It’s getting to that point in the quarter where people begin to panic about whether or not they’ll make it to the end of the quarter without starving. Everyone runs around trying to frantically find those lucky few who are swimming in meal points. If you don’t want to have to spend your last few weeks of the quarter rationing 50 points to get you through, then read these tips on how to save up in Benson.
Don’t order the Bistro special for every meal
Yes, they are often good and far less boring then a lot of the other Benson options, but they are also always way overpriced. It’s ok to get it a few times a week or so but lunch and dinner every day is going to run you out very, very fast.
Make your own salad
Fresco is delicious. When I’m craving a good salad this is where I go. But again, it tends to be a bit over priced. The salad bar may not seem quite as appealing, but it is a much cheaper option. If you’re the type of person who tends to buy salads for at least one meal a day, you will save a lot by just making it on your own.
Drink tap water
A lot of people stalk up on bulk packages of water in the cellar or buy a bottle before class daily but this is a quick way to run down your meal points without even noticing. A reusable water bottle purchase is a good long-term investment to save meal points because you won’t have to buy a new one every day. The tap water is good here, reusable bottles save the environment, and you won’t have to spend money on water everyday.
Order the half
Whether it’s a rice bowl, chow mein, or a Fresco salad, ordering the half instead of the full is always a good idea. I often find that there is little to no difference between the half and the full. While this isn’t always the case, the half size is still a good portion and a much cheaper option. So save the full orders for days when you are super, super hungry and can’t resist a tiny bit more.
Try the toast
Toast here is one of the cheapest foods to get and they have a lot of options for toppings or spreads. You can add peanut butter or avocado for not much more than the toast itself and both of these are pretty filling. Two slices of toast with a topping of your choice can actually end up making you quite full without spending a ton of points.
Don’t forget about the soups
Soup is also a cheap option that a lot of people don’t know about or just forget exists. There are typically three soups daily and a lot of them are actually pretty good. As it’s getting colder, this can be a solid meal that won’t cost you a ton.
Switch to 540 Pasta
A lot of people don’t know this but the Bronco actually serves pasta at 540 along with the pizza. If you like pasta with just the sauce (540 has Alfredo, Bolognese, and marinara), then you should definitely order from the Bronco instead of Sauté because it actually ends up being cheaper.
Check out the petit sides menu
Both the Bronco and La Parilla have a petit sides menu with some good options that aren’t too expensive. A chicken breast is good for a lighter appetite, but if you’re really hungry try a quesadilla. Both options are a lot cheaper than most Benson meals.
Don’t be that girl that buys food for everyone in the Bronco after a night out
We’ve all been there. At least I hope we all have because I know I am guilty of doing this way more often than I’d like to admit. But it happens. Maybe you were just in a generous mood. Maybe you had a little something that put you in a generous mood. Either way, try to not offer up your access card to too many people on too many occasions. You’re really going to regret buying 40 dollars worth of mozz sticks for that group of strangers when you’re spending week 10 trying to make 8 meal points last you until Christmas break.
We all like to splurge every once and a while, but this year with Benson raising prices, everyone could probably try some of these options to save a couple meal points.
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