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Meals at MAT Camp
Meal Options:
MAT Camp is an energetic, high-octane, non-stop five-day event. Even if you’re not physically moving your body, you’re actively using your brain. And it all requires refueling the spent energy. We’ve tried to provide meal options for various scenarios since our students & faculty are both local & from out-of-town.
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What do we do for lunch?
For most students, MAT Camp is often full days & nights for a full week. But, don’t worry. We’ve built lunchtime into everyone’s schedule. Depending on if you’re local or not, there are several options to help refuel during the middle of your MAT Camp day.
Lunch options
Paper Bag Lunch
Tried & true, especially if your student lives in Evanston or is staying with a friend or relative. Students may eat in the cafeteria or on campus.
Eat at Home
We schedule an hour for lunch. So, there’s plenty of time to grab a bite to eat from home if you live locally or are staying with a friend or family.
Eat Out
There are plenty of fast-food restaurants & sandwich shops nearby. This is a great opportunity to take an hour breather in between classes.
Free Lunch
Yes, we really do offer a free lunch every day at MAT Camp.
Many thanks to UCSD #1 ‘s generosity in providing the daily lunches.
What if I'm still hungry?
MAT Camp can take a lot of energy. Whether it’s moving from class to class, learning new dance moves, or playing the violin, you’re probably going to crave a snack at some point during the day.
Unfortunately, other than in designated areas, food & drinks (other than water) are not allowed in the classrooms. Designated food areas are:
- The Cafeteria
- The designated lunch area outside of the front doors
quick, on-the-go Snack Suggestions
So, what to do when you need a little mid-afternoon pick-me-up? Try quick, on-the-go type snacks that can be quickly eaten between classes or a “down period” (no class). They should be non-messy. And please no littering – take care of your trash.
- A piece of fruit - handful of grapes, apple or orange slices, a banana, etc.
- Veggies - a few mini carrots, snow peas, or grape tomatoes
- Granola, fiber, breakfast, or protein bars
- Dried chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, corn nuts, etc.
- Nut butter energy balls or granola bites
- Fruit, cheese, & nut packs (usually in the lunchmeat section of your grocery store)
- Popcorn
- A beef stick or a little jerky (beef, pork, turkey, etc.)
- Gorp or trail mIx
- A pack of nuts - almond, pecan, peanuts, mixed, etc.
- Dried fruit - apricots, cranberries, raisins, etc
- Pretzels, wheat thins, goldfish, snack crackers, etc.
- Cheese sticks or squares
- Energy Gels (especially, if you have a lot of physically "active" classes, like dance & theater.)
Why don’t we suggest some other popular snack foods? Some may taste good, but 15 minutes later you’re still craving more energy, like most candies, cookies, & chips. Some provide an energy/protein hit, but are messy – hummus, Nutella snack packs, fruit cups, yogurt squeezes and cups, etc. which make them difficult to eat on the go. These types of snack foods are better left for lunch or as an after-hours snack.
What about dinner?
The last MAT Camp classes of the day end at 5:00 p.m. So, there should be plenty of time for dinner before the evening activities begin (usually around 7:00 p.m.). The only exception are the performances on Thursday at the Evanston Farmer’s Market, which starts at 5:00 p.m. Then there might be a bit of a squeeze before the Staff Concert. But, no worries, we still have you covered!
Dinner options
Eat at Home
If you live in town or are staying with a friend or relative, there’s plenty of time to eat dinner before heading to the evening’s MAT Camp activity.
Eat Out
Choose from a variety of restaurants, sandwich shops & food carts all around Evanston. Even if you’re local, give yourself a break from cooking!
Thursday Night
The Farmer’s Market offers plenty of food, snacks, & even entree-type meals. A perfect way to support local vendors & eat before heading to the Staff Concert.