Meal plans and cooking for yourself

Choosing between a campus meal plan and cooking on your own comes down to your schedule, your kitchen and your habits. This page lays out how meal plans work and what cooking takes, so you can compare the two with your own numbers.

How meal plans are put together

Campus meal plans usually come in a few shapes. Some give unlimited entry to the dining halls, some give a set number of meals per week or per term, and many add a balance of dining dollars for cafes and markets on campus.

Read the fine print on what carries over. Unused weekly meals often disappear at the end of each week, while dining dollars may roll over between terms or expire in spring. Many schools require a plan for students living in residence halls, especially in the first year.

What cooking on your own takes

Cooking can give you more control over what you eat and how much you spend, but it depends on more than groceries. You need regular access to a kitchen, basic pots and pans, space in the fridge and a way to get to a store.

Time is the cost people tend to underestimate. Shopping, cooking and cleaning up can take several hours a week, and late labs or a long commute can push you toward takeout. A plan you will actually follow serves you more than one that looks cheaper on paper.

Questions to settle first

• Whether your housing requires a plan
• What happens to unused meals and dining dollars
• How often you can reach a grocery store
• Whether your room has a kitchen

Weighing the two

Start with a typical week. Count the meals you eat on campus, the ones you skip and the ones you buy elsewhere, then compare that pattern with the plan options your school lists.

A smaller plan combined with some cooking suits many students who live off campus or have a kitchenette. If you have food allergies or a medical diet, ask dining services and the disability services office what they can arrange before you commit.

Food is part of your cost of attendance, so the financial aid office counts it whichever way you eat. If a required plan strains your budget, ask whether the school offers a reduced plan or a meal swipe sharing program.