By Lauren Matheny, Lifestyles Editor
One of the first things students must decide each semester, along with where they will live on campus and what classes they will take, is which meal plan they will use for the coming year.
While nearly all students utilize Alvin’s Café or the caf for meals and snacks, some students, including Libby Dowell, acting and music junior, think they are losing money with a mandatory meal plan and high prices.
“I think the prices are fair, but we are paying too much for extra meals that we don’t need,” Dowell said.
Some students think paying cash when visiting the caf would save them a few dollars. Nirali Mickow, director of operations for food services, said this is not the case.
Commuters and visitors pay $5.25 for breakfast, $6.25 for lunch and $7.25 for dinner. These prices do not include tax.
Students with meal plans pay only one fixed rate for entering the caf. Mickow did not know the exact rate of these meals.
All prices are arranged through a contract between the university and Sodexo, the national food supplier who provides all food options on campus.
“The meal plan actually makes things much cheaper for the students because you’re not paying that extra tax, and the prices are lower,” Mickow said.
The price of each meal for the $2,309 Meal Plan A (offering 19 meals a week, computing that the caf serves students 18 weeks a semester) would come in at about $6. This amount is for the caf meal only, and is not figured with Stars Cash or points, which are $250. This means that eating breakfast in the caf is slightly more expensive than the visitor price, while dinner is $1.25 cheaper.
This pricing only works if students eat every meal designated in their meal plan. If the student skips meals, each meal costs more.
Plan A offers 19 meals each week. These meals do not roll over from week-to-week, meaning that to recoup their investment, a student would need to eat in the caf every meal, every day, all week long.
Mickow recommends this plan for students with freer schedules.
“For some students who have plenty of time in their schedule and require large meals, this is the best plan,” Mickow said.
Meal Plan B is similar, but offers 14 meals a week. This means a student with a tighter schedule might eat breakfast at home, but go to the caf for brunch or dinner, Mickow said.
The final meal plan, Plan C, is suggested for students with especially busy schedules.
This plan offers 150 block meals each semester. Mickow said it offers the most flexibility of the three plans, allowing students to take two meals at a time.
“You can eat in the caf for breakfast, and grab a to-go meal on your way out for lunch,” Mickow said.
Using a meal plan isn’t all about the financial benefits, Mickow said.
“There are many reasons to come to the caf and use your meal plan, one of the main ones being social life,” Mickow said. “Going to the caf allows you to mingle with other students during busy weeks. Your card will never be declined. You will always be able to get food here on campus. For students who are busy, it’s easy to come to the caf. You don’t spend two hours cooking. Finally, there’s the health benefits. We offer a wide variety of options, are conscious about food safety, and are very careful of dietary restrictions.”
This peace of mind extends to parents of college students as well, Mickow said.
“For the parents back home, it’s the relief of knowing their kid is eating and has healthy options to choose from,” she said.
Dowell said, even if students take advantage of the meal plan, they might not get full value.
“I think some of our students have very specific diets and may not be able to eat all of these meals in the caf, realistically,” Dowell said.
Dowell opted for Meal Plan C as a sophomore and, while she appreciated the easy access of to-go meals, said she wished the number of meals provided was smaller.
“I have a lot of unused meals each year, which is frustrating,” Dowell said. “They should have an option with fewer meals that’s cheaper, because I never use all of them. I believe it’s the same for other students.”
Students with questions or concerns can email Mickow at nmickow@okcu.edu.
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