Mangaluru: Once known for traditional lunch featuring ganji oota, buns, and limited bakery items like patties, samosas, or cutlets, the college canteen and eateries outside the campuses are now bustling with stores selling momos, rolls, chips, french fries, burgers, hot dogs, and other snacks. Local eateries near campuses have swiftly adapted to options that align with the fast food culture that are also budget-friendly for students. Many of these establishments have become popular hangout spots for students.Nikitha B, a final year law student, told TOI that she usually eats traditional food such as a fish curry rice or a veg meal. “If not, I go home whenever the second half of the day is free. However, it is not the case for my friends, who usually throng to cafes that offer continental food such as pasta, burgers, or other dishes,” she said, agreeing that lunch preferences have changed.A shopkeeper near Light House Hill Road added: that though a good number of students do go for ganji oota or traditional meals, others prefer trending snacks. “It’s easy to grab; you can even carry it on your way and eat in class, and it is pocket-friendly too,” said the shopkeeper. Rishal Moras, who just completed her engineering at a college near Moodbidri, recalls that when she joined the college in 2021, the college food court had limited options. “By the end of my college days, the same canteen offered burgers, seekh kebabs, rolls, and other fast food, loved by the students. The shops outside the campus also have the same options,” she said.Mny students are also very conscious about what they eat for lunch or dinner outside their homes. “Some of my friends avoid junk completely, and choose various salads which are low in calories and healthy. They also take their juice without sugar,” said another student Raghavendra Nayak.A professor of a city-based college said that even college canteens across institutions have added dishes like pizza, pasta, kati rolls, french fries, sandwiches, and burgers, that are popular with the students these days. Canteens also serve pastries and cakes these days.
