How to Decorate a Cake  - TODAY at 7pm in the Student Org Space. Come learn how to frost a cake, then enjoy the fruits of your labor as you learn how to eat a cake! No experience is necessary. Bring your sweet tooth!

Football and Wings- Ravens vs Steelers - Sunday, November 6^th at 8:30pm in the Sports Zone. This is one of the biggest games of the season for the Ravens! And with their win in week 1, they will need all the support they can get to beat the Steelers again! Enjoy free chicken wings as you watch this Sunday Night Prime Time game.

Shriver Center Lunch & Learn Series - Monday, November 7^th at 12pm in the Commons 331. Grab some free lunch and chat with panelists Martin Ford, Rhonda Ray, April Matthews, and Joyce L. Wright. More information can be found on the myUMBC event page.

Good Morning Commuters Breakfast – Tuesday, November 8^th at 8:30am in the Commons. Not everything can be free. Use your Gold card to get breakfast all semester for just $5! Or you can pay $2 to enjoy this one alone. These breakfasts are served every Tuesday morning.

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee – Wednesday, November 9^th at 8am in the Commons. Stop by for some free coffee anytime between 8 and 10am. Additional breakfast treats will be available! Skip the line at Starbucks or Au Bon Pain and get your cup of Joe for free.

Disney Breakfast and Bingo - Wednesday, November 9^th at 8pm in the Gameroom. You read that right, it’s 8 o’clock in the evening. If you missed out on the last two breakfast opportunities, or you just don’t get up that early, then check out this event to score some free breakfast at an hour you can handle!

Be sure to follow the UMBCEats Twitter to get live updates on where free or cheap food is available on campus!

Do you have the Fever? Retriever Fever is hitting UMBC on October 10^th! Starting with the Pep Rally from 12pm-2pm, free food will be given away on the Commons Terrace along with some other giveaways. Student Organizations will be performing for your entertainment.

Then, the Homecoming Parade, Bonfire, and Outdoor movie will take place on Wednesday, October 12^th on Erickson Field around 6pm. After watching the parade make its way to the field, Buffalo Wild Wings will be serving up some chicken wings, and falafel will also be available. Enjoy this free dinner as the bonfire is lit. Feel free to bring marshmallows to make s’mores! Then, Transformers 3 will be gearing up for the outdoor movie. Finish this night with some popcorn to go with your summertime action flick.

But it’s not over yet! Saturday’s lunch can also be a free meal for you if you head over to the Quad for the Homecoming picnic. Students with a campus meal plan can use a meal exchange for admission. Lots of free grub will be served up as some interactive activities line the Quad.

Be sure to catch Retriever Fever this year and nurse yourself back to health with all the free food being offered throughout the week!

P.S. Stay updated on Free Food Alerts by following UMBCEats on Twitter!

• Coffee, Cookies, and Music on Monday, May 2^nd, at 6pm in the Sports Zone. There will be coffee from different off-campus vendors as well as pastries and other baked goods. The music department will be accepting donations that go into the UMBC Foundation.
• Breakfast and Bingo is Tuesday, May 3^rd, at 9pm in the Sports Zone. Free breakfast entrees and if you can stick around, there are some great prizes you can win. It’s all free of course.
• Jest 4 Fun on Wednesday, May 4^th, from 11:30 to 1:30 on the Quad. Lots of food will be available to participants as well as games and giveaways.
• Star Wars Day on Wednesday, May the 4^th (be with you), during free hour on Mainstreet will be featuring Star Wars cookie decorating.
• Challah for Hunger will be selling multiple flavored Challahs on Mainstreet for $3 from 11am-1pm on May 5^th.
• Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Flat Tuesdays at 7pm with some hors d’oeuvres.
• Finally, May 12^th is RSA’s Midnight Dessert starting at 11pm in True Grit’s. Bring your residential ID and enjoy two hours of sweet, sweet sweets.

Follow UMBCEats on Twitter to stay up-to-date on where you can snag something to eat on campus without spending a meal.

Well looky here! That’s a steal compared to the regular rate of roughly $11 for buffet.  Granted that is how much you would pay for a buffet meal at a large chain, such as Golden Corral, but this is UMBC and we are struggling students! A Friday night meal, with some friends, all you can eat, and only $6!!! Time to make a visit.

Armed with friends and an empty stomach, I went to explore the wonders of the dining hall and get my discounted price. One thing people must remember, this deal is only for cash, credit, debit, and meals. My friend used his guest meal plan and was charged full price.

