Dining
Eating at A-State: meal plans, cooking for yourself, and the Asian grocery on the shuttle route
In your first three months, food decides most of whether you feel settled or homesick. This page is direct: which meal plan you are required to buy, where to eat on campus, where you can cook, where to find rice and fish sauce, and roughly what a month of cooking costs.
Meal plan / semester
$2,020 – $2,660
Required in
Some traditional residence halls
Asian grocery
Asian Food Market, 2114 S Caraway Rd
Grocery shuttle
Mon · Tue · Thu 4–7 pm · Sat 10 am–3 pm
Dining
Meal plans: who must buy one, and what it costs
If you live in a traditional residence hall — a double or single room sharing the building kitchen — the university requires a meal plan alongside your housing contract. Published 2026–27 rates run from $2,020 to $2,660 per semester depending on how many meals and how much flexible dining money the plan includes. The charge appears on your semester bill rather than being paid meal by meal.
The roughly $640 spread between the cheapest and the most expensive plan sounds small, but across a semester of about 4.5 months it is more than $140 a month — enough to think about. A practical rule for your first semester: pick a mid-tier plan. You do not yet know when your classes fall or whether you will actually get up early for breakfast in the dining hall. In the second semester, once you understand your own rhythm, switch to the plan that matches it instead of paying for meals you never use.
If you live in a campus apartment with its own kitchen, or off campus, a meal plan is usually optional. Many international students drop it from year two and cook for themselves — cheaper, and closer to the food they grew up with. One thing to remember: the requirement attaches to the building, not to the student. Before you sign a housing contract, read its dining clause carefully, or contact our office to confirm whether your building requires a plan.
Source: A-State Residence Life — Rates · A-State Student Life — Housing · Updated 08/2026
Cooking in halls and apartments
Traditional halls usually have a shared kitchen for the floor or the building: stove, oven, microwave, sink. You bring your own pots down, cook, and carry the food back up. That works well for a pot of soup, boiled greens or a braise a few times a week, but it is not convenient for daily cooking — especially at peak hours when the whole floor arrives at once.
Campus apartments (private bedroom, kitchen shared between four residents) and off-campus rentals are a different story: your own stove, your own fridge, cooking as you would at home. That is exactly why many international students move to an apartment in their second year.
On appliances in the bedroom, every building has its own fire-safety rules: rice cookers, electric kettles and small microwaves are usually allowed, while loose hot plates and hot pots are usually banned in bedrooms. Do not guess — read the housing handbook for your building, or contact our office to confirm before you buy anything.
Where to eat on campus
A normal study day uses three different kinds of place.
The main dining hall
Buffet style: swipe your student ID once and take what you need. Rice, noodles, salad, grilled and fried dishes, and a dessert station. This is where a meal plan pays off — eating three meals a day here is far cheaper than paying per visit.
Reng Student Union food court
Quick-service counters for the days you have thirty minutes between classes. Usually paid with the flexible dining money in your plan or with a bank card. The line-up of vendors changes from year to year — ask Dining Services for the current list.
Coffee and snack counters in academic buildings
Coffee, pastries and bottled drinks for evening classes and library nights. Convenient but noticeably more expensive than the supermarket; a daily habit here costs more than students expect.
Opening hours change by semester, holiday and exam period. In your first week, photograph the hours posted at the dining hall door — that is the most accurate source.
Asian groceries and the shopping shuttle
Jonesboro has an Asian grocery directly on the international student shuttle route, so you do not need a car for rice, fish sauce or instant noodles.
| Day | Window | Stops |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 4:00 – 7:00 pm | Kroger · Aldi · Walmart · Asian Food Market |
| Tuesday | 4:00 – 7:00 pm | Kroger · Aldi · Walmart · Asian Food Market |
| Thursday | 4:00 – 7:00 pm | Kroger · Aldi · Walmart · Asian Food Market |
| Saturday | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm | Kroger · Aldi · Walmart · Asian Food Market |
The Asian Food Market is at 2114 S Caraway Rd, Jonesboro. The shuttle schedule and sign-up process are published by the international student office (oips@astate.edu) at the start of each semester and can change; confirm during orientation week. Beyond the shuttle, the GOJO city bus is free with an A-State ID (pilot programme through 15 August 2028).
What to buy where
Asian Food Market
Jasmine and Japonica rice, fish sauce, soy sauce, chilli sauce, instant noodles, dried rice noodles, seasonal Asian herbs, tofu, and meat cut the way you are used to. This is where you find what American supermarkets do not carry.
Walmart
Cheapest and most complete for everyday items: cooking oil, eggs, milk, meat, frozen food — plus pots, pans and food containers. Also where most students buy an affordable rice cooker.
