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How to Eat for Free Everyday (at a University)

How to Eat for Free Everyday (at a University)
I go to the University of Colorado at Boulder. Every day there are dozens of events with free food waiting to be eaten by hungry engineering students. All you have to do is know where to go! This is my first instructable, but I've found it invaluable. I've gone for weeks without paying for food using this method (although weekends are harder to get through).

I think some of these steps may seem like I'm plugging google, but really its only because that's the application I used to get so much free food. By the way, this can work for non-students too; they never (repeat... never) check for students IDs at these events, at least at the University of Colorado. If you know how to make a google calendar and share it with people, you can skip steps 1-3.

By the way the "Grad Wine and Cheese" event in my calendar is real, and was incredibly delicious, as well as intoxicating (there aren't a lot of Religious Studies grad students, and they had way too much wine). By the way, I'm an Aerospace Engineering senior. I only wish I could have though this up sooner.
 
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Step 1Get a Gmail Account

Get a Gmail Account
There may be other mail clients with calendar services, but I've found this is the easiest to use and share with friends, which is an important aspect of this instructable. Go to mail.google.com and click on the "Sign up for Gmail" link. You will have to enter some personal information like any other mail client, but it's worth it.
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43 comments
1-40 of 43next »
Dec 12, 2010. 9:28 PMlockpick says:
I'm hoping I can get into aerospace engineering
Jul 31, 2011. 9:26 AMmgalyean says:
If I had to do it all over again I'd go into aero and target private space oriented companies like Virgin Galactic. Just send resumes to all entries on this list:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies

Dec 23, 2008. 5:39 PMflightycrafter says:
"Hillel" is actually Jewish, not Christian. It's a nation wide campus foundation for Jewish students. Otherwise, great idea! I definitely think this would work at my college!
Jun 12, 2011. 10:10 AMAGetzler says:
Don't forget to ask for the free Bris kit!
Jul 31, 2011. 9:22 AMmgalyean says:
Aiiieee!
Jul 27, 2011. 8:17 AMwafflehousel says:
I love this... "What they don't know is that you hate working." LOL
Jul 10, 2011. 7:23 PMGr3at_Whit3_North_Guy says:
I will have to remember this for when i got to university
May 13, 2011. 11:35 PMARJOON says:
that is so serious. never knew that. Won't it be a bit tooo abusive
Jun 17, 2011. 8:00 AMBroom says:
Abusive of what or whom? He's not costing anyone anything. There's ALWAYS more food than the audience will eat at these things, so he's not depriving anyone.
May 15, 2011. 1:14 AMjofuji says:
Do you never get sprung?? Surely someone must notice you're an 'outsider'?!! :)
Jun 17, 2011. 7:59 AMBroom says:
The purpose of the food is to attract students; once it's purchased, it doesn't cost them anything if there are "extras" in the receiving line. So, in general, why would they care?
Jun 12, 2011. 9:36 AMShippygirl says:
Food is used as motivation for students to show up to events at my comm. college. If I attended every event, I could get 2 or 3 free meals a week.
Jun 12, 2011. 8:12 AMdrusilla says:
Most university events welcome 'outsiders.' Religious groups especially. You're always free to go to any presentation or lecture, thought I always feel obligated to stay of course if I take food.

Once my friend organized forty pizzas for an international EE masters student welcome presentation, but it conflicted with the university's general masters student welcome presentation. So we had about 35 pizzas left. It was awesome.

When USC inducted President Nikias in December they literally had tables all around campus filled with breakfast stuff like muffins and bread. They even had attendants there. I walked by on the way to a final and they were more than happy to feed me.

University free food is awesome!!! But you have to get used to eating a lot of pizza, sandwiches, coffee/cookies/fruit, and muffins.
Jun 15, 2011. 12:08 PMdfc849 says:
At many pre-prepared food places, they will often throw out food at the end of the night. For example, Dunkin Donuts throws away a LOT of pastries before closing. Ask first about taking samples. If they won't give you any freebies, ask about a deal. 2 dozen donuts for $0.99 isn't bad at all. Resale value the next morning in your dorm can buy you a real breakfast :)

At local (or regional) food distributors like Pepsi or Coke for example, they discard some goods for various reasons. Usually a distributor will take product back if the "sell by" or "use by" is within 1 week of the delivery. A decrease in demand or a surplus also ends up with leftover product. Watch for seasonal products too. Any of these only go as far back as the distributor. The only thing left to do with leftover product is to let employees take them. Since most beverages (as in the example) aren't notably considered perishable goods, the date shouldn't affect any quality. Call and ask about scheduling a pick up of some assorted goods. Again, ask first about sampling. Appearing curious is probably better than appearing greedy.
Jun 3, 2011. 10:59 AMuhsnamih says:
the craziest idea i have ever heard :)
Jan 11, 2011. 11:40 AMxfirexstarzx says:
As an Aeronautical Engineering student myself, I have to say I fully endorse this plan!

