Meal plans in college are kind of rite of passage. You suffer through them for a few years, or as long as your school requires you to, patiently waiting for the day when you can make your own food. For the first few weeks-months of freshman year the food seems…alright? Maybe even decent? But quickly, the foods turns repetitive and you find yourself eating cereal for every meal. But wait, don’t fear, there may be salvation yet for you! At most schools, mine included, after one of two years of being forced to be on the meal plan you are given the glorious choice of choosing to make your own food and save an exorbitant amount of money. Meal plans are enormously expensive to the student. Doing the math with my friends, we found that the meal plan at my school equates to close to $14 a meal. That’s almost two Chipotle burritos. And most of the time I just cereal at the dining hall. That being said…

This year I am free of the meal plan! And may I say, it is amazing. I now have the ability to make my own food, at the time of day that I want it, and I can choose what I eat! It is infinitely easier to eat healthy and I have already found myself eating more fruits and vegetables, solely because I actually have access to them. Eating healthy on the meal plan can be quite the challenge. Oftentimes, there is only one actual “meal” made per day, think like your “Homestyle “Table. The rest of the options are either burgers, pizza, or a salad bar. Now the salad bar is good for a few meals, it is not sustainable to eat every meal. Without the constraints of the meal plan, it is not only an opportunity to actually eat what you want, but it is also preparation for actually living on your own. In the real world, you’re going to have to make dinner, and pack a lunch. Not being on the meal plan has forced me to manage my time better to fit in time to make and pack meals. It has made me plan ahead of what food I need to buy at store, and how to prepare them. Long story short, although meal plans are slightly more convenient and quick, not being on one, in my opinion, is infinitely better!