Food When You Arrive
You must bring enough money with you for food for the first few days until we can get your MSU ID card made and get it linked to your account. It is still “summer hours” on campus, which means that food options are more limited than they will be during the semester. (In Fall 2025, it took about 5 days for everything to be linked properly. I hope it will be faster in 2026!)
Food options when you arrive:
- There is a mini market called “Sparty’s” in Owen Hall that is open during summer hours from 9am-4pm on Monday-Friday and 11am-4pm on Saturday/Sunday. This has mostly “grab-and-go” and convenience items.
- Here is a video I made in 2025 showing some options for getting food from nearby grocery stores, finding nearby restaurants, or for going to the open dining hall on campus during these limited summer hours. **Note that the times/dates of opening may have changed since I made the video.**
- I neglected to show the 7-Eleven (open 24/7) that is relatively close to Owen. They have some good grab-and-go options!
Groceries in Walking Distance
- Trader Joe’s – a lot of great individual meals, general groceries, and snacks
- Whole Foods – a lot of health and specialty foods (including a hot and cold buffet), can be expensive – we jokingly call it “Whole Paycheck” in my house
- Fresh International Market – Asian market, with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai foods, and other ingredients needed in similar cuisines
Other Shopping
- Target – there is one in downtown East Lansing. Things are likely going to be a bit more expensive here for general household goods, but it’s convenient
- Meijer – you will need to take the bus here, but it’s a HUGE store that has groceries, clothing, household items, personal care, etc.