. The club sandwiches are to die for and the salads are very tasty. Next time you’re at the HUB and you don’t feel like waiting in line for Chick-Fil-A or you want to try something new, order something from McAlister’s.
10. Soup and Garden
Address: HUB
Mobile App: No
Meal Points and Lion Cash accepted
Essentially the salad bar at the HUB, Soup and Garden is perfect for those of all taste pallets who enjoy creating their own salads. You choose between a small or large bowl and fill it with whatever salad fix-ins your heart desires which include vegetables, fruits, protein sources and dressings. Soup and Garden is “a place for vegetarians to feel that they are welcome to eat in the dining hall [with] tons of options and many different varieties of foods for each kind of meal,” freshman Michael McConnell said. As an all-inclusive option, it is clear to see why Soup and Garden is a popular destination for Penn State students.
