What meal plan is on your menu?

If you haven't already noticed, there are many different dining options on campus. With those options come different meal plans. It may be a little bit confusing to separate what you think you may need from the reality of the plan that will actually fit you best. In order to determine which meal plan is right for you, please take this short quiz:

1. I get hungry very, very often.
A. Very True — B. Somewhat True—C. Untrue—D. Very Untrue

2. I like the food at the Perch/SoVi Dining.
A. Very True – B. Somewhat True—C. Untrue—D. Very Untrue

3. I find myself not wanting to eat at Starbucks/Jamba Juice/Subway/Taco Bell very often.
A. Very True – B. Somewhat True—C. Untrue—D. Very Untrue

4. I will be living in South Village next semester.
A. Yes—B. No

5. I am a commuter.
A. Yes—B. No

6. If I live in North Lake, I plan to cook the majority of my meals myself, while occasionally dining on campus.
A. Very True – B. Somewhat True—C. Untrue—D. Very Untrue

If you answered "A" for most of these questions, I suggest the "All Access 7 Day" meal plan. This will allow you to get whatever food you would like from SoVi/Perch an unlimited amount of times. It also allows you to request a takeout box, and leave with however much food you desire.  Now, if you would only like a banana and coffee, you don't waste one of your meals with this unlimited plan. I had this plan last year, and I feel that this is the best plan for anyone living in South Village. It was very convenient to be able to run over to SoVi dining and pick up a light snack any time I was hungry.     
    

If you answered "B" for most of these questions, the "All Access 5 Day" meal plan might be a better fit. You can eat an unlimited amount of food Monday through Friday. I would not personally suggest this plan, because chances are you will still want to eat on the weekends. If you are living in South Village, this wouldn't be a good fit for you because you can only cook microwavable dishes in your dorm. Of course, you can use the communal kitchen, but you may have to wait if someone else is using it.
     

If you answered "C" for most of these questions, the "Block 120" meal plan would be a good fit. It allows you to get approximately seven meals a week.
  

Many people I know who live in North Lake have this plan. It is a good plan to have, especially if you are going to be cooking much of your food in your own kitchen.
    

I do not know if I would recommend this plan to people living in South Village. If you are not a heavy eater, or do not like the food in SoVi Dining or the Perch, I suppose this would be a good plan.
    

If you answered "D" for most of these questions, the "Block 75" Meal plan would be a good idea. This is especially true if you live in North Lake, and plan to cook a majority of your meals.
    

It is also a very cheap plan, relatively speaking. This is a good plan for filling in "gap" meals, such as lunch on campus during busy school days. Again, this would be an unwise idea for residents of South Village.
  

Overall, it depends on the individual to find a perfect meal plan. Financial considerations are always relevant as well.
    

Whichever option you choose, just remember that you will find yourself very tired after a long day in class, and you may not be up to cooking. Therefore, before you choose not to buy any meal plan, you may want to take a close look at your curricular and extracurricular schedule.  
   

Besides, it is always better to have a meal plan so there is a "food" safety net. Of course, don't forget that there is always a wide variety of restaurants in the FGCU area!