Campus Life / Campus Dining
A Taste of Home
We know you aren’t interested in the same old options, and neither are we. Central’s three on-campus dining options provide a high-value experience, tastes of home and the foods you crave.
We like to celebrate around here! Each week features campus favorites like Fresh Cookie Tuesday, Sundae Wednesday, cook-to-order Mongolian Friday and more. And about once a month, you’ll enjoy a special dining experience, including tailgates, holiday-themed meals, kids’ buffet (all of your childhood favorites like potato smiles, mini corndogs, etc.) and All Iowa Day.
Dining Options Dietary AccommodationsFood, Glorious Food
With three on-campus dining options and an excellent dining services staff equipped to meet all your dietary needs, you’re not going to go hungry here. Our sustainable food program incorporates locally grown and produced ingredients whenever possible — some of which are grown right here on campus!
Fresh Cookie Tuesday Let’s Dish
The Big Three
You butter believe Central’s dining options are sure to fuel your mind, your soul AND your belly! Each location offers space for great food and friends to come together, so you’re sure to have an egg-cellent day.
Explore and learn more about Central Market, Fred’s and the Global Café at Geisler.
The Central Market is our main dining option on campus offering an array of choices with 10 different stations to choose from. You’ll be sure to find something to satisfy your appetite. Cook-to-order Mongolian, caramel bars and fruit pizza are student body favorites, to name a few.
You’ll find juicy burgers, crispy chicken tenders, grab-and-go items, smoothies and more at Fred’s, located on the ground floor of Maytag Student Center. You can get your comfort food fix any time of day, sit back and watch TV, study or spend time with friends.
A must-stop for any Central student, the Global Café at Geisler fuels our students with caffeine, yummy muffins, bagels and scones and weekly specials for sandwiches, salads and soup.
Food With You in Mind
You shouldn’t have to worry about being able to find something you can eat. At Central College, we take extra care when it comes to the dietary needs of our students. The college dining services team works closely with individuals who have dining and dietary restrictions.
Our staff dietitian reviews all meals and items served to generate nutrition information. We provide options for students who need meal accommodations related to food allergies, intolerances, other medical reasons and even those just wanting to eat healthy! We plan ahead so you don’t have to.
Contact us at dining@central.edu to coordinate any dietary accommodations.
Meal Plans
Live here, learn here, EAT here! Central offers three meal plans — 10, 14 or 19 meals per week — both with guilders, historically referred to as currency in the Netherlands. What can we say, we’re Dutch through and through! Guilders are Central’s version of flex dollars that can be used for all sorts of food and snacks outside the normal meal swipe.
Pro-tip: You can even use your meal plan to set up a special dinner for your student organization or club through Central College Catering!
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