By Madhavi Rao ‘24
Staff Writer
During the pandemic and resulting online classes, many students are taking refuge in food and quick snacks. For Vietnamese students at Mount Holyoke, these treats can take a variety of forms.
A popular snack is Vietnamese fresh spring rolls (gỏi cuốn). According to Celia Tran ’23, a member of the Mount Holyoke Vietnamese Student Association, “Gỏi cuốn consists of thin vermicelli noodles, pork slices, shrimp, basil and lettuce all tightly wrapped in rice paper (bánh tráng). Gỏi cuốn is a healthy and affordable dish [of] all balanced proteins and vitamins dipped in a hoisin-based sauce. A cool go-to for anyone out there who craves a fulfilling yet tasty snack.”
Tran’s favorite snack - gỏi cuốn.
Another popular Vietnamese snack food is Hảo Hảo, a brand of instant noodles. Anh Tran Nguyen Chau (Amy) ’23 described how she likes to pair the noodles with eggs and Welsh onion.
“This dish reminds me of when I was 5 or 6; my grandma used to make [them] for us after we got home from kindergarten,” she said. “It is also a food that I craved the most when studying in MoHo. I’m really glad to be back home now and enjoy all the food I want.”
A third Vietnamese snack favored by Mount Holyoke students is rice paper. As described by Dan Khanh Vo (Aurora) ’23, “From where I live, rice paper is [a] go-to street food,” Vo said. “You can see it everywhere on the street, and it is delectable (at least for me)! To get a full combo, we mix in some other ingredients such as dried shrimp, peanut[s], chili powder and many other add-ons.”
On the sweeter end of Vietnamese snacks lies AFC Biscuits, a brand of vegetable crackers. “In Vietnam, especially the southern part, as kids and teenagers, we eat this nonstop,” Vo said. “They also come in many flavors, and my favorite one is matcha.” She added that another snack food favorite is chocolate, saying, “Everyone loves chocolate — anyone and anywhere!”
Dan Khanh Vo shares her favorite snacks: AFC Biscuits and chocolate.