#  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

 



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##  Frequently Asked Questions 

You have questions...We have answers. Explore the nuances of undergraduate dining and how to make the most of your meal plan.

 

 



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###    What else, besides meals in the dining hall, is included with my meal plan?  expand\_more  

Undergraduates on the unlimited meal plan also have access to the following:

- BoardPlus: $65 per semester, loaded at the start of the semester, which can be used in HUDS-operated professional school and campus cafes or to host guests for meals.
- Bag Meals: Breakfast, lunch or dinner, ordered from an array of options, made for you at your home dining hall and available for pick-up first thing in the morning.
- Meals to go: Reusable containers are available for food on the run when you can’t sit in the dining area for your meal. Learn more [here](https://www.dining.harvard.edu/about-huds/sustainability/reusable-container-program).
- Packouts: Take-out options for groups of students in need of a meal replacement for both on- and off-campus events. Examples include lunch items for a hiking group outing; dinner and breakfast items for an overnight accapella retreat; or barbecue supplies for an end-of-your student gathering.

 

 



###    What is BoardPlus?  expand\_more  

Board Plus is a component of the undergraduate meal plan, designed to increase flexibility to that meal plan; students receive $65 of BoardPlus dollars per semester that can be spent at any HUDS-operated [cafe](https://dining.harvard.edu/campus-dining/cafes/locations), House grille, or for guest meals in the dining halls.

To use BoardPlus, let the cashier or checker know you want to use it and present your Harvard ID. Your balance is displayed after each transaction. You may not add more BoardPlus dollars when you have run out, and any remaining dollars expire at the end of the school year.

**BoardPlus for the 2025-26 school year expires at the end-of-day on Friday, May 15, 2026.**

Key BoardPlus Dates:

- Loaded for Fall Semester: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- Loaded for Spring Semester: Monday, January 26, 2026
- Expires: Friday, May 15, 2026

 

 



###    How do I host a professor for a meal?  expand\_more  

In order to support and enrich the intergenerational communities in residence, students may invite any FAS faculty, senior lecturer, lecturer or head coach to eat in the House dining halls and Annenberg at any meal, any day of the week (this program does not include post-docs). Those faculty may enjoy up to 10 meals a semester through the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Student/Faculty Dining Program. Faculty may join you at your home dining hall by simply swiping with a Harvard ID through the dining hall checker's card swipe. Faculty may not swipe multiple times in a meal or swipe for guests.

 

 



###    How do I host a non-faculty guest for a meal?  expand\_more  

Students on the meal plan may host guests in the dining hall and may pay for them with cash or BoardPlus. Guest Meal Rates for 2025-26 are as follows:

- Breakfast - Houses Daily & Annenberg Sunday $9.55 + 7% MMBT = $10.52
- Breakfast - Annenberg & Quincy Monday - Saturday $11.36 + 7% MMBT = $12.52
- Brunch - All Saturday & Sunday $15.24 + 7% MMBT = $16.79
- Lunch - All Monday - Friday $15.24 + 7% MMBT = $16.79
- Dinner - All Daily (includes Thanksgiving) $18.85 + 7% MMBT = $20.78
    
    Guest meals for the Houses (not Annenberg) may be purchased by credit card [here](https://secure.touchnet.net/C20832_ustores/web/store_cat.jsp?STOREID=51&CATID=568&SINGLESTORE=true).

 

 



###    How do I order a bagged meal?  expand\_more  

Anyone enrolled in the **undergraduate** meal plan (as well as approved residential life tutors and proctors) may [order a bagged meal](https://bagmealsa.dining.harvard.edu/myhuds) (available on the first day of classes through the last day of exams; not available during dining hall closures such as spring break; or during operating periods outside the academic schedule.) Our secure system keeps track of your individual preferences and orders. *(Note: Meal pool participants are not eligible to order bagged meals.)*

*Place orders up to a week in advance, but minimally by 2pm the day before you want your bag meal. You may place a one-time or recurring order. Please be sure to cancel an order, rather than not pick it up, if your plans have changed. **Don’t forget, you can also pick up between meals - just notify the checker and he/she will help you retrieve your meal.***

 

 



###    How do I order a packout or group to-go option?  expand\_more  

Take-out options are available for groups of students (recommended for groups of 12 or more - for less than 12 people, considering ordering individual bag meals) in need of a meal replacement for both on- and off-campus events. In order to request a packout, you MUST submit an online request in keeping with the below criteria.

- Request must be submitted using the [Harvard College Student Packout Request Form](https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=9CL6b2hFBUGtQy461HJpV0Dm9DI5bI1BhomW7KSvSN9URFlLQUlTR0RCVlVTUEdWVjZZMjBIN0FDRy4u).
- Available only during the Academic year. Special meal periods such as Winter Break and Spring Break are excluded.
- Harvard-sponsored events (see Harvard College Dean of Students Office for a list) may request food for multiple meal periods. All other student clubs and groups may request food for one meal period only. You must submit a form request for each meal period.
- Requests must be made 7 business day in advance for events with more than 50 people, and 5 business days in advance for all other group sizes.
- If you require ingredients for a special dietary need or religious affiliation, please provide specific information on the request form.
- Food is provided only for the number of valid ID numbers (with undergraduate meal plans) supplied. HUIDS (no names) must be submitted at the time of your request. All ID numbers will be locked out of the corresponding meal periods, and cannot be reactivated once blocked.
- Food provided is for consumption by Harvard students on the meal plan only. Additional food may be purchased as a catered event.
- Only nutritionally balanced meals may be provided. Catering style foods such as cheeseboards, dessert platters, tea service and similar items are handled as catered event items and will be priced according to the House Function menu.
- Due to Health Code Regulations, HUDS cannot supply hot foods to be consumed off premise. It is up to the host group to ensure all perishable food will be held under proper temperature guidelines (below 40°) during transportation and storage and that all basic safe food handling procedures are followed including: hand washing & sanitizing, sanitized preparation surfaces and proper storage, and cooking food to proper temperatures.
- Food for a group or club that is outside the meal plan may be purchased as a catered event and can be paid with a University Billing Code, Voucher, Crimson Cash, Cash or Check made out to HUDS.
- Borrowed dining service equipment must be secured by deposit check. Please check with your house regarding the availability of BBQ grills and other equipment.

