Eating at a campus dining center can be a difficult task, especially for incoming freshmen who are unsure about how the centers work. There are a few things every freshman should know before stepping in for his or her first meal as a college student.

Here are some tips to help guide newcomers through the process and keep you from assuming that telltale expression of utter confusion.

Before you go…

Check menu and nutrition

First of all, each dining center posts their weekly menu on the Dining Services site (http://www.dining.iastate.edu). Checking this before going to eat is a great way for you figure out what you want to eat for that meal. It also helps shorten the long process of wandering around looking for something appetizing.

If you are trying to eat healthy or just curious about what ingredients are included in a dish, you can check out the NetNutrition tab on the dining site.

Bring ISU card

An important thing to remember before taking off is making sure you have your ISU card with you. This contains all the data about your meal plan, and without it, the checker at the door can’t allow you inside.

Don’t worry if you lose your card — it happens. If your card is lost or stolen you can visit the Dining Center Office to obtain a meal pass for $3 (good for one week) until you can find your card or go purchase a new one.

Go when it’s not busy

There is one last thing to consider before eating at the dining hall. Because most classes are scheduled around the noon lunch hour, noon is a very busy time. The checker’s line tends to wrap around the building and tables can be very difficult to find.

If your schedule allows you to eat an hour before or after noon, you might want to consider planning your lunch date at an alternate time.

Inside the dining center…

Find a table

Once you have arrived, your first step should be finding a table. It is best to do this before grabbing your food because often you may have to walk around for a bit before finding an opening.

Also, don’t be shy. Try sitting with a group of people you don’t know. The dining center is a great place to meet new people who live near you, but not necessarily in your building.

Scope out the food

Dining centers have a variety of food stations that vary from location to location. Most often, they will have stations for fresh fruit and vegetables, Italian food, homestyle cooking, grilled foods, international cuisine and desserts.

Eat in moderation

When getting your food, be sure to take moderately sized servings. Dining centers have recently removed all their trays, so try getting one plate at a time to forestall the possibility of dropping your food on the floor. As well as keeping things neat, this helps you avoid overeating by limiting serving sizes.

Check nutrition labels

Another way to eat healthily is to check the nutritional labels and ingredient lists shown above the food items.

Grab utensils

Don’t forget to grab your the silverware available at the different food stations.

Don’t be greedy

the dining staff will sometimes portion out food to ensure the availability of popular items. In this case, it is best to just take a portion at a time.

Of course, three chicken strips won’t fill you up, but by asking for an extra portion, you are putting the student workers in a bad position and upsetting the supervisors.

Get a beverage

There is an assortment of drinks at each dinning center. Fountain drinks, milk, juice, water and hot drinks are typically available. These are usually located in two to three places across the dining area.

After your meal…

Clean up

Once you have filled your stomach with all the delicious food ISU Dining has to offer, make sure you clean up. Dining center staff members will wipe the tables, so you don’t have to worry about that, but it is courteous to leave your table the way you found it so that during busy hours students can snag your table after your departure. 

Make sure all trash is picked up, and don’t leave food on the table. Plates should be taken to the dish line’s conveyor belt. Most dining centers ask that you put your silverware in a separate container to speed up the process in the dish room.

Check meal plan

It used to be essential to check the balance of your meal plans for the week, but new revisions to meal plans make this necessary. ISU Dining is now offering meals based on a semester total rather than a weekly total.

Once the semester’s end draws closer, it might be a good idea to ask the checker who swipes your card how many meals you have left so that you can plan accordingly.

If you end up having additional meals left over at the end of the fall semester, they will roll over to the spring semester’s total, but after the spring semester all meals left become expired.

Remembering these tips and suggestions is essential to your success as a dining center customer. Now that you know the basics of dining as a college student, you can amaze your friends with your proper dining center etiquette and know-how. For more information about dining at Iowa State visit the ISU Dining site.