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What is Catered Accommodation?What is catered accommodation? An explanation
Catered accommodation comprises breakfast and evening meal, Monday to Friday, and brunch on Saturday and a lunch on Sunday and all meals are served in the new dedicated restaurant on the lower floor whilst there are snack making facilities in each hall floor area.
All who live in catered accommodationtake meals and the meal plan is designed to give the maximum flexibility to campus living and student life style yet ensuring ample opportunity to partake of meals with friends.
Food in Catered Accommodation
When you pay rent in catered accommodation, you are paying for your accommodation and a set number of meals in advance and you will get 12 meals per week for the term period.
Most meals are served cafeteria style, which means that mealtimes last between one and half to two hours, and you can go at any point during that period and pick your meal from the counter.
Benefits
Catered Halls where you pay for a fixed number of meals which are included in your accommodation fees are cost efficient compared with other campus outlets and in town. It allows friends to dine together and is generally ideal for undergraduate students who are living away from home for the first time or international students. The resident is guaranteed a minimum number of nutritious meals without the fuss of cash and cooking.
Menu choice
There are usually two or three options to choose from including a wide variety of healthy and nutritious food, including soups, salad bar items, main meals, puddings and snacks.
There’s at least one vegetarian option at each meal and when beef or pork are on the menu an alternative is always made available.
During Ramadan we can provide food for you to eat after sunset.
If you have special dietary requirements (e.g. diabetes) or a food allergy, we will try to help. If you are very specific about the kind of food you like to eat, you may be better suited to self-catering accommodation.
Formal meals
Most catered residences have a number of “formal” meals each year. There’s no extra cost for formal dinners and you don’t have to attend if you don’t want to, but they’re usually fun events.
You can bring your own wine and the meals are waiter served.
At these meals, you have to wear formal clothes – for men a suit, or jacket and trousers, with a shirt and tie and for women a dress, skirt or smart trousers and blouse. Or you can wear smart national or religious dress if this is more appropriate for you.
There’s no extra cost for formal dinners and you don’t have to attend if you don’t want to, but they’re usually fun events!
On formal Dinner nights no other hot meals will be served. For residents who choose not to partake in the formal meal a packed alternative can be available if pre-booked. Staff will be happy to make arrangements for packed meals at other times, with 48 hour’s notice.
Rates
Refer main page for UCD accommodation rates
Guests
Guest may be entertained but only on the later sitting to ensure that space is available for the residents.
Guest meals are charged at (€7.50) per meal.
Identity card
A meal/identity card is issued to each student on arrival in the Hall. This card must be shown each time a meal is taken. Any person without a catering identity card will be charged (€7.50) for that meal. The card is not transferable.
Meal periods
Check locally for any variations;
Mon – Fri (Continental breakfast) 7.45 – 9.30
Mon – Fri (Dinner) 5.15 – 7.00
Sat (Brunch) 10.30 - 1.00
Sunday (Lunch ) 12.15 – 2.00
The contract period
Contracts for catered residences are 38 weeks. Please note that the meal plan is not provided during the University summer months.
Non attendance arrangements
It you are unable to attend any of the meal times during the week, you can order a breakfast or supper pack. An example of a supper pack would be soup, jacket potato with a choice of filling (baked beans, grated cheese or tuna fish), fruit and a cake/muffin.
Packed breakfasts are available both for travellers and residents
Packed Breakfast/Lunch is available to those going home to compensate for not taking up weekend meals.
Packed meals must be ordered 24 hours and collected from the main counter.
Extended stays
Pay by cash for each meal
Dress
Your dress in the Dining Hall should be such that it gives offence neither to staff nor fellow diners. Pyjamas, dressing gowns, sportswear, swimwear, or generally dirty clothes are unacceptable. Some kind of shirt must be worn. Given the ease with which foot diseases are spread, bare feet are totally unacceptable. There are occasional formal meals when some formality of dress – jackets, ties, dresses – is expected. Alcohol should not be taken into the Dining Hall except during formal meals.
Social Activities
Comedy nights, films, concerts, etc. are presented throughout the year, but your suggestions for Hall events are always welcome, especially ones in which residents themselves perform. Anyone willing to help prepare for and clear up after events – moving furniture, lights, etc. – should make themselves available when required.
Rules of the Restaurant
Meals served must be eaten in the restaurant and crockery, cutlery, glassware and food may not be taken out of that area. All meals are self-service.
No drinks containing alcohol may be brought into the Dining Hall.
Staff may ask to see your meal card before serving you.
Residence Life
The Residence Life programme is run by students (your RA’s), for students, with help and guidance from residences management. Their remit is to provide services that benefit the whole Hall. They plan and organise social events, from quizzes, discos and ‘open mic’ nights to the Christmas and summer dinner, inputs into the menu make up and generally helps deal with the day to day niggling problems that arise.
The management of the residences remit an amount of money per student to help defray the costs of these events.
Rules of rooms
For the sake of safety and hygiene Kettles, grills, microwaves, toaster etc not permitted to be used in the study rooms.
Typical menu
Breakfast
Each day, this consists of:
- Fruit Juice
- Toast or croissants
- Selection of cereals
- Tea and coffee
And a choice of
- Yogurts
- Grapefruit Segments
- Fresh fruit
Dinner
For dinner each evening, you may choose:
- 1 main course (there is always a vegetarian option)
- 3 choices from the vegetable section
- A variety of salads from the salad bar
- 1 dessert or a piece of fresh fruit
Each evening there is a selection of fresh fruit, assorted cold sweets, cheese and biscuits. Bread rolls and tea and coffee are available in the restaurant.
A range of carbonated and non carbonated drinks and hot beverages are available for sale.
Sample dinner Menu for Week Beginning:
Monday
Baked chicken supreme with a lemon pesto and tomato sauce
Battercrisp cod
Vegetable mousa cca
Sugar Snap peas
Carrots
Ratatouille
Croquette potatoes
Sticky date pudding & vanilla sauce
Tuesday
Lamb & pepper korma
Poached cod with a three cheese sauce
Vegetable pizza
Baby corn
Broccoli & almonds
Savoury rice
Jacket potatoes
Chocolate & nut sponge & chocolate sauce
Wednesday
Steak & ale pie with chunky vegetables
Fillet of Cod supreme with prawns and mushrooms
Falafel nuggets on a bed of noodles
Carrot & Swede batons
Broad beans
Herby diced potatoes
Rice pudding
Thursday
Pork chop with cider and a red pepper sauce
Breaded scampi
Vegetable curry
Peas & Sweet corn
Creamed Spinach
Lumberjack chips
Fruit pie & custard
Friday
Curried parsnip & apple soup
Sirloin steak with a green pepper, brandy & mushroom sauce
Crispy coated goats cheese on a bed of Italian roasted vegetables
Whole green beans
Baton carrots
New potatoes
Lemon Tarte
Saturday Brunch
Vegetable samosas
Baked beans
Chips
Assorted pastries
Sunday Lunch
Roast turkey with all the trimmings
Home made nut loaf
Carrots
Cauliflower cheese
Sliced green beans
Roast Potatoes
Fruit crumble & custard