Off to make a google calender and spread this around campus.

Thanks so much for the idea!
Jan 11, 2011. 3:55 PMcwix09 says:
lol oh xfirexstarzx.. youre so crazy
Apr 8, 2010. 8:20 AMsprockette says:
you're my hero
Feb 8, 2010. 1:07 PMhjfast says:
Hey. I'm a MECH-E senior at CU. You should send me an add to your calender (hjfast@gmail.com). There is a Lockheed info sessions with food on 2/9 at 6:00 in ECCR 265. and a Raytheon one on 2/10 at 6 in Koelbel S130.
Jan 17, 2010. 3:58 PMimrobot says:
Hillel is a jewish kosher food service and hang out sorta thing 
Jun 3, 2009. 10:29 AMarduinoe says:
" jesus is delicious " ahhh nothing like rampant abuse of religious catering in the morning
May 23, 2009. 8:55 AMskeletor says:
I just graduated from CU Boulder this May. I wish I saw this instructable sooner!
May 15, 2009. 8:50 AMextrordinary1 says:
also watch for grilling competitions. I got into one as a judge, we ate 2 pounds of sample meat from all the competitors. Only one made me spit it out and the other 11 judges were scared to try it, but they had to try it, like me, it got spit out, lol. Then we divided up what food was left to take home! County fairs usually have competitions like this, or special events.
Apr 29, 2009. 9:59 AMunbentcrayfish says:
Only if they had thai food...
Apr 25, 2009. 11:55 PMamericangeiko says:
Sadly, my college is a public college with no money.
Apr 12, 2009. 5:16 PMJamesW says:
Let me be the first to say, THIS WORKS FOR HIGH SCHOOL TOO. I've been sneaking into Visions and all sorts of special events and the like since I started high school (senior now). The best time ever was when I jumped on the "Accelerated Reading" reward trip, went to Memphis, we ate (all expenses paid!) at Burger King, but that's another story. Moral of my dithering rant is - FREE FOOD IS EVERYWHERE. And, air-sealed dumpsterdived food is top-notch stuff.
Apr 6, 2009. 2:40 PMnobody394 says:
I live in fort collins and wow that sounds like the greatest idea i've ever heard i'm totally going to have to do this all through college just to scrape by. great instructable.
Mar 29, 2009. 2:04 PMsepedigo says:
I go to CU Boulder. Seems like I need to get in on this free food.
Mar 27, 2009. 2:56 AMwakojako says:
cool my brother is at college and is always complaining about expensive food
Jan 1, 2009. 4:53 PMToulouse says:
This. is. awesome. I will have to try this.... have noticed the catering flowing around my school, but haven't investigated into it too much... Will do! thank you!
Oct 23, 2008. 11:44 PMAidanG says:
This is hilarious - I'm a CU grad (still in Boulder!), from the Religious Studies dept. :) Small world!
Oct 16, 2008. 10:23 AMcollard41 says:
by the way you spelt Religious Studies wrong in the intro. good instructable and I cant wait to try that some day.
Oct 16, 2008. 10:42 AMshooby says:
Haha yeah, and Hillel is Jewish, not Christian. Someone didn't take religious studies did they? Good man.
Oct 18, 2008. 11:45 AMDanAdamKOF says:
Yeah that's what I was gonna say. LOL I'm actually in Hillel Dallas, and yes they indeed treat you well :)
Oct 16, 2008. 8:23 PMWeissensteinburg says:
Jesus is delicious =]
Oct 16, 2008. 2:31 PMve2vfd says:
Less money on food, more for beer? :) It is a pretty good idea, specially since I've noticed that often half the food at catered school events gets wasted (I teach part time at the fire college here and at catered teachers meetings, half the food doesn't get eaten).
Oct 16, 2008. 8:40 AMT3h_Muffinator says:
Hehehe - I'm a freshman over @ MIT. I've been doing the same thing - but some of my predecessors have created a website that uses the campus's rss events feed and searches for keywords such as "refreshments", "food", etc. to find the food-ed events. You might want to try the same, if your university has such an "e-list" of upcoming events.
Oct 16, 2008. 10:43 AMshooby says:
This is amazing
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