<p>i have a feeling my DD is not going to come close to using all her meals. was hoping to downgrade for next semester, so she needs to go ahead and USE this semester’s meals, as rollover meals do not transfer to downgraded plans.</p>
<p>how many hours does one need to have to downgrade? i know this has been discussed here before, but i can never find the threads i am searching for! : /</p>
<p>anyone know?</p>
<p>If your D will have sophomore or higher standing when downgrading her meal plan, it should be possible for her to get a smaller meal plan.</p>
<p>There is currently no way to check how many meals one has used/has left online. However, she can e-mail Bama Dining or ask a the dining hall. After a card is swiped for a meal, the system does display the number of meals remaining, although the 10 guest meals may be excluded from this total. A student can use their guest meals for themselves and/or guests.</p>
<p>thanks sea_tide.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>So, with my son’s 29 AP credits and the 15 this semester he will be way over the amount needed for sophomore standing. Does this mean we can downgrade his meal plan for next semester?</p>
<p>Instead of losing the leftover meals, I believe there is a new program in place where students can donate the meals that are left over.</p>
<p>well, i am suggesting to my kid that she actually try to USE the meals! i know she is going to have WAY TOO MANY, so i told her to make an effort to eat there more often. i asked her how many times per week she eats at the dining hall and she said 5 - 6! : O she doesn’t eat much breakfast at all, eats lunch at the dining hall, and either eats at the dining hall or not for dinner depending upon whats going on (but by the looks of it, rarely eats dinner in the dining hall!)</p>
<p>i am pretty sure she can feed herself for less than 8 dollars per meal, so we will be downgrading ASAP.</p>
<p>Mike, I think we have the same kid. Apparently she has eaten one breakfast at Fresh Foods though; I thought she was kidding when she told me ;)</p>
<p>Mike: My son really wanted to use his meals. He just could not stomach the food at Lakeside Dining. And I wish I could say that he was too picky, except that his friends felt the same way. That’s why all of them have no meal plan, just the Dining Dollars or the Dining Dollars and a 50-meal plan. He told me that PB and J is better for him.</p>
<p>did he ever try eating at bryant? my dd hasn’t but i have heard it might be somewhat better.</p>
<p>surely there are some things that are decent to eat there. i had the rotisserie chicken when i was there and that was pretty good. DD says the pesto pasta is pretty good.</p>
<p>didn’t i hear about fried chicken night and steak night?</p>
<p>wonder why they require such a large meal plan that most kids dont use. i can see requiring one, but every ones eating habits are different, so it would be nice if you could choose the meal plan that is right for you … even as a lowly freshman.</p>
<p>Mike: One of the biggest complaint that the kids have, I believe, is that the food is too salty. Meanwhile, my son is not into fried foods – it’s the Northerner in him, I guess. … My youngest son told me that if he goes to Alabama, just send him with two suit cases filled with clothing and a case of cereal. He’ll go to Publix for milk.</p>
<p>D & I were chatting the other day and I asked her for her opinion 3 weeks in on UA & college life. Her opinion was that everything was good except for the humidity and the food 
I will say that I think UA food is above many other schools; D even complained after 3 weeks at Vanderbilt & they had steamed salmon with mustard sauce. The reality is that institutional food is institutional food. It gets monotonous and she did say there were a few things she was going to try but the calorie counts were ridiculous. She hasn’t tried Burke or Bryant yet, but she may be going to Burke tonight. She likes Fresh Foods the best but they’re not open for dinner. </p>
<p>This is one of the reasons why she wanted the super suite room; the full fridge & microwave let her have access to the fruits & veggies she’s been buying at Publix.</p>
<p>My “son” may be in the minority but he loves the food at the Fresh Food Company in the Ferguson Center.</p>
<p>Surely a burger & fries or the pizza at Lakeside is edible. Kids are way too picky nowadays. If they were forced to eat ramen noodles and spaghetti o’s 7 days a week they’d learn to love the dining hall food real quick :-)</p>
<p>NJBama: My D agrees about Fresh Foods; it’s her favorite by far & she wishes it was open for dinner. </p>
<p>It’s funny. My “real world” picky eater would have a much easier time eating at UA than my D currently there. As long as there is PBJ, frosted flakes, chicken nuggets & french fries, D2 is cool. D1 has a much wider palate and is used to cooking for herself; I think because she’s used to all types of foods and tries to be healthy about her choices she’s struggling. But she’s going to Publix & buying all her favorite fruits & veggies & she’s fine with that. </p>
<p>And as soon as we can bump down the plan we will. I knew going in she’d eat “at home” way more than in the cafeterias.</p>
<p>RobD,</p>
<p>Tell her to give Burke a try if it’s not too far for her. Back when I was at UA Burke always had the best food out of the dinning halls. Of course that was 20 years ago and times may have indeed changed :-(</p>
<p>NJBama - why do you say “son”? if you have said, i must have missed it.</p>
<p>how late is fresh foods open?</p>
<p>any other reports on burke and bryant’s food?</p>
<p>My “son” is actually my little brother. He was born when I was a student at UA. Because of our age difference, and my help in raising him, he’s more like a son to me than a brother and so I started referring to him as “son” on here.</p>
<p>Fresh Food company is open until 4pm I believe.</p>
<p>oh ok!</p>
<p>: )</p>
<p>IIRC, Fresh Foods is open until 4pm and lunch at Bryant ends at 2pm. So far this year, I have eaten two meals on campus and both were lunches at Bryant. UA and Aramark negotiated a separate contract for Bryant, so the food selection is slightly different and trays and stoneware-type plates are used. Burke is nice if only for a change of scenery, but it is far away from the honors dorms. Bryant is very convenient for those with classes in Nott, Lloyd, and Gordon Palmer halls, along with the Biology Building.</p>
<p>so, sea_tide, is the food at bryant different/better?</p>