For anyone tired of eating Ramen noodles and Cheetos every night, but too cheap to dish out money for a real gourmet meal, here are 10 gourmet food and drink items under $10 that can be found close to campus.
1. Balducci's Mozarella and Tomato Pizza $6.99 Sutton Place Gourmet This sauce-less pizza is a step up from Papa John's AU special.
2. Olive Bar $7.00 per pound Whole Foods Market Olives are a great hors d'oeuvre, and this olive bar offers a wide range of olives from different countries.
3. Roland Escargots (package of one dozen) $7.59 Rodman's Discount Food & Drug For those who favor French cuisine, these delectable snails are divine.
4. The Republic of Tea Daily Green Tea, Orange Spice flavor $7.99 (package of 50 tea bags) Whole Foods Market This flavorful tea is a refreshing pick-me-up in the morning, or a soothing after dinner drink.
5. Eight-piece Nigiri sushi packets $8.99 to $9.99 Sutton Place Gourmet This upper-class grocery store's sushi has more flavor than Wagshall's sushi, and isn't much more expensive.
6. Royal Asia Gourmet Breaded Calamari Rings (10 oz. Package) $6.99 Whole Foods Market While calamari is generally thought of as an appetizer, this large package is enough for one filling meal.
7. Abba Cod Caviar Spread (5.3 oz package) $4.79 Rodman's Discount Food & Drug Caviar is perfect for a romantic dinner for two, but is often too expensive for a college budget. This affordable caviar will surely win over that worldly date.
8. Greek Isles Salad with Mediterranean Vinaigrette Dressing $5.99 Whole Foods Market This large salad, found in the prepared foods section, is a great solution for those looking for a last-minute lunch to eat on the go.
9. Feodora German Chocolate (24-piece package) $7.99 Rodman's Discount Food & Drug Why not splurge when it comes to good candy? This gourmet chocolate is certainly a better choice than a Hershey's Bar from the Eagle's Nest.
10. Mini New York Cheesecake $3.49 Whole Foods Market If cake sounds more appealing than German chocolate, this one-person-sized cheesecake is the perfect desert choice.
Store information: Rodman's Discount Food & Drug 5100 Wisconsin Ave., NW Washington, DC 20016 (202) 363-3466
Sutton Place Gourmet 3201 New Mexico Ave., NW Washington, DC 20016 (202) 363-5800
Whole Foods Market 2323 Wisconsin, Ave., NW Washington, DC 20007 (202) 333-5393
