Depending on the college, meal plans may cover only the meals served in on-campus dormitories, though many colleges offer students more variety and let them apply meal plans to a range of dining locations. If you plan to make many of your own meals, you may want to look for a plan that provides you the flexibility to eat on campus without having to pay full price each time.
Per-Meal Accounts
One of the most common college meal plans allows students to buy a preset number of meals per week. A typical plan might be 10 meals per week and would be ideal for a student who doesn't eat breakfast, makes some of her own meals or who lives off campus. Other popular options are for 14 meals, which works for students who may skip a few meals or eat off campus a couple times a week. University Language Services suggests you think through how many meals you will really want each week. If you buy a plan with too few meals, you'll end up spending more money on off-campus meals, and if you buy too many, you probably won't get a refund on unused meals.
Prepaid Cash Accounts
Some colleges allow you to have a set amount of money in your meal accounts at the beginning of the semester. For every item you buy, that equivalent amount is deducted from your account. You will swipe an ATM-like card when buying each meal to keep the account current. Most schools allow students to buy more "credits" if they run out before a semester ends or to transfer credits from one student's account to another. These student accounts also allow for food purchases from convenience stores, markets and other dining locations around campus.
All-You-Can-Eat Accounts
For students living on campus, many colleges allow unlimited meals in the dorm cafeterias. The cafeterias are only open during set hours and this usually amounts to 20 meals a week, with Sundays including only brunch and dinner. Students can have as much or as little during those meal hours as they wish. The danger with an all-you-can-eat plan is weight gain, but if you're sensible about your eating habits and get plenty of exercise, it doesn't have to be a problem. As part of your membership fees, students who live in fraternity or sorority houses typically have unlimited access to the meals served in the houses.
FLEX Accounts
Students who live off campus but want to eat at least some of their meals on campus can buy plans that allow them to charge meals to an account or get a discount on meals. Occidental College, for example, has a FLEX account, which provides off-campus students a 5 percent discount on meals and lets students charge to an account that, if there's a balance, can be refunded at the time of graduation or withdrawal from the school.
