Like most Sacramento State students, I do not ponder the quality of the food choices on campus until I hear frogs in my stomach. At that point, my biggest concern is how close is it and how fast I can eat it.

I decided that this year would be different. During the first few weeks of the semester I made a conscious effort to sample more foods on campus.

I am usually a cynic at best but I found myself pleasantly surprised by the selection of food available. There are a total of 24 different locations where food and beverages can be bought, excluding the Dining Commons and vending machines.

Some of the best food I tasted came from Saigon Bay at the Outpost and Round Table.

The noodle soups at Saigon Bay are heavenly and cheap. They leave you feeling full but not bloated.

How can you go wrong with pizza? Round Table offers an awesome special that will get you a personal cheese or pepperoni pizza and a drink for less than $5.

MEGO has yummy baked potatoes that can be topped with almost anything. This is perfect for a quick snack when you are not ready to eat a big meal.

These vendors all have healthy options on the menu, are moderately priced and have fast service.

Honorable mention has to go to Hula’s Bar & Grill in the River Front Center for the simple fact that margaritas are served.

On-campus students purchase a meal plan that gives them access to the Dining Commons, which is similar to an all-you-can-eat cafeteria. All Sac State students can eat at the Dining Commons without buying a meal plan. It will run you about $8 but if you are hungry it can be a great deal.

The food was not the best that I have ever tasted. The saving grace for the Dining Commons is that you can eat as much as you want. Food always tastes better when there is no limit to how much you can eat.

My only true gripe with the dining atmosphere on campus is that the sound on the televisions are on mute.

The content of the music videos is disturbing at times. I have seen a guy cut out his heart, which than sprouts a mouth and begins to sing. Being able to hear the music would make a big difference; I am sure that the guy’s heart had something really poignant to say.

Crystal Kirk can be reached at [email protected]