<p>The New Student link says we can purchase a meal plan on-line. I thought this was done at CTOPS. </p>
<p>Any recommendations which meal plan we should go for?</p>
<p>rio - it depends on the eating habits of your child. For the Fall of 2006, we purchased the 200 meal block plan and it was WAAY too much. We cut it back to the 150 meal block for the Sping of 2006...still too much. Our d tends to live on popcorn, and would rather heat up a Lean Cuisine that venture out on to the dining halls on a yucky weather day. What we are doing this year is renting the largest possible microfridge from RHA, so she can store more groceries and make her own meals....and we are buying the smallest block plan possible. You can always add more meals to the block if your student runs out and you can always change to another size plan between fall and spring semesters. (Btw...we prefer the block plan because the meals carry over from week to week.)</p>
<p>Here is the link to Dining Services with instructions how to sign up for a meal plan.</p>
<p>ive seen some of the meal plans that arent block plans, and i think theres those that have 14 meals per week or something, does that mean you have to buy breakfast? im still kinda confused about the whole thing</p>
<p>On the value plans, you get a certain number of meals per week, depending on which plan you buy. The biggest plan allows 14 meals per week You can eat those meals however you please, no requirement to eat any specific meal. There is no carryover of leftover meals from week to week...and you cannot use those meals for guests. So if you buy the 14 meal plan and only eat 10 meals in one week, the other four are lost and not carried over to the next week.</p>
<p>On the block plans, you get a certain number of meals per semester. You can go weeks without eating in the dining hall and then eat 3 times a day for a month if you like without worrying about lost meals. You will not lose any leftover meals until the end of the semester. You CAN use block meals on guests. (Which is what my d did at the end of the semester trying to get rid of her extra meals....)</p>
<p>Block plans are slightly more expensive than value plans.</p>
<p>I'm not getting a meal plan at all, here's the way I look at it:</p>
<p>I want to get the 105 meal block plan, which costs $840 a semester, and makes each meal about $8.</p>
<p>I can go to the subway on campus and get a combo for around $5. The other $3 can be used towards breakfast at a bagel shop or whatever, then I only have to pay for dinner, which can easily be done for around $6-7...</p>
<p>I mean I don't see the point of paying $8 for a meal because 1) I will get tired of the dining hall and 2) I don't really want to eat that much food.</p>
<p>plus I have so much more options...</p>
<p>and one more thing, if u don't have a meal plan can u still go to the dining hall and just pay for that one time?</p>
<p>yes, the prices vary from meal to meal and cost considerably more than they do with a meal plan, but if you dont do it that often you come out on top i guess</p>
<p>ns347:
you can buy just one meal at the dining hall if you want to.</p>
<p>and aren't freshmen living in the residence halls required to have meal plans?</p>
<p>leah do u know the rate of the meal? I still think the meal plan is advertised as a "great value" when in fact it is not (for some people that eat only a little, but for the people that love to grub out at a buffet its a good deal...I simply choose 4-5 medium meals over the 3 (bkfst, lunch, dinner) heavy meals)</p>
<p>Why each meal has different prices? For block meal each meal cost $8, while for value plan each meal cost $5.53...I'm confused.........</p>
<p>Go for the smallest one (105 a semester) ther is no way you'll use it all if you eat like most people.</p>