When your parents ask you about that $1,000 to $2,000 charge on your bill for your so-called… When your parents ask you about that $1,000 to $2,000 charge on your bill for your so-called “meal plan,” you should be ready to reassure them that the price is a bargain when you consider all of Pitt’s culinary choices.

Meal plans operate on blocks and dining dollars, and they range from the six blocks-per-week Panther Lite plan to the Hungry Panther plan, which provides 19 blocks weekly. A block is equivalent to one meal, which Pitt says is worth $5.40, but the catch is that you must spend exactly $5.40.

If you spend less, you lose the remaining value. Also, if you do not use all of your allotted weekly blocks you lose them, so make sure you get out of bed early enough on Sundays to replenish your stock of Ramen noodles and bottled beverages, which are better known as “mixers.”

So what if you are hungrier than $5.40, or you want to eat somewhere that doesn’t take your blocks? That’s when you use dining dollars. You start between $160 and $275 in dining dollars, and you can spend them in any campus restaurant you want all semester long. This is particularly useful at Pitt’s coffee carts and “On the Go” dining areas because none of them take blocks.

If you don’t know what meal plan you have, or you want to know more about restaurant menus and hours, or you just like looking at pictures of people who seem way too happy about eating on campus, check out http://www.pc.pitt.edu/dining/index.html. Also, if you have any serious food-related concerns, or you just want to complain that an extra slice of cheese costs a quarter, you can contact Panther Central 24 hours a day in person or at (412) 648-1100.

The Marketplace is Pitt’s all-you-can-eat feast in the Litchfield Towers, where one block buys you enough food to make the freshman 15 look like an underachievement. What The Marketplace may lack in quality, it certainly makes up for in quantity. It features different entrees each day, vegetarian and vegan selections and breakfast at every meal.

If you are looking for a place where you can use your blocks to buy a normal meal or a la carte items in a food court setting, you might try Schenley Cafe, Eddie’s or the Cathedral Cafe. Schenley features Orville and Wilbur’s, Pitt’s own burger joint. It also has a Pizza Hut, a smoothie stand and a Sub Connection, which has one of the most filling block specials on campus.

Eddie’s is similarly set up, and it includes some of the same items like pizza and hamburgers, as well as Mexican cuisine, a deli and a salad bar. Extra blocks are spent best, not to mention quickest, in Eddie’s convenience store, which even has a kosher foods section.

If you are of the more adventurous sort, the Cathedral Cafe features a sushi bar, Tsunami Sushi, in addition to its more traditional options. If you prefer your food a little more well-done, it also has a Chick-Fil-A and made-to-order salads and sandwiches. Also, Hometown Favorites offers slightly greasier fair, with Philly cheese steaks and fried fish sandwiches.

There are two more venues on top of the hill, including one in the Petersen Events Center and Sutherland Dining. Aside from many of the same offerings as lower campus eateries, the Pete offers a Burger King and a Tex-Mex burrito stand. Also, Jazzman’s Cafe provides coffee, smoothies and baked goods that you almost feel bad about eating right outside the student gym.

For dining dollar big spenders, there are two Einstein Bros. Bagels, one located in Benedum Hall and one on the second floor of Posvar Hall. They are the perfect places to stop for a cup of coffee before the 8 a.m. class or for a quick lunch. There is also a cafe in Langley Hall, which features many of the same salads and sandwiches as Schenley Cafe and Eddie’s. In addition, Pitt has six coffee carts placed all over campus so you will never be without a Starbucks cup in your hand and a shot of espresso in your bloodstream.

Though the choices may be overwhelming now, by the end of the semester you will know which Eddie’s cashiers are most likely to forget to charge you for something and you won’t ever miss a General Tso’s chicken day at Schenley. If your parent’s still aren’t convinced that they are getting their money’s worth, you can remind them that you would probably starve if left to cook for yourself.