What Are Meal Plans and Why Do They Matter for Online College Students?
Here, we’ll discuss the various aspects of online college meal plans. In particular, we’ll look at their availability, quality, and affordability. Keep in mind that online colleges aren’t known for their meal plans. Online students, after all, don’t visit dining halls as often as on-campus students.
But you’ll be surprised at the number of online students on meal plan subscriptions. This is particularly true for online students in on-campus and affiliated housing. Online and on-campus students enjoy the same benefits that meal plans bring.
What are meal plans in the first place? These are prepaid arrangements for meals offered by colleges and universities. Terms and conditions, such as prices and rollovers, vary among colleges. But there are common features among college meal plans.
Featured Programs
Prepaid Accounts
Students must choose a meal plan based on their budget, eating habits, and dietary restrictions. Then, they must pay the cost of their meal plan for the semester. Pay-as-you-go plans are also available, but prepaid plans are more common and convenient.
Meal plans come in different forms, too. Limited or unlimited meal swipes and flex dollar combinations are common. Block meal plans with flex dollars are also available.
Grants Access to Healthy and Balanced Meals
Students with meal plans can access the dining products and services in on-campus dining halls. The dining products include meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The services include one-on-one consultations with a registered dietitian about dietary restrictions.
Plus, dining halls usually offer healthy and balanced meals curated by chefs and registered dietitians. Most colleges also accommodate dietary restrictions, such as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
Convenience and Time Savings
Meal plans provide ready-to-eat meals at the dining halls. Students don’t need to shop for groceries, cook their food, and clean up after eating. Meal plans mean significant savings in time and energy, a boon for busy students.
Cost-effective Solution
When chosen according to your unique needs, you can save on meal plans versus home-cooked meals. You won’t overspend on food or make impulse purchases. Meals are waiting for you at the dining hall.
Think about these statistics. Food costs represent 20% of a college student’s monthly budget. Did you know that a college meal plan costs $4,500 per academic year, on average? This translates to $18.75 per day, a significant amount for many online students.
Indeed, affordable meal plans for college students are a must in these inflationary times. Studies have shown that college students will skip meals to buy books and supplies. Skipping meals, in turn, has negative effects on physical and mental health. Academic performance and progress are at risk as a result.
The bottom line: Consider meal plans for their cost-effectiveness, convenience, and health benefits.
Do Online Colleges Provide Meal Plans?
In general, online colleges don’t offer meal plan options for remote students. Here are a few reasons why online colleges don’t make meal plans a priority.
- The focus is on providing quality yet affordable education and related services. Online colleges use their resources to meet their core mission. If they were to deliver meal plans, it would take away from said mission.
- There’s no physical campus for online students, so it’s less cost-efficient to offer meal plans. This is true for Western Governors University, Capella University, and Excelsior College. No physical campus means infrastructure and logistics challenges. There are no facilities and people to prepare, cook, and serve the meals.
But this isn’t to say that online colleges don’t provide meal plans. There are always exceptions to the rule. Foremost of these exceptions are online colleges with on-campus housing.
In these online colleges, their online students can avail of meal plans. This is particularly true when online students live in on-campus and affiliated housing. Students in fully online and hybrid programs are eligible for meal plans, too.
Furthermore, meal plans for online and on-campus students are usually the same plans. The prices, quality, and availability, and other aspects are the same.
What are the best examples of online colleges that offer meal plans for their students? Note that these online colleges also have physical campuses with dining halls.
University of Florida Online
Students in off-campus housing can build their own meal plans. First, choose your Block Plan with prices ranging from $230 to $590 per semester. Then, select your flex dollars from $200 to $290 per semester. Meal swipes differ from two to five meal swipes per week. Students can also choose flex dollars only.
Then, there are the meal plans for students in on-campus housing. Prices range between $1,765 and $2,300 per semester. Meal swipes range from 10 per week to unlimited swipes. These meal plans also come with flex dollars in varying amounts.
Indeed, Gators enjoy low-cost meal plans for college students, both online and on-campus. Furthermore, low cost doesn’t mean inferior quality. Gators attest that their meal plans feature healthy and delicious meals.
University of Arizona Global Campus
Wildcats in online and hybrid programs are also eligible for meal plans. This is particularly true for online students who live near UA’s Tucson campus. College dining services for online students include one-on-one dietary consultations.
UA’s meal plans allow students to select the plan that matches their budget and preferences. Students choose from 30+ on-campus dining options.
The Swipe Meal Plans are popular because of their affordable prices and flexible terms. Options include 18, 14, 12, and 9 swipes. These have varying numbers of swipes, prices, flex dollars, and guest meals. Prices start at $4,134 per year with $900 dining dollars and 36 swipes/month.
University of Oklahoma
Sooners choose from a wide range of online and hybrid programs. This is also true for their choices in meal plans for on-campus and online students. Students choose from over 20 dining options across the campus, including Campus Dining restaurants.
