A Taste of Home, and of the World

For years, students missing home-cooked meals could find the next best thing in the dining halls: recipes from their families’ kitchens. Meals like Aida’s Hot Potato Casserole and Classic Cavatelli With Broccoli popped up on the menus from 2009–16, based on solicitations to parents and students alike.

Dining Services is reviving the program for Spring 2019, with a twist. To celebrate the Year of Immigration, families, faculty and staff are encouraged to submit recipes with significance to their heritage. Select recipes will be featured in the dining hall every Thursday next semester, said Bart Hipple, assistant director of communication for Dining Services.

Sharing cuisines from around the world is a creative way for people to learn about different communities, said Kislay Parashar ’22, international student representative for the Student Government Association.

“It breaks the culture barrier and can bring students closer together,” he said.

Parashar, who was raised in India, misses his mom’s chicken curry and plans to ask her to submit her recipe for dining plan holders to try.

Dining Services has begun sending postcards to parents with students who have dining plans asking to pass along a recipe for a beloved family meal. In years past, Dining Services received about 150 to 250 submissions and selected about 20 annually.

The Iandiorio family’s classic cavatelli and broccoli was featured in dining halls in Spring 2016.

“It made me think of home because everyone in our family eats it,” said Laura Iandiorio, whose daughter, Amy, is a senior. “I thought it would be good for the school because everyone needs to get their vegetables in.”

The program expands Dining Services’ ability to serve its student customers, Hipple said.

“I think that's always a good idea to reach out to help people feel included,” Hipple said. “Dining Services can be part of their home while they're here at campus because they can find food that resonates with them.”

Submit recipes online and view past ones at dining.umd.edu/nutrition/recipes-from-home.