FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There was a time when college cafeteria food was synonymous with mystery meat, gloppy gravies and starch.

But today it’s different.

In fact, the food provided at university campuses is so good and interesting, you might want to try their recipes at home. And college kids living in their own apartments may find these dishes perfect for preparing in that first kitchen.

As you can see from those we offer, they are tasty, economical and easy.

The sophisticated palates of today’s college students are the result of them having traveled widely as children and having grown up watching television chefs.

And that’s why today’s college cafeterias at large and small, state and private schools are all about fresh food, choices and entertainment. That and the fact that they have to compete with mainstream restaurants and food stores for their students’ appetites, according to Greg Moran who is responsible for feeding 22,000 people a day at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

Among his responsibilities is the Center Market Place, the main student and staff dining room. Here they serve more than a million meals a year.

The all-you-can-eat dining room is under the management of Chartwells Food Service. The company oversees the dining at "over a couple 100 colleges" including the University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University, Jacksonville State University, Johnson & Wales and University of Northern Florida, according to resident district manager Moran.

The FAU dining room, done in trendy purple and mustard with flat-screen televisions scattered about, looks fresh and bright. Here, depending on the meal, you can make your own Belgian waffles or pick up a deli sandwich from the Bocadillo counter where it will be made to order by Paula Byard who has worked here for five years.

"The kids think I’m their mother making them a sandwich," she says. "That’s why a lot of them call me ’Mom.’"

If you are tired of tuna or chicken salad subs, which she says are the two most popular options, visit the Trattoria counter for a slice of pepperoni pizza. Baja Flats has them dishing up chicken provencal or spaghetti and meatballs. The Grille provides flame-broiled burgers, mojo-marinated chicken breasts, corn dogs, Philadelphia cheese steaks and chicken patties.

An action station called Wild Greens features Caesar salads, Greek salads, shrimp salads or salmon salads being prepared in front of you.

And don’t miss Menutainment where you can watch the chef cook such dishes as fajitas or omelets with your choice of fillings.

KIDS LIKE THE ’CAF’

At the smaller Lynn University, in Boca Raton, Fla., food service in Elmore Commons (or the "caf" as students call it) is under the auspices of Phoenix Restaurants, of Weston, Fla. The dining room at this private school feeds almost 1,000 students. It isn’t quite as sleek as the one at FAU, but step into an adjoining room where the food is served, and you feel like you’re in the casual dining venue of a modern cruise ship.

"At dinner, we try to offer the foods your mom would want you to eat. At lunch, we offer things with a little more spark," says Phoenix owner Richard Grund.