New, healthier options pop out of the box
Five Guys. Qdoba. Extreme Pizza. Between Shafer and Laurel, there are more fast food restaurants now than the average VCU student can shake a stick at. From pizza to burgers, to wraps and tacos, the 900 block of West Broad offers a diverse arrangement of available eateries that are open from dawn until dusk.
Five Guys. Qdoba. Extreme Pizza. Between Shafer and Laurel, there are more fast food restaurants now than the average VCU student can shake a stick at. From pizza to burgers, to wraps and tacos, the 900 block of West Broad offers a diverse arrangement of available eateries that are open from dawn until dusk.
But what about those students looking for a healthier alternative?
This past week, the Out of the Box Cereal Company opened up for business next to the Student Media Center. The bright colors and open space reminiscent to retro soda bars offers just what its name describes: cereal. For young and old fans of all different kinds, the Out of the Box Cereal Company delivers every kind of cereal imaginable, with a smile.
With several different types of milk – including skim, whole, 2 percent, soy, chocolate and strawberry – and 37 varieties of cereal, there is definitely a lot to choose from. Customers can even top their cereal with different kinds of fruit, such as bananas, strawberries or cantaloupe, and there are three different sized bowls to choose from.
Chris Skinner, owner and operator of the cereal bar, took inspiration from similar establishments across the country.
“We hope to have a stack of comment cards, and I’m sure we’ll get more cereal as people come in and request,” he said.
Skinner also hopes to experiment with other, more diverse toppings such as Oreo cookie crumbles and peanut butter candy bits.
The establishment opens itself up to the variety of health options that many students hold on to. Out of the Box offers several organic, natural cereals in addition to its Lucky Charms and Count Chocula.
Aside from its many foods and beverages, including fresh ground coffee, soon the bar will offer WiFi access.
“There are a lot of places that offer WiFi for a fee, but we want to keep it free as a service to the students,” Skinner said.
With its friendly atmosphere and unique variety of food, Out of the Box is sure to attract even more attention as the school year gets jumping.
