The Ink's Guide to Late Meal

Late meal is Princeton’s most fleeting treasure. So before quesadillas and mac-and-cheese bars become just a thing of our dreams, we ought to truly take advantage of late meal—by not letting a penny of our charges go unspent.To help you out, The Ink has done some hard-hitting, investigative research to help you get the biggest bang for your late meal buck: here are five lunch* meals, for five types of Princeton students, that are guaranteed to leave you both physically and financially satisfied.

1. Sugar rush:

For the student who is still basking in the pleasures of newfound culinary independence, Mom isn’t here to tell you not to have that second (or fourth) cookie. Princeton is not just a place to push intellectual boundaries; it’s a safe space to test out gastronomic ones as well.Meal includes: Brownie; Doughnut; Chocolate chip cookie; Sugar cookie; Oatmeal raisin cookie; M and M cookie.Leftover charge: $.05   

2. Snacks for later:

This student thrives on being practical. She did not come to late meal to make small talk. Late meal is not about socializing on the long, leisurely quesadilla line. It’s about thinking ahead, saving up for later and accumulating wealth (in the currency of pita chips), in order to ensure future security. Why else would you come to college late meal?Meal includes: Stacey’s Pita Chips; Muffin; Dannon Yogurt; AppleLeftover charge: $.05

3. Fruity Fiesta

 Rather be on a tropical vacation than in the C floor of Firestone? Wish you were knee deep in the crystal clear oceans of St. Bart’s, not face deep in textbook readings? Frist’s exotic fruits will transport you to a luxurious paradise.Meal includes; Pineapple fruit cup; Orange; Banana Leftover charge: $.30  

4. Protein power

There’s no place like late meal to post-game a workout. Muscle development depends on protein, making Frist the cleardestination for anyone looking to get ripped. This meal, low in calories but high in protein, is sure to make whatever half-hearted lifting went down in the Dillon weight room result in some noteworthy biceps.Meal includes: Silk Soy Milk; Mueller YogurtLeftover charge: $.40

5. Brain food

Why bother pouring over econ notes when you could simply eat food to study? Research shows that leafy greens contain folic acid, which improves memory retention.Broccoli is also a source of vitamin K, known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower. And lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, helps ward off strokes. Get ahead of the game by skipping that review session and eating a salad instead.Meal includes: Salad with tomatoes, broccoli and mixed greensLeftover charge: $.05  *these meals were all catered toward the lunch meal option, which limits spending to $5.95. To convert these to dinner meals, where the price cap is $6.95, consider adding on a $.90 cookie, $.90 piece of fruit, or $.99 box of Pringles.