The majority of students, sophomores, juniors and seniors alike, don’t rely on a meal plan through their academic years, according to a campus poll conducted Tuesday.
Eight of the 10 people questioned around the Iowa State campus cited grocery shopping as a more feasible option when it comes to eating at college.
Some students said grocery shopping tends to be more cost effective than meal plans that range between $3,124 and $4,335 per year. But meal blocks tend to be favored when choosing a meal option directly from ISU Dining. Meal blocks range from $264 to $1,019 per year. Students also prefer to have dining dollars instead of full meal plans.
Students who were polled said the reason they had meal blocks and dining dollars instead of full meal plans was because of their proximity to campus.
Two of the people polled live in dorms and cited that as their reason for having a meal plan.
Of the students surveyed, the majority of upperclassmen live off campus, so they’re not always on campus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
But students said the majority of their meals go toward lunches because they are most likely on campus during that time as a result of their class schedule.
Johnna Cleaver, junior in management, mostly shops for groceries but has a small meal block and dining dollars.
“I have a block of 30 meals just in case there are times when I can’t make it home for lunch,” Cleaver said.
Cleaver cited cost and diverse food options as reasons why she prefers grocery shopping.
“As a vegetarian, going to the dining center sucks because its $8, but if I go anywhere else, vegetarian food is not that expensive,” Cleaver said.
Megan Randall, open-option sophomore, had a similar view.
“I have a meal block, but I don’t use it because it’s only like 25 meals, so I save it for when I don’t have groceries left,” Randall said.
Randall said she doesn’t think the meal plans offered by ISU Dining are worth the price considering the lack of variety offered at dining locations across campus.
Randall also expressed annoyance with the meal bundles this year, saying “they took away all the damn sides.”
Last year, three side items were provided by ISU Dining instead of the two allowed this year. But the price of meal plans went up.
Mikinna Kerns, sophomore in integrated studio arts, also prefers grocery shopping and dining dollars over purchasing a meal plan.
As an integrated studio arts major, Kerns often works in the studio, so she uses dining dollars at the Design Café. When not working in the studio, Kerns is most often at her apartment.
“I wouldn’t want to walk all the way to a dining center for something I could cook myself,” Kerns said.