Every year, cafeterias at German universities prepare about 90 million portions
As Deutsche Welle notes, among the many dishes that make up the menu of each university cafeteria, there are also favorites. Moreover, as various surveys have shown, these favorites are common to many universities in Germany. The lunch menu usually includes a light soup. Currently, students prefer tomato or carrot soup with ginger and turmeric.
A real record holder in the list of popular dishes on student cafeteria menus is the currywurst. And the sausage does not seem to be giving up its place. Accompanied by french fries and incredibly healthy vegetables (e.g., broccoli), Currywurst most often ends up on the plates of hungry students.
Chicken with a "crispy crust" ranks second in popularity among meat-eating students. Almost any side dish works: from mushrooms or fried potatoes to rice or noodles.
The famous schnitzel takes an honorable third place. It does not matter much what meat it is made from – traditional veal, pork, or poultry. There is also another option – the once popular in the former GDR "hunter's schnitzel" (Jägerschnitzel). It is made with "hunter's sausage" – hence the name. This schnitzel is often served with noodles and tomato sauce.
The first purely vegetarian cafeteria in 2010 was the student cafeteria "Veggie No. 1" at the Free University of Berlin. Here all dishes are prepared without meat. But even in traditional cafeterias, one of the three offered lunches is always vegetarian.
For menus that take into account the current trend of vegan nutrition, the animal protection organization PETA annually awards "stars." This year, the highest award – four stars – went to six university cafeterias in Berlin, Augsburg, Heidelberg, Nuremberg, Koblenz, and Essen.
Among the favorites chosen by vegetarians, there are also winners. Deep-fried balls or patties made from chickpeas – falafel – broke all records. They are often served with a side of couscous, polenta, or amaranth. Second place rightfully belongs to vegetable lasagna. There are countless variations of the filling and sauce for it. So everyone can find a suitable recipe.
Next come German dumplings filled with mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, and finely chopped herbs. They took the third step of the culinary podium among vegetable favorites in student cafeterias. Kartoffeltaschen, invented by the Swabians, are now popular in all corners of the country.
Without dessert, lunch remains incomplete for most students. Some prefer fruit, some pudding, and some ice cream.