General

Check out our Campus Dining Updates page to view all the changes and other important information.

The Meal Exchange allows a student to use up to two "Meal" swipes per week Monday - Thursday at The Marketplace (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and The University Marche (lunch and dinner).

  • Meal Exchange Hours: Breakfast opening till 10:30AM, Lunch 11AM - 3PM and Dinner 5PM to close.
  • One Meal swipe equals one featured entree, one side and one beverage. 
  • The two "Meal" swipes will reset every Monday; they do not roll over week to week (Guest Meals not valid). 
  • Please inform your cashier you are using a "Meal" vs your Retail Points. 
  • Signage is located inside the dining location for what items are available through the Meal Exchange program.
Check out our Campus Dining Updates to learn more!

Make a connection!

Have a suggestion or feedback; we'd love to hear it. There are lots of ways you can connect with Dining. 

Yes. Students seeking a non-work study, fun, on-campus job that fits your busy schedule are encouraged to apply and work with us. As one of the largest employers of students on campus, we offer flexible, part-time, and on-call positions in catering, concessions, and our dining spaces, all located minutes from your classes; on-the-job training is provided. 

Plus, we host internships in sustainability, marketing, and nutrition.

Complete our job inquiry form today. Interested in learning more, visit our student employment section or email us via our feedback form, and we will connect you to one of our hiring managers.

No. Reusable containers are not allowed in our traditional dining halls; all beverages within our dining spaces must be poured into a clean cup or mug every time, including refills. There are water fountain refilling stations located throughout campus for your use.

Meal Plan

We encourage all students to explore their options and make the most of their meal plans. We find that lines are typical during class breaks and peak dining hours, during the first few weeks of classes; as students are learning to navigate campus, and extracurricular activities, including labs.

  • We have three traditional dining halls, explore them all; each offers a unique menu every day, with different hours.
  • Try dining at off-peak times (if possible, visit before or after class breaks, consider an early or later evening meal).
  • Take a meal to-go from the dining hall with EcoWare.
  • Utilize your Retail Points to dine at one of our retail locations located on campus; these locations offer a variety of options, including grab-and-go. 
  • Take advantage of the Meal Exchange, which allows students to use up to two "Meal" swipes per week Monday - Thursday at The Marketplace (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and the University Marche (lunch and dinner). One "Meal" swipe equals one featured entree, one side, and one beverage.
  • Visit all three traditional dining halls, students have access to all of them, and each serves a different menu at each station daily. 
  • Use your retail points that come with your meal plan; they offer additional flexibility and variety. 
  • Take advantage of the Meal Exchange Program; visit Campus Dining Updates to learn more about the program.
  • Download the Everyday app from your favorite app store to view menus and place orders to-go. 
  • Take advantage of our EcoWare, reusable take-out container program; visit to learn more.
  • Follow us on social media @UVMdining or check out our digital screens to learn about our themed events, food fests, pop-ups, food trucks and more!
Yes, any on-campus student may switch their meal plan for the spring semester by completing the Meal Plan Switch Form by January 30, 2023 4PM. It may take up to 10-business days to process a meal plan switch, which are completed in the order they are received. Once your order is submitted, please begin to use your plan as if it were your new one.

Yes, on or off-campus students may add Retail Points to your account at any time on the Webcenter. These points will be added to a separate plan. If you have questions, please email us MPO@uvm.edu. Retail Points purchased Monday - Friday before 4:00 PM will be added the same day. For any orders after 4:00 PM, they will be added the next business day.

Retail Points that come with your meal plan expire at the end of the academic year; our system will automatically deduct those points first. Visit the Webcenter to check your Retail Point balance. Once you use up all the original retail points that come with your meal plan, the system will automatically pick from the next available plan.

Many off-campus students eat one or more of their meals on-campus each day. When eating at our Retail locations, our Off-Campus/Commuter Meal Plan will save you time and money; looking to purchase an Off-Campus/Commuter Meal Plan? Meal plans can be purchased online. If you have questions, please email us MPO@uvm.edu.

