Meal plans at UH are broken down into two categories — residential and voluntary — that include Cougar Cash and can be used at Fresh Food Company at Moody Towers and Real Food on Campus at Oberholtzer Hall.
Residential meal plans are mandatory for students living in Moody Towers, the Quadrangle and Cougar Village; voluntary meals plans are for commuters and students living in Bayou Oaks, Cambridge Oaks, Cougar Place, Cullen Oaks and Calhoun Lofts.
“I live on campus with no access to a car, so the meal plans have worked out well for me,” said advertising senior Fadi Moighnieh.
Dining services offers plans based upon how many meals students expect to eat; 21 or 15 per week, or 160 per semester for residential “lifestyle” plans. Students on the voluntary “block” plans can get 80, 40 and 20 meals per semester.
“The most popular plan over all was Lifestyle 160, but very close to that is the lifestyle 21,” said Operation Director Geoffrey Herbert.
All three residential meal plans cost $1,610 per semester plus tax, while voluntary plans differ in price ranges from $610 – $200 per semester plus tax.
“This is the first semester that I got a meal plan. I have (classes) all day, and it was just easier to go eat in a dinning hall than bring my own food,” said advertising senior Lauren Proff. “The one thing I wish was different about the meal plans is that I would like to be able to substitute one of my meals at Moody Towers (for) some food at Chick-fil-A or Subway,” said Proff.
Students are also able to purchase food, beverages, and health related products at the on-campus convenience stores.
“I have no way of going to a grocery store like H-E-B or Kroger without someone driving me there, so having Cougar Cash in (my meal plan) helps me out,” said Moighnieh.
“I would recommend that juniors and seniors buy just Cougar Cash, it is by far the best investment.”
Students can expect a price increase on meals plans in fall 2012, but will also be offered a new set of meal plans.
One of the new features offered in the fall will be guest passes, allowing family or friends access at Real Food on Campus and Fresh Food Company.
Changes in the meal plans this fall will also give students access to new food options that were not there before.