The Commons Dining Hall experience was revitalized when the Oatly soft serve machine returned in early September. Since then, students have been experimenting with different flavor combinations. I spoke with six first-years to hear their favorite ways to enjoy the sweet treat.
“I’ve never tasted anything like it before,” first-year Max Schmaling said. “Overall, it’s a Commons Dining Hall experience. You just have to do it.”
Schmaling first tried the chocolate and vanilla swirl in a cone, which exceeded his expectations.
“It’s perfect to go along with your meal because it’s not very heavy or fatty at all,” Schmaling said. “It’s just like this light little kind of energetic thing you’d add. It really gets you going.”
First-year Alejandra Lievano Bonilla opts for a bowl instead of a cone. She recommends topping a hot brownie with vanilla Oatly for a delicious treat.
“When you bite into it, you get that gooey taste of brownie and that sweet taste of vanilla ice cream,” Lievano Bonilla said. “It’s the best.”
First-year Charlie Gruber suggests another way to utilize a brownie by creating an ice cream sandwich with a cookie on one side and a brownie on the other.
Although first-year Avery Gould, a self-proclaimed “frozen yogurt enthusiast,” was disappointed by the oat milk option, she finds that a sugar cookie ice cream sandwich can serve as a valuable sweet treat in times of need.
Fellow critic and first-year Vanessa Thurman feels that the oat milk base results in a texture that is inferior in comparison to traditional soft serve or frozen yogurt. However, she and Gould have used that to their advantage by adding Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Lucky Charms to create an elevated bowl of cereal. Gould recommends putting Cinnamon Toast Crunch at the bottom of the bowl, followed by vanilla Oatly, and then more cereal on top.
“You feel like it’s cereal with milk, but the milk is special because it’s like a little ice cream,” Gould said.
Thurman also appreciates this delicious combination of textures.
“The crunch of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch with the combined milky flavor of the ice cream is good,” Thurman said. “I’ve been using the Cinnamon Toast Crunch but you can experiment with that [other cereals like Lucky Charms].”
First-year Reilly Doller has a simple but classic order: just vanilla in a cone. He enjoys eating the Oatly multiple times a week and recognizes its role in the dining hall.
“Obviously, it’s not better [than regular ice cream], but it’s good enough,” Doller said. “We needed ice cream in Commons.”
Whether it’s in between a cookie sandwich or in a cereal bowl, it is clear that Oatly is here to stay. Next time you go to Commons, be sure to try out one of these creative concoctions!