 

 



###    How can I text my feedback?  expand\_more  

Have a compliment, complaint or haiku? Send us a text to 55744. Start your message with a location code (see below) and follow with your comments or questions. Someone will reply within 24 hours.

For example: Berg I love the Banana Pudding - can we have it every week?

Location Codes:

SortAdams

Berg

Cabot

Currier

Dunster

Eliot

FlyBy

Hillel

Kirkland

Leverett

Lowell

Mather

Pfoho

Quincy

Winthrop





 

 



###    Do you accept recipe ideas?  expand\_more  

We love to receive your menu recommendations, especially your family recipes from around the world. Our menu is as diverse as our student body and we'd love to ensure that you feel represented by the dishes we serve. [Submit a recipe](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9tTGZ9uCx8cTKPs) today!

 

 



###    How do I access food if I need to isolate in place due to illness?  expand\_more  

Individuals who live in College housing who need to isolate in place will access meals at their normal home dining halls. You will have permission to leave isolation with due care and consideration for others, including:

- Masking: You must wear a well-fitted face covering or mask any time you are leaving your room or suite during isolation. Mask must remain on at all times. Avoid unnecessary interaction with others when leaving isolation for essential needs and maintain physical distancing to the extent possible. Use high-quality disposable masks. If you need some, they are available from your building manager. Individuals who are isolating may not dine or consume food or beverage outside of their isolation space, and must immediately return to isolation after retrieving meal.
- Hand-washing: You should wash your hands prior to leaving your residence. Wet your hands using running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, apply soap and lather your hands for a full 20 seconds (front, back and nails). Turn the water back on and rinse with clean, running water.

Meal Pick-Up Procedure

- The individual looks at the online [menu](http://www.foodpro.huds.harvard.edu/foodpro/menu_items.asp?type=30&meal=1) to determine what they are interested in for a meal to expedite pick-up
- The individual should then come in fully masked and distanced (i.e. not with a group of other students), swipe their ID, and then request to-go containers.
- At the entrance, the individual should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (available at the checker's desk) to re-sanitize hands before proceeding into the servery.
- The individual will go through the serving area expeditiously to pick their own food and depart the dining hall.
- Isolation guests are asked to come in at the beginning or end of meal periods when there is the least amount of traffic - for breakfast at 7:30am or 10am, lunch at 11:30am or 1:30pm, dinner at 5pm. (If your isolation begins too late for the early dinner pick-up, you may come at the end of the meal period (7-7:30pm), though we ask you to avoid that for the remainder of your isolation as much as possible.)
- Please take care with perishables: please eat or dispose of food items within 90 minutes unless you have a refrigerator.

If you have an approved dietary accommodation and need alternate meals or provisions, please email [ds\_isosdn@calists.harvard.edu](mailto:ds_isosdn@calists.harvard.edu). A HUDS team member will work with you to supply appropriate items during the course of your isolation.

 

 



###    How can I advertise on the dining hall table tents?  expand\_more  

Table tent advertisements are free for any Harvard student group, and reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups are limited to one advertisement of 75 words or less per semester, and may be accompanied by a logo if space permits. HUDS reserves the right to edit entries for space and sensitivity to the campus population. Make a reservation with [crista\_martin@harvard.edu](mailto:crista_martin@harvard.edu).

 

 



###    How can I table in the dining hall?  expand\_more  

To reserve a table in the back of Annenberg during lunch or dinner, fill out a tabling permit at the [First-Year Experience Office](https://dso.college.harvard.edu/first-year-experience). Student organizations can reserve up to two primary and two secondary meal times. Tabling often fills up quickly, so plan ahead for this opportunity. To reserve a table for publicity in a House, contact the appropriate [House Administrator](https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/people-type/house-administrators).

 

 



###    Can I get a meal plan if I don’t live on campus?  expand\_more  

Individuals who do not live on campus in undergraduate housing with a correlated meal plan, but who have a College affiliation, may purchase a variable meal plan of 5, 10 or 21 meals per week. The program is non-refundable. Participants are allowed one meal swipe per meal period, during any breakfast, lunch, dinner or brunch. Meals can be used at any of the Houses (respectful of interhouse and guest restrictions) and at Annenberg for breakfast only. Unused meal balances are not transferable towards the next week; unused meals will be forfeited weekly (after dinner on Saturdays). If you are interested in enrolling, please follow our [E-Enrollment portal](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WZO0hCm5SQ7BdQ) to submit your request.

FY24-25 rates (Fall Term: Sept 1 - Dec 20; Spring Term: January 26 – May 17):

- 5 Meal Plan $1,422.00 per term
- 10 Meal Plan $2,829.50 per term
- 21 Meal Plan $4,069.50 per term