Snacking with Siner: The Daily Grind

04/08/05 - Food - the smell, sight, taste of it - can make even the most boring, unbearable tasks just a little easier. That's why I love the library, but not because I particularly like to study. I love the library because of the Daily Grind.For those of you only acquainted with the outside of the library at the University of Rhode Island, the Daily Grind is a coffee stand located in the reserves room near the front entrance.

There is no place else on campus specifically designated for both studying and eating. The Daily Grind has been a brilliant study habit to come across; combine something you like (food) with something you don't like (studying) and the middle ground makes cramming for that final a bit less torturous.

Until this year, the Daily Grind was your basic coffee cart convenience; coffee, tea, cocoa, bagels, pastries and fruit. This alone seemed like a nice perk, given that most libraries strictly warn against eating or drinking on the premises.

The Daily Grind, however, is starting to turn into more of a caf than cart recently. First came the addition of ice cream bars and low-fat treats like Starbucks mocha-flavored fudgescicles and Slim-Fast bars.

Once spring semester came around and the library opened its doors again, the Daily Grind featured Campbell's Soup at Hand, which was vibrantly displayed in red casing, waiting to be micro waved and slurped by students. Also added were on-the-go boxes of popular cereals like Frosted Flakes and Apple Jacks.

The Daily Grind wanted to respond to student requests for snacks that were more along the lo-carb nature.

They decided to feature fresh, pre-packaged salads as the next part of their ever-expanding selection. Students can take a healthy break from studying and try varieties like Chicken Cesar salad, Greek salad, or Chinese Chicken salad, with chicken, pea-pods, water-chestnuts and cashews.

The salads must be going over well with students, because when I went to grab a Chicken Cesar salad they were all gone. Since I'm allergic to cashews, I passed on the Chinese Chicken salad, which sounded the most interesting.

I went for a Greek one instead, which turned out to be very tasty. It was comprised of fresh romaine lettuce, creamy, crumbly feta cheese, ripe Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes and came with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette to top it off.

Salads are from $5 to $5.25. The extra 25 cents is for any salad with chicken, which is pretty cheap, considering how expensive chicken is nowadays. Plus the salads are fresh and of good quality.

Jenn Matos, who manages the Daily Grind, said the recent additions are to please the students of the university. Matos said, "When someone asks us for something we try to get it. Most of our food comes from the Ram's Den."

The expansion has been good for business, and Matos said, "More people are coming now that we have a larger variety of foods."

Matos also said they are trying to work on adding even more items for next year, such as sandwiches, frozen pizzas and popcorn. "We want to use the microwave more," she said.

For students who don't like to pay cash, or don't have any on them while studying, the Daily Grind has just started accepting the points plan at URI. Matos said it only made sense because they took Ram Account. She added, "This way, it's not like your wasting your money."

Even if you don't like the library (or have never been), stop by and check out the Daily Grind. It won't get your papers done for you, but it'll make the work seem a little bit easier to swallow.