At the University of Virginia, where I am a student, first-years are required to subscribe to an all-access dining hall meal plan at a sticker price of $6,990. After your first year, though, you have the freedom to purchase a variety of meal plans or forgo them altogether and get your food independently. For many, these decisions can be distressing—UVA’s 2024 New Student Survey reported that 38.9% of students indicated concerns about food insecurity, defined broadly as unreliable access to affordable and nutritious food.