Meal Plans
With the right meal plan, you can dine anywhere on campus: residential dining halls and cafés, Union eateries, athletic concession stands and many other locations.
Any Student
| Plan/Meals |
Dining
Dollars |
Blue
Bucks |
Guest
Meals |
Term
Price |
| 125 |
300 |
75 |
10 |
$1,750 |
| 150 |
100 |
100 |
10 |
$1,750 |
| 200 |
75 |
75 |
10 |
$1,875 |
| Unlimited |
25 |
25 |
10 |
$2,125 |
| Unlimited + |
150 |
150 |
15 |
$2,250 |
Non-Residential Students*
| Plan/Meals |
Dining
Dollars |
Blue
Bucks |
Guest
Meals |
Term
Price |
| 50 |
0 |
500 |
5 |
$1,050 |
| 75 |
0 |
400 |
5 |
$1,165 |
*And residents of Northwood III apartments
After you select a meal plan as part of your housing contract, your Mcard will be automatically loaded with your meal plan account data: number of meals, Dining Dollars and Blue Bucks (Michigan's on-campus currencies).
Whenever you eat in the dining hall, buy a burger at the Michigan Union, or grab a cup of coffee in a residential café, all you have to do is swipe your card. Your account balance will adjust automatically, just like a debit card.
Choose Your Meal Plan Wisely
The right meal plan is one that satisfies your appetite, your budget and your lifestyle. Use our meal plan calculator to make an informed decision.
More...
Before you calculate, ask yourself:
- Will I eat a full breakfast in the dining hall every day?
(For a light breakfast, using Dining Dollars at a residential cafe is a better value.)
- Do I prefer to eat two or three hearty meals a day or to "graze" throughout the day?
- Do I prefer fast food or a home-style meal?
- How many times each week will I want to dine off-campus?
- How many days or weekends per semester will I spend off campus, visiting family or friends (eliminating the need for dining hall meals)?
- Will my class/work/activity schedule limit my access to dining hall meals? (Dining Dollars, Blue Bucks or cash will be important in this case.)
Meal Plan Calculator
Points worth noting:
For balanced meals with
unlimited refills and
healthy choices:
Think dining hall meals.
For convenient snacking options,
grab-and-go convenience and
additional dining hall meals:
Think Dining Dollars.
For dining at brand name
eateries or shopping for
essentials at the
University Unions PLUS extra
dining/ snacking in the res hall cafés:
Think Blue Bucks.
For off-campus dining:
Think cash or credit cards.
Now add in the number of loads of laundry you’ll do in the residence hall each week. Washing and drying one load costs approximately $1.75 (Blue Bucks or cash).
Meal Plan Basics
- Students living in residence halls are required to have a meal plan for all terms in residence.
- Go to MyPlan to check meal plan account balances or to add Blue Bucks in no time.
- During the first 30 days of each term, you can change your meal plan as often as you like.
- Block Meal Plans include a set number of meals in the residential dining halls and varying amounts of Blue Bucks and Dining Dollars. Meals can be used at any time throughout the term.
- Unlimited Plans offer unlimited meals, snacks and beverages in the residential dining halls at any time during regular dining hours.
- Block Meals and Dining Dollars roll over from fall to winter term. Unused meals and Dining Dollars expire at the end of the winter term and are not refundable.
- Blue Bucks roll over from fall to winter terms. Account balances greater than $5 are refundable at the end of the winter semester.
- Guest meals are included in the total number of meals per term and may be used by the student or a guest. Students must accompany their guests to the dining hall.
- Students may give their parents or others access to their meal plan accounts on the MyPlan website. Parents can then check the status of the account and add Blue Bucks electronically at any time.
- We partner with the Hillel Foundation to provide a Kosher Meal Plan option. Residential students who sign a contract with Hillel for the Kosher Meal Plan will receive a refund for the cost of the University Housing Meal Plan. The Kosher Meal Plan is accepted only at Hillel. To learn more visit www.umhillel.org.
Still have questions? We have answers! Visit our Q & A page to satisfy your need to know.
