Arguably the epicenter of campus culture is finding the best places to eat and discovering which dining experiences one enjoys most. Luckily, there are several food blogs on campus dedicated to helping students on with this journey. Meet SluFoodEatz, Spoon_SLU and ConversationalEats. 

SluFoodEatz

Who runs the account?

Five people run this account. Our names are Mary Leonardi, Zoë Mical, Skylar Rapp, Megan Woods and Liz Golinski. All of us are freshmen.

What was the motivation behind starting this blog?

The account started our second night [on campus], the first time we went to Grand dining hall. Whenever we would eat around campus we would rate the foods from different places and thought it would be fun to make an account about it. We like trying new food and it’s a great conversation starter and a way to meet new people.

What is the focus of the account?

We just like to rate the food we eat on campus. We like to post the really good things there are to eat but also like to inform people what to stay away from. 

What’s your favorite food that you’ve featured so far?

Anything from Fresh Gatherings [is] definitely such a win. Fresh Gatherings provides an experience similar to a coffee shop with nice workers and real, fresh food. It has lots of healthier options and is a fun adventure off of main campus. But, we also love the ice cream in Grand Hall. 

What was your worst food experience on campus?

The mac and cheese place [at Grand Market in the Busch Student Center] was not pleasant and has “Costco brand nacho cheese.” Also, Swirl: both times we went we wanted smoothie bowls but they were out of them and the smoothies we got were watered down.

How would you describe your account in three words?

Our account is fun, creative and informative. 

More about SluFoodEatz

We would like to start exploring eateries around the Saint Louis area! We also want to start taking submissions, so give us a follow @slufoodeatz on Instagram.

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Spoon_SLU

Who runs the account? 

Junior Nicolette Schnettgoeke (Editorial Director) 

Senior Catherine Cline (Marketing Director)

Senior Lizzy Payne (Photography Director)

Junior Madison Campbell (Video Director) 

What was the motivation behind starting this blog?

Our page is part of a nationwide blog called Spoon University. The inspiration was to create a food blog that was relatable for students. For SLU specifically, our inspiration comes from supporting local STL businesses and sharing our own food nerd ideas. 

What is the focus of the account?

We like to cover recipes, local restaurants and food spots and random reviews on specific foods or cookbooks. For most of our contributors, this is a fun outlet to share our food photos and unique food experiences, and get to know more foodies.

How would you describe your account in three words?

Our account is fun, approachable and community-focused.

What is your favorite food that you’ve featured so far?

My personal favorite food that we’ve featured is @beastbbqstl. They’re such cool people and they make insane food. 

More about Spoon_SLU

The only thing I have to add is that the STL food scene is so underrated and I love highlighting how amazing all the local spots are. The restaurant/cafe community is so kind and welcoming [and that is] truly something we are grateful for.

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ConversationalEats

Who runs the account? 

Sophomores Nidhi Shettigar, Lynn Pham and Zoha Ahmed run this account.

What was the motivation behind starting this blog?

During our freshmen year, all three of us were roommates and we would randomly order food late at night and have what we called “friendship talks” or ”conversational eats.” This inspired the name for the account (@conversationaleats). The motivation behind the account was that all three of us loved trying new foods and wanted to share it somewhere. 

We also thought it would be unique and interesting to continue the page while we are at home away from school too. We all came from different places and the food page is one way we can still share something away from each other. Since all three of us live in different cities, we post food from all over, Chicago, IL, Orange County, CA and the Bay Area, CA.

What is the focus of the account?

The focus of this account is to showcase different restaurant dishes, ambiances and experiences, as well as to share our love of food. We also provide some insight about the food, service, environment and overall experience. Sometimes, we post stories of foods or events on campus, like from Fresh Gatherings and food truck events. When we are at our homes, we also feature foods and beverages that we make.

How would you describe your account in three words?

Fun, vibey and enlightening.

What’s your favorite food that you’ve featured so far?

• Zoha- Yolk in Chicago
• Nidhi – Dave’s Hot Chicken in San Diego, CA
• Lynn – The Laguna Coffee Company in Laguna Beach, CA because I love trying new coffees and this is by far my favorite coffee shop that I’ve tried back home

More about ConversationalEats

The way our account is set up is we post a picture of the food and in the caption, we describe our orders, the restaurant/ambiance and any recommendations and then rate the food, AKA the ‘conversation’. The Instagram account was created less than a year ago (March 12, 2021) and has been growing since; it’s almost at 1,000 followers. Although it is just something we do for fun and to document memories, it is exciting to be contacted by businesses to post reviews about their products and foods.