by Amelia Schaffer

Created on: July 22, 2009

College meal plans can be expensive, and so students should be certain that they are selecting the best meal plan and making the most of it. Here are some tips for choosing a meal plan and taking advantage of your options.

1. Compare prices. Sometimes the cost of a meal plan will be much greater than the cost of buying each meal individually. This can lead to waste, especially if you don't use all of the meals provided. If your school allows it, drop the meal plan and purchase meals as you need them. You might even realize that you don't need as many meals per week as the plan would have provided. If your school requires a certain meal plan, make sure you make the most of it by using all the meals you can.

2. Know when and where you eat the most. Some meal plans might have limitations on when and where you can purchase meals. If you purchase a meal plan that doesn't work on weekends, for example, you might end up spending extra money if you need to be on campus and feed yourself on Saturday and Sunday. "Unlimited" meal plans might limit you to certain dining halls. If you always study at the library and the cheaper meal plan you purchased doesn't work at the library's cafe, you will end up spending additional money there and wasting your meal plan.

3. Ask upperclassmen friends before you purchase a meal plan. They know how the different meal plans work and can offer advice based on personal experience. Ask them about the advantages and disadvantages of certain meal plans. They can warn you when things seem like deals but really aren't: for example, a cheaper meal plan that only allows you to eat in the dining hall with the worst food.

4. Know what meal plans are the most popular. This is not always a good gauge for getting the most out of your dollar, but at the same time the meal plans will affect where people eat. The meal plans available to each class might lead to certain dining halls attracting more freshmen or more upperclassmen than average. Buying the popular meal plan will ensure that you can access the same dining halls as your friends in your class.

5. Know where to get free food on campus. Clubs and organizations often host lunchtime discussion groups, special dinners, or lectures with refreshments provided. Take advantage of these opportunities for free food. You will be able to save money by buying a cheaper meal plan and spending less time in the dining halls, and at the same time you will be exposed to new and interesting events which you might not have attended otherwise.

College meal plans can work very differently depending on the school. Ask for details about each plan before you choose. Be sure to get information about changing meal plans during the semester in case the one you pick is not right for you.

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