By: Monique Bishop

                     This semester brought a lot of new things to Radford University- one of them being the new meal plans. These meal plans replaced the meal plans that most students were used to. According to Radford University Dining Services, the new meal plans offer a much better value than the old flex plans. There is a 60 % increase in value compared to the value of the flex plan. With the residential meal plans, students are supposed to be guaranteed two meals a day. The apartment and commuter plans are different. There is a limited number of swipes for the semester. There are kiosks in the dining locations where you can order your food. You can also order on the Boost app. 

         Sounds good so far, right? Not all is as it seems. Many students complain about being hungry or running out of food dollars or meal swipes. Also, students are dissatisfied with the times of use for the meal swipes. For those with residential meal plans, the two swipes can only be used during certain times of the day. This provides a level of inconvenience for many students. Some students work or have classes during the times that they could use their meal swipes.

         Another issue seems to be the lack of balanced and nutritious meal options for students. One student spoke about how there are minimal options for those who have dietary restrictions or are vegetarian or vegan. Most of Dalton’s menu items are very high in calorie intake. Most of the students would like some healthier options.

         There is the Highlander Food Pantry if you need fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as canned items and non-perishables. On Fridays around 5 p.m., 1910 Cafe donates sandwiches and salads to the pantry as well. 

         There are both pros and cons to the new meal plans, but everyone has to adjust and learn how to manage and budget successfully. As with everything that is new, sometimes the kinks have to be worked out first.