Are Farmingdale State College meal plans worth the cost?

By Cameron Repetti

NEW YORK – Students at Farmingdale State College are spending between $97 to $3,037 on meal plans a semester. How does spending this much money translate into value when it comes to cost, nutritional value, and convenience? 

The college offers commuter students three meal plan options. $97 for 10 meal swipes, $255 for 25 meal swipes, $485 for 50 meal swipes. The two higher-value meal plans also include declining balance dollars. These can be used anywhere but the campus dining hall, POPs dining. Here, meal swipes can only be used, and these swipes last for the academic year.

New resident students are offered two meal plan options. $2,912 with unlimited meal swipes, or $3,037 for unlimited meal swipes as well. The difference between those two is the amount of declining balance dollars. Residents are defaulted to the $2,192 meal plan and can upgrade if they decide to do so. If the resident is a returning student, they can enroll in a different plan for $2,912 and get 14 meals a week. Resident student’s meal plans expire after each semester and do not roll over. 

On average, it costs $11-$20 to eat out at local restaurants or fast food spots. That would cost the average resident close to $5,000 per semester on meals. For commuters, students would only be able to get half as much food out than on campus, for the price of the lowest commuter meal plan. Because of this, FSC’s meal plan options offer a budget friendly option, especially for students who live on campus, or commuters who spend a lot of time on campus. 

POPs dining, which is located in the campus center offers a variety of foods like “hand-tossed pizza, Asian cuisine, grilled sandwiches, and daily baked desserts”. They even have a salad bar and vegetarian options as well. The college says that in all of their on campus locations, they “serve only the best in variety and value”. At POPs dining, students need to use their meal swipes to purchase their meals. 

The university’s Campus Center Market has many options for food so students are not stuck eating the same food every day. Some options include “sushi, milkshakes, coffee, burgers, pizza, freshly tossed salad and soups as well as grab 'n go items to take when you're in a hurry”. The Market also has vegetarian options as well to cater to all student’s needs. Students will need to use their declining balance dollars according to their meal plan at this facility. 

The university makes dining for students convenient, as they can download the GrubHub app and mobile order. This is perfect for students who get out of class and are hungry for a meal or snack. 

Investing in a meal plan as a resident or commuter student at Farmingdale State College can be a convenient and cost-effective option.