Everyone interested in saving a buck and learning about different cultures just found a new place for lunch. Free lunch and discussion sessions are offered Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on the UIUC campus.

“The Quench Series,” held the first and third Mondays of every month, deals with issues relevant to the LGBT community, said Leslie Morrow, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center. The lunches are held in room 323 of the Illini Union. Discussion topics are “fueled by recent events,” Morrow said, and have included an inaugural watch as well as discussion of the Iowa marriage decision. Students are welcome to give suggestions about the topics and the food, Morrow said. Lunches range from a pasta bar to Thai food to a nacho bar, Morrow said. On the second and fourth Mondays of the month, the Women’s Resource Center holds “Dish It Up,” a lunch discussion at 300 Turner Services Building on John Street.

Every Tuesday, “Food for Thought” is offered at the Asian American Cultural Center on Nevada Street. This series offers “food for the mind and the body,” said Sehjong Hamjong, programming coordinator. Expert presenters as well as fun programs and “very interactive” discussions are features of the “Food for Thought” series. “We don’t want it to be a lecture,” said Hamjong. One of the most popular sessions was a presentation from the Asian American Superhero Anthology book tour, which drew about 150 people. A mock interactive counseling session was another particularly engaging discussion, Hamjong said. The menu includes ethnic Asian foods and has included sushi, curry and South Asian and Pakistani dishes. “Food is a good draw, and the students come for that but leave with a better understanding about intergroup dialogue,” Hamjong said.

“Food for the Soul” is offered Wednesdays at the Bruce Nesbitt African American Cultural Center. Angela R. Clark, assistant programming director, said the series draws an average of 50 attendees. Dishes served vary week to week and include pizza, chicken and sub sandwiches. Topics range from history makers to LGBT issues to performing arts to financial wellness, Clark said. “It’s been a really good semester in terms of depth of conversations,” Clark said. Clark said she hopes that the lunch-and-learns provide an opportunity for people to meet someone new and provide a takeaway that attendees can use in their personal lives.

Thursdays, “Lunch at La Casa” is served at La Casa Cultural Latina on Nevada Street. The series varies from formal presentations to ones that encourage discussion throughout, said Veronica M. Kann, assistant director at La Casa. “Lunch at La Casa” is a chance for interaction with visiting artists and scholars on campus, Kann said. Latino food is served primarily, as well as Asian food occasionally. Kann said the series tries for variety in the menu. Topics of discussion vary widely also but center around issues relevant to the Latino community, Kann said. She said she hopes the series introduces attendees to “resources they might not have known about.”