A Guide to Eating at Rutgers University
Besides studying and hanging out with friends, eating is a huge part of our day at school. We need the fuel to have enough energy for daily college life! Here is everything you need to know about eating at Rutgers University in order to get food in your belly.
1. Meal Plans
Rutgers is a huge university so it needs an equally massive Dining Services Department (one of the largest in the country). Most underclassmen find the dining halls to be the easiest way to get food on campus. You can use your RUconnection card, AKA your swipe card, to eat at the four dining halls: Brower, Busch, Neilson, and Livingston.
Freshmen living on-campus are required to get at least a 210 Plan. Plans are named based off the total number of times you can “swipe” into the dining hall (and sometimes elsewhere). So this part just depends on how much you plan on eating. You can purchase up to 285 swipes with a meal plan and subsequent Mini Blocks after that. Meal Plans also come with “guest swipes” for if your family/friends are visiting.
2. Dining Halls
Each dining hall at Rutgers has something different to offer. Livingston, being the newest, has amazing food and a made to order burgers and fries station. Neilson is known for its decadent deserts. Brower is the go-to place for breakfast and great takeout. Busch sports a delicious made to order pasta station and a large variety of food.
The dining halls also have the option of takeout. Though not the best place to get a bang for your buck, they offer a healthy and quick option for students on the go. Takeout is available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for most weekdays.
3. Other Places to Swipe
There are several places that you can use a swipe from your meal plan as a certain dollar amount. This varies by venue, but they will typically require a “center of the plate” item. That could be a muffin or a sandwich at most places. On Busch, there is Woody’s by the pharmacy buildings and the Knight Wagon which only appears on Wednesdays. On Livingston, there is the Rock Café, S’barro, and Kilmer’s Market in the student center. On College Avenue, there is CABfare on Paterson Street. On Cook/Douglass, there is the Cook Café, Douglass Café, and Pizzeria Uno.
4. Buying Food
If you don’t get a meal plan or live off-campus, there are plenty of ways to get food. You can purchase meals at any of the venues listed above and a few others located in each student center. Livingston Plaza has a large variety of shops, including a Starbucks. The Rutgers Student Center, on College Avenue, has a food court area downstairs. There are also convenience stores on each campus where you can grab soda and candy.
5. Grocery Shopping
Rutgers is in a very central location and is close to a lot of stores. There are several in New Brunswick, like Bravo. You can also head into Piscataway to go to Target, ShopRite, or Aldi. In Highland Park, there are plenty of little shops and a Stop and Shop. If you can help it, definitely go shopping by car because riding the buses with your bags can be a pain.
For more information about meal plans and on-campus dining at Rutgers University, visit this link.
