college: meal plan vs. cooking?

[nolandw]

yooo so i'm about to be a junior (

) and i'm debating whether toscrap the meal plan and just cook everything, or maybe get the smallest meal plan when i'm lazy and cook when i can. it's unfortunate the smallest mealplan is a rip-off still. i just don't know whether i'll be able to make healthy stuff all the time. maybe chicken + foreman = good?

suggestions, first-persons, recipes, etc?!

 

[fanatic15]

If you can sill get food when you need w/ cash then I would just scrap the meal plan if you don't plan on using it often. Buying your own groceries willcost you less for sure. I'm assuming you don't live on campus and have a place to cook of course.

 

[mytmouse76]

both if you can afford it..

i know our meal plans come with dinning dollars to eat at spots like chik-fil-a and quiznos and other spots on campus

you might be there late or just get hungry in between classes and can eat w/o coming out of pocket...

then you can cook when ever you feel like it to...

 

[dakingii]

i couldnt afford a meal plan and since my dorm has a kitchen i bought groceries, so far i wish i had a meal plan....

 

[ptrakarn23]

just cook if you live in a house/apartment

itll be healthier for you and it will save you money

trader joes FTW

 

[antonlavey]

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

 

[letsgetit22]

I'll probably do the same thing and get the 5 meals a week plan eventhough I feel like its a rip off

 

[fanatic15]

Originally Posted by mytmouse76

both if you can afford it..

i know our meal plans come with dinning dollars to eat at spots like chik-fil-a and quiznos and other spots on campus

you might be there late or just get hungry in between classes and can eat w/o coming out of pocket...

then you can cook when ever you feel like it to...

The only thing w/ that is you are coming out of pocket anyway because you pay for the meal plan, sure it's convenient but if you don't useall of the money you lose out. At least you do at my school. I remember losing over 200 bucks because I didn't use all of my meal money. It reallydepends how much you think you will need to use the meal plan OP. It also prevents you from eating crap food at the drop of a dime just because it'sconvenient lol.

I actually do live on-campus (most people do at my college because of a weird town law; it actually is much better to live on campus at my college).

So I would have to use the hall kitchen

(I live in a small hall though, like less than 50?).

oh okay thats cool. I was just making sure "cooking" to you didn't mean microwaving everything

.

 

[curious24]

cook if apartment....caf food will suck fast and going to the caf is stupid u unlees a stupid freshman

 

[nolandw]

I'm assuming you don't live on campus and have a place to cook of course.


I actually do live on-campus (most people do at my college because of a weird town law; it actually is much better to live on campus at my college).

So I would have to use the hall kitchen

(I live in a small hallthough, like less than 50?).

At least you do at my school. I remember losing over 200 bucks because I didn't use all of my meal money. It really depends how much you think you will need to use the meal plan OP. It also prevents you from eating crap food at the drop of a dime just because it's convenient lol.
lol we do that at my school too. People have so much money at the end of the school year so they spend it all at once (my friend bought like 12pizzas one night).

 

[blacklion23]

Cooking if you can afford it, only because you have a choice. I would still get the meal plan though to be on the safe side.

 

[smoke ya later]

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

dang that's messed up, your mom is hookin you up and that's what you do?

 

[mytmouse76]

Originally Posted by NolanDW

I'm assuming you don't live on campus and have a place to cook of course.

I actually do live on-campus (most people do at my college because of a weird town law; it actually is much better to live on campus at my college).

So I would have to use the hall kitchen

(I live in a small hall though, like less than 50?).


50 people? thats gonna be gross...goodluck trying to even get in the kitchen

 

[boilermaker x]

Seriously, price it out. Every university I've ever been at charges undergraduates a FORTUNE for meal plans when you figure out on a per meal basis(~$6-9). And all those dining dollars? Those aren't given to you - you pay for those.

My advice: Be an informed consumer.
1. Determine what each meal plan costs per meal. (Would you pay that out of pocket for lunch tomorrow, or would you go home to make food?)
2. Find out how much it will cost you to buy individual meals at the facilities without a meal plan. (If it's the same price, you can always buy meals onthe spot or buy food a la carte.)
3. Talk with whoever buys your groceries now and get an idea what it would cost you for a week. Compare that with what you would pay for a meal plan. (You're individual purchases will change, but it gives you a starting point.)

 

[trapmuzik617]

Originally Posted by smoke ya later

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

dang that's messed up, your mom is hookin you up and that's what you do?

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by smoke ya later

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

dang that's messed up, your mom is hookin you up and that's what you do?

 

[smoke ya later]

grow up dude I'm not mad I was hoping you weren't that immature.

 

[antbanks81]

I found it difficult to cook while going to school. I did hold a job in addition to a full course load. Most days I just wanted to go the caf. Try cooking fora semester and see if you can make it. Plus it was always an opportunity to check out the ladies at the caf. I kept my meal plan for three years, but I wouldcook when I felt like it.

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by smoke ya later

grow up dude I'm not mad I was hoping you weren't that immature.

 

[eddie]

Originally Posted by AntBanks81

I found it difficult to cook while going to school. I did hold a job in addition to a full course load. Most days I just wanted to go the caf. Try cooking for a semester and see if you can make it. Plus it was always an opportunity to check out the ladies at the caf. I kept my meal plan for three years, but I would cook when I felt like it.

i'm thinking the same. Cooking is def. better on ur wallet, but if u can't balance it with school, then dont

 

[gtek]

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

You prob was the type of kid that saved lunch money for J's.

 

[cangn]

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

damn thats mess up LOL

 

[gescobe]

cook.

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by cangn

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

damn thats mess up LOL

Alright i'm exaggerating about the most part. I just used it for other things.....I don't eat much. It was senior year, I wenthard

 

[antbanks81]

Originally Posted by GTEK

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I just told my mom to give me the money for the meal plan and I cooked and used most of the money on liqour

You prob was the type of kid that saved lunch money for J's.

I know I was

... i learned that trick in the eight grade when I got the 10s and parents matched me

Hell I even put off buying a book that I really didn't need to get the 15s