Kroger
A full supermarket with better fresh produce and meat, and frequent discounts for holders of the free loyalty card — sign up on your first visit.
Aldi
Small and limited, but the cheapest for basics: eggs, milk, frozen vegetables, bread. Bring your own bags and a quarter coin for the trolley.
Source: A-State International Programs · City of Jonesboro · Updated 08/2026
What does cooking for yourself cost per month? (estimate)
| Category | Estimate / month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rice, noodles, dry goods | $25 – 40 | A large sack of rice is far cheaper than small bags |
| Meat, fish, eggs | $60 – 100 | Buy family trays, portion them and freeze |
| Vegetables and fruit | $40 – 70 | Frozen vegetables are cheap and save exam weeks |
| Asian seasonings, oil, fish sauce | $15 – 30 | Bought every one to two months at the Asian grocery |
| Milk, snacks, coffee | $25 – 45 | The line that most often blows the budget |
| Eating out 2–4 times | $30 – 60 | Meals out with classmates are also how you settle in |
| Total | $195 – 345 | One person cooking most meals |
This is an estimate by our international admissions office based on how students who cook typically spend — NOT a figure published by the university. Real costs vary by store, season and habits. Do not use this table for the financial evidence in your visa file; use the university cost of attendance instead.
Source: A-State — Tuition and fees (international students) · Updated 08/2026
Tips for cooking the food you grew up with
Bring from home
- Compact dry seasonings and spice blends from home: stock powder, pepper, whole spices, dried herbs
- A couple of instant noodle or soup-base packets for the first week, before your first grocery run
- Chopsticks you like and one good small knife (a decent knife is expensive to buy in the US)
- No fresh meat, eggs, seafood or homemade unpackaged food — US customs prohibits it and fines are real
Buy in the US
- Rice cooker: buy it in the US for 110V power, never bring a 220V one from home
- Basic pot set, non-stick pan, cutting board, colander — first week at Walmart or Target
- Food containers and zip bags to portion meat before freezing
- A thermos and a lunch box for class: far cheaper than buying campus snacks daily
Fast cooking between classes
- Cook two or three main dishes on Sunday and box them for the week — the standard international-student method
- Cook rice once for two or three days, reheat in the microwave with a spoonful of water
- Frozen vegetables and eggs will carry you through midterms
- Take turns cooking with your roommate: less time, less waste
Vegetarian, halal and food allergies
The dining hall normally has a produce and salad section plus meat-free dishes at every meal, so flexible vegetarian eating is workable. For strict vegan or halal diets, religious dietary rules, or serious allergies (peanut, shellfish, gluten), talk directly to Dining Services before you choose a plan — they are the only ones who can answer accurately about ingredients and preparation at the time you enrol.
If your allergy is severe, tell both the Student Health Center and Dining Services in your first week, bring your allergy medication with an English-language prescription, and make sure your roommate knows what to do. Small step, potentially very important.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to buy a meal plan?
It depends on your building. Traditional residence halls require a meal plan with the housing contract, at $2,020–$2,660 per semester for 2026–27. Campus apartments with their own kitchen and off-campus rentals usually do not. Read the dining clause in your housing contract or contact our office to confirm.
Will dining hall food suit my tastes?
There is white rice, noodles, boiled vegetables and stir-fries, so you will not go hungry, but the seasoning is American: few fresh herbs, little in the way of the sauces you may be used to, plenty of fried food and cheese. Most international students solve it by bringing dry seasonings from home and cooking a few meals a week with ingredients from the Asian Food Market.
How do I buy Asian groceries without a car?
Use the international office shuttle: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 4–7 pm and Saturday 10 am–3 pm, stopping at Kroger, Aldi, Walmart and the Asian Food Market (2114 S Caraway Rd). The GOJO city bus is also free with an A-State ID. Exact times are published by the office each semester — confirm during orientation.
What does cooking cost per month?
Roughly $195–345 a month for one person cooking most meals, including two to four meals out. This is an estimate based on common spending patterns, not a university figure; prices vary by store and season.
Can I bring food from home?
Commercially packaged dry seasonings with intact labels are usually fine, but fresh meat, eggs, seafood, homemade food and fresh fruit are prohibited. Always declare food on the customs form — declared items are at worst confiscated, undeclared ones can bring a fine.
Is there vegetarian or halal food on campus?
The dining hall has produce and salad stations, so flexible vegetarian eating works. For strict vegan, halal or serious allergy needs, contact university Dining Services to confirm ingredients and preparation at the time you enrol — we do not publish a fixed list because menus change each semester.
Want to know what a month in Jonesboro really costs?
Our international admissions office builds a realistic budget with you for food, housing and personal spending before you fly.