Check your account balance online by registering with CatCard's Office Webcenter.
Any unused Retail Points that came with your on-campus student meal plan as part of the housing and meal contract will carry over from the fall semester to the spring semester. However, they do not carry over at the end of the academic year and are non-transferable and non-refundable. Any additional Retail Points added to your on-campus student meal plan are yours until the balance is used.

Health

We are committed to having safe options for a student with food allergies, intolerance, and other medical needs. We have a variety of food allergy stations available on-campus and a Registered Dietitian that meets with students to ensure their needs are being met. For more information, visit our Nutrition section.

Yes. We pride ourselves on the variety of vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based dining options that we offer, including offering several exclusive plant-based stations on campus (Rustic Roots at Central Campus Dining, Redstone Dining, and The Marketplace and PeaPod at Harris Millis Dining). Most on-campus locations use vegetarian/vegan/plant-based logos on menus and signage to help consumers identify foods that meet their preferences. Plus, we continually develop new plant-based recipes and train our culinary team, to help ensure that our offerings are not only nutritionally balanced, but they also taste great. 

  • Vegetarian (V) = no meat products
  • Vegan (VG) = no meat or animal by-products, including white sugar and honey
  • Plant-based (leaf logo) = no meat or animal by-products, but can include white sugar and honey

If you are in your ResHall sick or injured and unable to go to a dining facility, you can authorize a friend to use your meal plan to pick up a meal for you by completing the Meal Plan Access Authorization Form. Meals can be picked up from the traditional dining halls (Central Campus, Harris Millis, and Redstone Dining), Northside Dining, The Marketplace, and the University Marche.

Sustainability

In the Traditional Dining Halls

Please note that using our EcoWare program is the only way to take food out of the traditional dining halls. The use of personal Tupperware containers is not allowed. Per the Vermont Department of Health, reusable containers must be washed and sanitized by Dining Services to ensure food safety. 

  1. Give your EcoWare cow tag to the cashier and ask for an EcoWare container (a flat box or soup container). If you'd like to also dine-in, please inform the cashier, and they will have you swipe for that meal too.
  2. Fill your EcoWare with food from the dining hall (we just ask that it closes).
  3. Leave the dining hall and enjoy your meal.
  4. Empty (and if possible, rinse) and return your dirty EcoWare container to any EcoWare return bin located in most dining locations. You will receive a new cow tag (or container if you are ready for another meal to-go). 
  5. Repeat to continue to participate in the program.

In the Retail Locations

Opt for your meal to be served in EcoWare (where available). It's good for the environment and your wallet!

  1. Give your EcoWare cow tag to the cook/server and ask for your meal to be served in EcoWare. Unfortunately, this option is not available on our mobile app.
  2. Save 25 cents at the register.
  3. Enjoy your meal.
  4. Return your dirty container to an EcoWare return bin located in most dining locations, and you will receive a new cow tag. 
  5. Repeat to continue to participate in the program.
No. The only way you can take a meal out of the dining hall is by using the EcoWare program. Due to health and safety requirements, the UVM Dining staff is required to clean and sanitize all reusable containers.

All first-year and transfer students will receive one complimentary EcoWare membership (cow tag) to participate in the program. Cow tags can be picked up at the EcoWare tabling events in the dining halls for the first few weeks of school or anytime at a UVM Dining cash register. If you lose your EcoWare cow tag or container, you will need to buy back into the program for $7.50, payable with Retail Points, Cat$cratch, or credit/debit at the register. 

New as of spring 2022: You will only swipe once if you take an EcoWare meal to-go. This is used for tracking purposes and will deduct a meal from your account. If you'd also like to dine-in, please inform the cashier, and they will have you swipe again for that meal (a total of two swipes).

As of spring 2022, there are no longer EcoWare return bins in the residence halls. You will need to return to a UVM Dining location to receive another EcoWare token. There are blue EcoWare return bins located in the following cashier stations:

  • Central Campus Dining
  • Harris Millis Dining
  • Redstone Dining
  • The Marketplace
  • University Marche
As of spring 2022, we welcome refillable mugs up to 24 ounces in our UVM Dining retail locations (but not traditional dining halls). Save 25 cents off the price of a large coffee when you use your mug!
UVM Dining is committed to serving local food wherever and whenever possible. View our local foods and sustainability commitments for the most current information.

Check out our waste reduction programs.