Meal plan or not and how much $$

[Cressmom]

In my own experience, buy the cheapest meal plan. My children didn’t have the option in their freshman year, and by the end of the year, more than two hundred dollars went as “tip” to the university since those points can’t be used after the finals even if they stay over the summer there. Sophomore year they can have a lesser amount but its still larger that it should be, and again “uncle university” gets its “tax”. Only off campus students have a fair meal system. Meal plans like housing are great universities’ business (about $ 625 to feed a student fast food for a month; about $1100 monthly to house him)

[originaloog]

I agree with jmmom that during freshman year the dining hall is a place to both eat and socialize.

As to some of those weekly/monthly food budgets, most seem very high to me. My wife and I get by on about $60/week and we eat meat/fish about 5 times a week along with fresh veggies and fruits. However we like to cook and never use pre-prepared food. Never.

But assuming that a college student will require the convenience of some pre-prepared food but rely more heavily on easy dishes like pasta, boxed cereals and sandwiches, $50/week should do the trick. I know our son has managed three years on a wee bit less but he is not a finicky eater and is frugal.

However if opting out of the meal plan merely means eating out at local eateries and fast food joints the costs will escalate drastically and typically be accompanied by a far less healthy diet crammed with salt, carbs and calories.

For students opting out of a meal plan because they are bored with the choices, they need to wake up to the fact that their weekly menu will typically become very boring if they cook from themselves.

[astrophysicsmom]

Unfortunately, you have to make that decision the first time without really knowing what to expect. I've found that it really comes down to how the roommates/friends from the dorm eat that makes some difference. If it's a very social group that tends to go to meals together, then there will more likely be bigger usage of the meal plans. It also depends on the student's schedule. 1st semester, D had a night class and was involved in a couple of activities/groups that met early in the evening. As a result, she had a less predictable evening schedule, and didn't go to eat consistently with the same group of people every day. She started buying basic stuff at the co-op on campus (fruit, milk, bread, PB, and of course ramen noodles)....and learned with friends on her floor all the various places that delivered food to the dorm. Fortunately, she was pretty health conscious, so she avoided the freshman 15..... As a freshman in a non-kitchen unit, she was required to have a meal plan. As a sophomore next year, she'd already decided to get the meal plan that had minimal meals, with more $$ to spend elsewhere for food on campus. Then, she was accepted into a living/learning housing plan next year that is apartment-type housing on campus with a kitchen (and directly across the street from the Union with its big food court). Needless to say, she's thrilled, and we'll just have to figure out which of the various plans to buy up-front campus spending $$ for. There are several options where you can save 5% to 20%(or so) if you purchase the dining $$ up front.

As a parent, I was initially amazed by the size of the dorm dining facilities, and the options they offered....especially as compared to my dorm food memories of old. But, D pointed out that after a few weeks, the options really don't change....for many kids, it does get old. At least when they're cooking for themselves, they can make their own choices.....limited as they tend to be.