UO offers three meal plans at different prices. The Regular Meal Plans cost $3,075/semester while the Enhanced Meal Plans are $3,375/semester. Online students can choose the Commuter Meal Plans with prices starting at $500 for Blocks of Meals.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tar Heels who live off campus can explore UNC’s Off Campus Plans. Students enjoy access to on-campus dining facilities while enjoying more flexibility. Off-campus plans feature a lesser number of meals at more affordable prices. But off-campus students can also avail of on-campus meal plans.
Prices for Off-Campus Plans start at $300 for the $300 Dining Flex Plan. There are also Block 35 ($520) and Block 50 ($735) plans per semester. If you want unlimited access to meals, choose the Unlimited Plan ($3,080/semester).
Vegetarian dishes and salad bars are available in UNC’s dining facilities. Students with dietary restrictions must consult with the registered dietitian for accommodations.
University of Tennessee Knoxville
The Volunteers have a wide range of choices in meal plans. UTK categorizes its meal plans into two classifications – for on-campus freshmen and upperclassmen and commuter students. Online students may want to consider the commuter meal plans, including:
- Vol Block 30 (30 meals and $200 Dining Dollars; $596/semester)
- Tennessee Weekly 7 (7 meals/week and $500 Dining Dollars; $1,806/semester)
Students with dietary restrictions find several dining facilities that cater to their special needs. Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and allergen-free dishes are available.
However, even affordable meal plans can be burdensome for many students. Food insecurity is a real struggle among them, too. But don’t fret, as financial aid for college meal plans is available.
Since meal plans are part of the cost of attendance, financial aid covers them. Apply for federal and state aid as your first option. Explore scholarships, grants, and work-study programs for this purpose, too. Your food costs may not be 100% covered, but you’ll enjoy cost savings.
Affordable Meal Plans for Online College Students
However, there are more food options for online college students besides university-supported meal plans. If college meal plans aren’t in your sights now, you can explore these options.
Local Restaurants and Other Dining Facilities
Many colleges maintain strong partnerships with off-campus dining facilities. Students can take advantage of meal deals, discounts, and other promotions. These are usually designed to attract students to patronize their services.
If your online college gives out student discount cards, use them. Every penny saved means a penny in your pocket for other essential expenses.
Food Delivery Services
Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats are food delivery services that offer student discounts, too. You may also consider their student subscription plans for exclusive promotions. But be cautious about the costs since these add up over time.
But student discounts aren’t the only cost-saving measures available either. Here are more ways how to save money on college meal plans.
- Cook your food in your residence hall, if it’s allowed, or an off-campus apartment. You can decrease the number of meals on your meal plan in this manner. Lesser meals mean lower costs.
- Plan your homecooked meals to complete the meals in your meal plan. If you eat a light breakfast of juice and toast, you can skip the breakfast meal swipe.
- Buy the more affordable store brands, if possible. Use coupons, cashback offers, and store deals. Buy non-perishable and staple items in bulk, too.
Best of all, share your food costs with your friends or roommates. The more people who share the costs, the less the dollars you spend.
Meal Plan Flexibility for Remote Students
Online students don’t make regular campus visits. So, it makes sense that their meal plans offer more flexibility than those for on-campus students.
This is evident in these meal plan options.:
- Block meal plans feature a set number of meals per week or semester. You can use the meal swipes when it suits your needs, such as during your campus visits. Block meal plans are usually the most affordable plans.
- Pay-as-you-go plans enable students to enjoy the benefits of meal plans without committing to more expensive meal plans.
Online colleges with physical campuses also offer students flexibility through:
- Flexible dining hours, such as extended service hours for evening and weekend students
- Availability of prepared meals and snacks (i.e., grab-and-go)
- Family-friendly plans aimed at students with children
Students in online colleges also have access to campus dining apps. You can view the weekly menu, place your orders, and track your meal swipes. There’s no need to visit the on-campus dining halls for these activities.
Alternative Food Solutions for Online Students
Campus dining for online learners isn’t always convenient or cost-effective. The dining halls may be closed when you’re hungry or may be far from your off-campus housing. Whatever the reason, it’s a good idea to find alternative food solutions.
Grocery Delivery Services
If you’re too busy to shop in person, check out grocery delivery services. You save time on grocery shopping although you have to pay a fee. Instacart and Amazon Fresh are popular.
Meal Kit Discounts for Students
Meal kit delivery services offer meal kits that you can cook or assemble within minutes. Student discounts and new member discounts are available. Check out EveryPlate, Hello Fresh, and Blue Apron.
Food Pantries and Local Food Banks
If you’re experiencing food insecurity, these organizations offer food support. Even your college may have its food pantry, too. You can also apply for SNAP benefits.
Conclusion: Making the Best Choice for Your Situation
In conclusion, many online colleges offer meal plans to their online and hybrid students, too. The benefits that these meal plans provide are convenience, healthy and balanced meals, and affordability. Financial aid is available, too.
But it’s also a good idea to consider alternative options. When it comes to your food needs, it’s good to have your bases covered. So, explore your options and find the best meal plan that fits your needs.