So we all know that one thing incoming freshmen all look forward to is freedom; freedom to stay out late, to sleep for obscene amounts of time, and to eat virtually whatever we want. On the same note, the amount of food that not only freshmen, but all grades bring is teetering on the category of excessive. Cases of various beverages such as water, gatorade, and soda are not uncommon to see being lugged through dormitory doors. If someone had measured the quantity of food I brought, they would most likely assume I didn’t plan on seeing the inside of a dining hall for months. 
A study recently conducted by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine examined the amount of calories that reside in rooms of college students. They surveyed 100 undergraduate students (51.5% women and 43.2%) with 85% of the students currently on a university meal plan of >14 meals per week.
Here are the results:
– Average number of food & beverage items: 47 (range 0-208; 4% having no food or beverages)
– Average number of calories/room: 22,888 kcals
– More than 70% of students had the following type of items: salty snacks, cereal/granola bars, main entrees, desserts/candy, and sugar-sweetened beverages
With an average of 22,888 kcals in each dorm, that’s supplying each student with approximately 11 days worth of calorie needs based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Is that not crazy or what? It’s mind-boggling to think that they have all of these snacks, still have a meal plan, yet some people don’t understand why the average freshman gains 15lbs while in his/her first year of college. However, what this study does not address is how often the food is replenished. I think this could have a dramatic impact on how people perceive the results because if the food is intended to last for months, then maybe it is reasonable. The study was done in February, a time when students are just returning from winter break, so they are inevitabley going to have more food then than in May.
All of this set aside, I still think that we as college students need to take a close look at the amount of food we are bringing to school. At UNH, the most basic meal plan is $3,524 for the whole academic year and the real kicker is that it’s completely unlimited! I can swipe into any of the 3 dining halls as many times a day as I want.
Now, I completely understand that it’s nice to have those home-baked cookies or some snacks to enjoy between classes, but is it really necessary to almost 23,000 kcals worth of snacks available 24/7?
Chicken Soup for the College Student's Soul 