Some students decide on alternatives to the 'Street'

Of the University's dining halls, the Center for Jewish Life is rumored to serve the best food. Conveniently located on Washington Road near Ivy Lane, the CJL serves kosher meals and is open to all students.

Jonathan Slutzman '01 said he chose to buy a meal contract at the CJL for two reasons. "Part of it is financial," he said. "It's significantly less expensive than an eating club. A bunch of my friends eat there."

Princeton's two eating cooperatives — 2 Dickinson and Brown — provide alternatives to the eating clubs. Both serve dinner every night as well as Sunday brunch — all prepared by students themselves.

Members make their own breakfasts and lunches in the coop kitchens. Some live at or near their coops while others live elsewhere on campus. In addition to cooking, each member is responsible for a specific chore that can range from grocery shopping to pantry organizing.

Two Dickinson — the University's vegetarian coop — is located in a yellow house at 2 Dickinson Street, on the corner of Dickinson and University Place. Half of the coop's 20 members live in the building.

The coop — commonly called "2D" — serves vegetarian meals with vegan options. Members are divided into groups of five, each of which is responsible for cooking one meal per week.

Katie Baum '01 said she joined because the eating clubs did not appeal to her and she liked the idea of living in a house.

"If you're vegetarian, there's nowhere else for you to go, and you definitely get a feel here that you don't get anywhere else on campus," she said.

Brown Coop is Princeton's "omnivorous" coop with its kitchen and dining room located in Brown Hall. Every member has a key to the kitchen, which facilitates late-night study breaks. Groups of three members each are responsible for cooking one meal per week. Dinners range from fajitas to pasta and from vegetable stir-fry to filet mignon. Members can request the food they want by adding it to the coop's grocery list.

Benjamin Goldstein '00 said he joined Brown because the coop is significantly less expensive than the eating clubs and because "it's a really fun atmosphere."

"It's a really close group of people," he said. "It's fun to cook with them."