Meal Plan Information

Montclair Campus Residents

• Traditional Hall Residents (29 or less Earned Credit Hours): Resident students living in traditional residence halls that have earned 29 credit hours or less may choose from the Unlimited, 220 Block, 210 Block plans. 
• Traditional Hall Residents (30+ Earned Credit Hours): Resident students living in traditional residence halls that have earned 30 or more credit hours may choose from Unlimited, 220 Block, 210 Block, 175 Block or 135 Block plans.

Bloomfield Campus Residents

• All students assigned to on-campus housing (including traditional hall, apartment and theme houses) must select either the Unlimited or 210 block plan. If no meal plan is selected, the system will default to the Unlimited meal plan automatically.

Campus apartment residents assigned to Hawk Crossings and The Village at Little Falls, are required to have a meal plan. At the minimum, a $265 Apartment Plan (per semester) must be maintained. You may also opt to add any higher level meal plan.

Graduate students living on campus are subject to the same meal plan restrictions as above depending if you are in traditional housing (considered as +30 Earned Credit Hours) or Hawk Crossings/The Village.

Traditional hall residents on both Montclair and Bloomfield campuses who access or remain in their room over any portion of winter break timeframe will be assigned the mandatory Winter Break Meal Plan.

Part time commuter students are not automatically enrolled in a meal, but if you would like to enroll in a plan, you can choose from the Unlimited or any Block plan, or just add Flex Dollars to your ID Card.

Undergraduate commuter students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours per semester (who are attending at least one class in person on campus) must participate in the Commuter Dining Deposit. 

Students will be billed $250 and receive $250 on their ID Card for use (per semester).
$50 will go into the “Flex Student” tender type.
$200 will go into the “Flex Bonus” tender type.

Both Flex tender types work the same and can be used at EVERY dining location across both the Montclair and Bloomfield campuses. 

At the end of the academic year (spring term) remaining unspent Flex Bonus Dollars will be refunded. Flex Student Dollars are non-refundable.

Students are more than welcome to purchase a larger meal plan at their discretion. This would be an additional plan as we are not able to remove the Commuter Dining Deposit from your student account if you continue to meet the full time enrolled undergraduate criteria.
 

Red Hawk Dollars are usable at all campus dining and dining related locations. Red Hawk Dollars do not expire, and will remain active as long as you are employed by the university.

If paying by Payroll Deduction, this plan will deduct $50 per pay period, over six installments ($300).
 

This plan provides you with 30 blocks/swipes. Each swipe is worth either one entry into Sam’s Place or Freeman Dining Halls (all you care to eat), or one meal equivalency at any other retail dining operations (excluding Panera, Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks). Additionally, you’ll also receive an $50.00 Red Hawk Dollars

If paying by Payroll Deduction, this plan will deduct $60 per pay period, over six installments ($360).

University faculty and staff — we want to see you in the campus dining venues this year! Your presence outside the classroom with colleagues, friends and students or just relax with a good book and a hot beverage, makes our campus feel like home, where everyone is part of the family.

Sign up today for your faculty/staff meal plan and take your seat at the table for a year of great food and fun together!

Purchase a Faculty Staff Meal plan via Payroll Deduction here or with a credit Card through our UStore here.

The Unlimited Meal Plan lets you take full advantage of all the dining options on campus by giving you access to both our residential and retail dining options, without fear of running out of food during the semester.

• Unlimited "All-You-Care-To-Eat access" to our Residential Dining halls - Sam's Place and Freeman Dining Hall (Montclair campus) and Schweitzer Hall (Bloomfield Campus). Go as much or as little as you like.
• 7 Weekly Blocks - These blocks can be used at all retail locations (except Dunkin, Panera & Starbucks). Blocks reset weekly on Sunday, they are not cumulative. See below on how blocks work.
• Flex Dollars - Flex dollars can be used at all dining locations across campus, including all vending machines, or in combination with your weekly blocks. Unspent Flex will roll over from the Fall to the Spring and expire at the end of the school year.
  