First I had the soup. They had a chicken with wild rice soup and a white bean and veggie soup. Both of them were equally delicious.

Next on the menu: Ginger BBQ Chicken, Asparagus, Cilantro Rice, Smashed Potatoes with Leeks, Carrots and Potatoes, Lasagna, Grilled Flank Steak, and Bake Fish:

The chicken was really good, more bbq-y than gingery but very tasty. The vegetables were perfectly crunchy and seasoned. My favorite was the smashed potatoes. It was probably the most perfect creamy, seasoned (we guessed rosemary and parsley, some Italian blend), mashed potatoes I had ever had. I have no idea what leeks even are but they were delicious! My friend got the lasagna and was absolutely in love with the cheese that was inside (we also guessed again at ricotta). The only things we did not like were the baked fish and the spinach. The spinach was not the most amazing thing to eat and the baked fish tasted indescribably weird and chewy. All in all, I believe we had an amazing dinner!

Dessert…

There were three options for dessert that night, other than the standard ice cream or milkshakes. They had the Seven Layer Bar, Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting, and a cake with no label but was a White cake with strawberry sauce and coconut.

The Seven Layer Bar was really the best combination of chewy, not so sweet, texture, and gooeyness. It was hard on the top, and as you got to the bottom there was a soft gooey layer. The Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting was really delicious as well. It kind of tasted like there was coffee in it also. The down side was that it was too sweet for me to finish one portion. The no label cake was a white (do not know the flavor) sponge cake. The flavor was predominately in the coconut and strawberry sauce because the cake was tasteless.

This was a fun experience for my friends and I to eat in the dining hall. It is something we don’t frequent as commuters so it was good to try something new on campus. The food was amazing and the price was even better. I hope commuters can take the time to visit the dining hall sometimes and try some of the amazing foods. From MyPantry to Kosher Korner, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Our list includes:

• Funnel Cake
• Fries
• Pit Beef Sandwiches
• Curry choices with rice
• Falafel
• Crepes
• Blend-your-own smoothies (via bicycle)
• Cotton Candy
• Watermelon
• Popsicles

Not all of these are confirmed, but it’s a rough list.

What sounds good? What are you excited for? What sounds gross? How do you pronounce “falafel”? Comment and let me know what you think so far. Keep in mind that many of these options will be either free or for just a dollar (except pit beef).

What would you add to the list? Is there anything that you have been craving? What would be an awesome food to try?

Put all your thoughts in the comment section and we will try to see what we can do with your requests.

Quadmania is April 16^th, just around the corner! And this year will feature music and food extensively. Don’t miss this great chance to try some things you have never eaten. When was the last time you blended your own smoothie using a bicycle?

Thursday April 7th will be an all day fund-raising event at Grilled Cheese and Company sponsored by the Multi-Cultural Greek Council and the Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority – Lambda Chapter. All of the proceeds will be going to a non-profit organization.

Biweekly Breakfast and Bingo is back, starting Saturday April 9th! Free pancakes, bacon, grits, sausage, and other breakfast treats will be served in the Sports Zone starting at 9 p.m. Get there early so you don’t miss out.

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, you can follow UMBC Eats on twitter to get instant updates right to your phone when free food is spotted on campus.

On February 22^nd, check out the International Food Tasting in the Mosaic Center (2B23 on the second floor of the Commons) between 11:30am and 12:30pm. They will be providing samples of African, Afro-Caribbean, and African American cuisine. Get there on time to make sure you can try everything they are offering.

Later that night in True Grits, the chefs will be serving up some African-American entrees for dinner. Check the Dine on Campus website for the full menu at http://www.dineoncampus.com/UMBC/

On March 2^nd, True Grits will host an Indian Infusion lunch featuring delicious Indian-inspired menu items.

And finally, March 8^th marks the annual Mardi Gras Party in True Grits from 4:30-7:30pm. Be sure to stop by for some Cajun flavor and don’t forget to bring your Mardi Gras beads!

First of all, what is “gelato,” you ask? Gelato is Italian ice cream “prepared from all natural fresh ingredients” (Info poster next to Gelahto). There are two categories: Fruit flavors and cream flavors. The water-based fruit flavors contain absolutely no dairy and are considered “true sorbettos.” The cream flavors are dairy-based and made with whole milk.

Now, let’s start the sampling!

Rootbeer Float Gelato

First up is the All American Favorite. This rootbeer float has the foam you are looking for! Made with vanilla gelato, you can top it with the rootbeer from the soda fountain to create your own frothy treat.

