For first year and second year students living on campus, full-time meal plans are unavoidable. However, for students living in Commons Apartments, Theme Houses, Greek Houses, or off-campus, meal plans are not required. For freshmen and sophomores still frequenting the CC or OtterDen, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Here are five perks to not having a meal plan:
1. You are not spending $4,640
According the Business Office’s 2014-2015 Tuition and Fees schedule, the smallest meal plan costs $4,300 for the entire school year. The middle plan has a $4,470 price tag and the largest plan will cost you $4,640. There are 32-weeks in the academic year. If you have the largest meal plan you are paying $145 per week for food. That comes out to $580 for a month’s worth of groceries. While the meal plan you select is contingent on your dietary habits, for a single person spending $145 per week at the grocery store is outlandish. If you do spend $145 per week at the grocery store and do not have a meal plan, consider signing up for a fuel perks program.
2. Fresh produce
While the CC normally does have some vegetable options, good broccoli is hard to come by and the canned peaches at the fruit bar sometimes are not enough. If you're looking for additional options to get your fruit and vegetables intake, Uptown has a great Farmer’s Market Wednesdays from 3-6pm from May to October.
3. You have more than one on-campus dining option Saturday and Sunday morning.
Furthermore, you have more than four dining options Monday through Friday.
4. Pizza does not have to be your last resort.
Not to say that pizza cannot be your last resort, but at least you have more options than you would at the CC on Sunday night when you aren't a fan of the single main dish.
5. It’s much easier to have a balanced diet
Avoiding the all-you-can-eat buffet style options makes it much more difficult to overeat. While not having a meal plan does not guarantee you will develop healthy eating habits, it certainly becomes more feasible without the temptation of a dessert bar. Furthermore, for students with special dietary requirements, freedom from a meal plan reduces the pressure to constantly wonder what exactly is in that pasta sauce.
Do you love life without a meal plan or could you stay on one forever?
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