The mythical “perfect” Outtake, filling and delicious, does exist. Though it hides well, it can be discovered with creativity, some outside resources, and a little bit of teamwork. Grab your P-card, skip the D-hall, and be ready to open a brown bag of awesome.

Maximizing the greatness of your Outtake begins with the making of informed choices. Some may say that chip choice matters little, but chips can evolve to become more than a side dish. Choose wisely, and add some of your chips to the main dish, be it sandwich or another entrée. The hearty crunch and splash of flavor can take the taste of a meal to a new level. My personal favorite chips for the task are the flavored versions of Sun Chips and the kettle-cooked chips. Both have distinctive flavor that can cut straight through to enhance your meal.

Another important choice involves your beverage. Many people will go for tea, or soda, but the ideal option, both nutritionally and for the sake of fullness, is milk. Not only will you get the nutrients, such as calcium, that milk contains, but ordering milk helps later in the meal too. The occasionally dry cookies benefit greatly from being dipped in this reinvigorating beverage.

Beyond the initial ordering options, bringing in some outside tools can greatly change the outcome of your Outtake meal. The options in the Grille itself, Tabasco sauce and pepper, can alter the flavors and add some spice to any dish, but only having two spice options to enhance your meal can become monotonous. A very interesting option is to make a stop at your favorite grocery, and buy a small bottle of your favorite spice. This costs but a few dollars, and will last you more than a semester. A bottle of Italian spices weighs almost nothing, takes up little space, and can reside in one’s backpack for use at any time. Bring it to meals to spruce up pizza and sandwiches, or alter your ever-so-delicious mozzarella stick late night snack.

Finally, the best option to make your Outtake more enjoyable is to get one with a friend and split everything. If you get different outtakes, the increase variety of food you will be eating will make it seem to you as if you are eating a greater quantity. Also, the variety helps break up the tedium of eating a single item for a meal. Certain days, such a when the Mediterranean Combo Plate are offered, allow you to make a multi-course meal out of a pair of outtakes if you treat the combo plate as an appetizer. Sharing is caring with Outtakes and other foods. Spread your favorite methods for spicing up your meals and let others enjoy your inventions. As always, experiment, eat well, and enjoy yourself!

Also, if you’re interested in some Outtake-related humor, with a dash of RKO, check out this 2010 Titular Head video.

-Eric Mistry ’14