Creamsicle Gelato

Remember those orange Popsicles from your childhood summertime? Now enjoy it in float form with the Creamsicle! This orange Fanta flavored float is also based with vanilla gelato. Bring on the summer!

Berry Coke Gelato

For all of you fruit-in-your-soda lovers, the Berry Coke float is the perfect choice. This smooth blend is wild-berry gelato mixed with Coke for a drink that is sure to satisfy your thirst.

A Refreshing Kiss

This Sprite and lemon sorbetto mix lives up to its title: Refreshing Kiss. This blend is accented by the lemonade flavor. Another summertime treat!

Strawberry Sorbetto Lemonade

Did I mention you can create your own flavors? Any flavor you see can be blended to order. This popular request is strawberry and lemon gelato mixed with lemon sorbetto. The fruit-punch flavor is very smooth and a delight to drink.

That’s it for the Floats, now on to the Shakes!

The Monkey Monster Shake

The Monkey Monster: a thick chocolate shake complete with a fresh banana blended right in. My favorite sample of the day (I’m a chocoholic); this is one of the most popular items from the new menu. Chocolate lovers rejoice!

Strawberry Shake

Another made-to-order blend, the Strawberry Shake is a smooth, creamy mix made with real strawberries. Don’t limit yourself to the menu! Anything you crave can be blended for a treat unique to your desires.

And finally, the Smoothies:

Wildberry Smoothie

Need some fruit in your life? Try the Wildberry Smoothie. With a strong kick of fruit, this blend will leave you thirsting for more!

Raspberry Lemon Smoothie

Raspberry Lemon rounds out the sampling session. This pink blend is a another summer-inspired mix, starring the sorbetto lemonade complemented by real raspberries.

So, stop by Gelahto, say “hello” to Brittany, and treat yourself to a satisfying treat! With the wide range of flavors, you can customize the perfect mix you’re searching for.

Hello Brittany!

Thank you Brittany for preparing the samples, and Mark Tarkanick for setting up the session!

Photo Credit: Mark Tarkanick

The air was tense, or maybe that was just the spicy aroma floating in and out of everyone’s lungs. With five minutes on the clock, Darryl Wolod (Director of Resident Dining), shouted, “Go!” and sauce started flying everywhere!

For some, the intensity drove them to rely on milk or water to help dilute the sauce.

As meatless bones started hitting the plates, one of the contestants seemed to be pulling ahead of the others.

Chris Krasias was his name. And with a determined look on his face, he kept calling for more wings from the staff. Right behind him was Ziang Lin.

Some thought he had outwinged Chris. The clock was still ticking and bones started to pile up on the plates. Who would be the victor?

Then the countdown started. The group of spectators counted along from ten down to zero. Time was up! And it was time to count the cleaned bones from the devastated trough of meat.

First, Ziang was counted. He managed to get 25 wings down in just five minutes!

Then, all eyes were on Chris. Everyone watched carefully as his bones were counted, “23, 24, 25, …” It was clear that he would surpass Ziang’s number. In the end, he finished off 29 wings! But it was all worth it. The free plate of wings and $50 to spend on food put a smile on Chris’s face as he accepted his award.

But there really were no losers in this contest; everyone got to enjoy some free wings!

Stay tuned for more eating contests from Chartwell’s in the future. There is talk of a watermelon or falafel event next semester!

Photos: Mark Tarkanick

If you’ve ever been to Red Robin, you know that they are famous for their burgers.  Though I am a fan of their burgers, I also love their drinks!  Their Freckled Lemonade is so good (studded with so many strawberries- YUM!) and now I’ve thought of a super simple way to get that same refreshment in your college dorm room with things you can get at Outtakes!  If you want that taste of summer during the school year, here’s how:

Ingredients:

• 1 Edy’s Whole Fruit Strawberry popsicle (available at Outtakes!)

*NOTE: Depending on the size of the popsicle, one or two bottles of lemonade will  be needed.

• 2 individual sized bottles of Tropicana “Simply Lemonade” (available at Outtakes!)

This recipe makes 2 individual servings, but it only takes seconds to make more!  Share this drink with your friends and family =).

1.     In a tall glass, place half of the whole fruit bar into the glass.

*TIP: Place the glasses that you plan to use in the freezer prior to making the drink!  This will keep your drinks colder longer.

2.     Pour the lemonade into the glass and enjoy!  Mix well to let give the lemonade its “freckled” look!  The popsicle will keep the drink icy cold without ice!

3.     Try this drink out with other popsicle flavors, juices, and fresh fruits!  What’s your favorite combination?  Leave it here in the comments!