  
  
   

A block plan is great for students who prefer to eat mainly at the retail locations on campus, but still have the flexibility to visit the dining hall's as well!

• Blocks can be used at all retail locations (except Dunkin, Panera & Starbucks). Blocks as part of a block + flex plan do NOT reset. You start with a set amount and as you use your blocks throughout the semester, they deduct from the starting amount. Blocks do not rollover in between semesters.
• When blocks are used at Retail Locations - they work on an “equivalency” rate - which means they have a dollar value assigned to them. Please see below for the Equivalency Rates for the 2026-2027 school year.
• Students can use any number of blocks per day at retail locations with the exception of Yella’s which is limited to 2 Blocks per day.
• Blocks can be used at Sam’s Place, Freeman Dining Hall and Schweitzer Hall as well! 1 block will let you enter, and on that one block, you can eat as much or as little as you like. If you leave and return, you will need to use another block.
• Unused (Block/Swipe) balances expire at the end of EACH semester. They do not carry over and are non-refundable.
   

Flex dollars are a declining balance similar to a debit card provided with every meal plan.

• They can be used at all dining locations across campus, including all vending machines, or in combination with your weekly blocks.
• Flex balances will carry over from the Fall semester to Spring, but any unused Flex will expire at the end of the Spring semester. There are no refunds for unspent flex.
• You can purchase additional flex at any point during the semester with a credit card by visiting our Ustore here

Yes. Most Montclair State University students are required to have a meal plan. The type of meal plan required depends on several factors, including whether you live on campus or commute, as each student group has specific eligibility and participation requirements.

The only students who are **not** required to purchase a meal plan, but may choose to do so, are:

* Part-time commuter students (enrolled in fewer than 12 credits during the current semester)
* Graduate commuter students
 

At the end of the school year, a report will be run by Dining Services to determine the final Flex Bonus totals for all students enrolled in the Commuter Dining Deposit. There is nothing students need to do to apply or request the refund, it is all handled internally.

One reviewed, the list is sent to the Student Account's Office who will process the refund and apply it to your student account. After that point, Dining Services has completed their part in the refund process. Dining Services does NOT issue any refunds directly.

After the list has been processed by the Student Accounts office, the refund will be issued in the following weeks by the Bursar/Cashier's office.

The refund will come in one of two ways:
If the account has been paid in full (no balance): A refund check will be sent by mail, or electronically if Direct Deposit is set up with the university.
If the account has an outstanding balance: The refund will apply towards the balance on the account.

Medical or Accessibility-Related Concerns
Montclair State University is committed to accommodating students with documented medical conditions or food allergies that affect their ability to participate in the meal plan. As dining is an important part of the campus living and learning experience, Dining Services will make every effort to provide safe, nutritious meal options that meet students' documented dietary needs.

Medical conditions or food allergies must be diagnosed and appropriately documented. A meal plan reduction or waiver will be considered only in the rare circumstance that Dining Services is unable to provide reasonable, safe, and nutritionally adequate accommodations.

The first step in this process is contacting the Disability Resource Center for any medical or accessibility-related concerns and accommodations. Dining Services does not take ANY medical information directly.

Dietary & Medical Concerns
Montclair State University is committed to accommodating students with dietary and religious requirements whenever possible. 

Students with religious or lifestyle-based eating choices, such as vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian diets, can find options in the University's dining venues.

Students are recommended to reach out to Gourmet Dining's registered dietitians here to voice any concerns and find menus to accommodate them. 

 

Yes!

Students are eligible to make any changes to their meal plan up to the university's 100% Add/Drop Date.

Please note: Which meal plans students can choose from is based on two factors - your dorm location/type and number of credits earned with the university. If you do not meet one or more of those criteria, you may not be eligible for your preferred meal plan.