The 20 US colleges with the best food, ranked

Whether you're powering through an all-night study session, squeezing in lunch between lectures, or grabbing a snack on the way back to your dorm, on-campus food is an essential part of college life.

Niche identified the top colleges nationwide for their dining halls and on-campus food options, based on student reviews and meal plan costs reported by the Department of Education.

The top-rated schools for food include both private and public institutions. Students at highly ranked schools have access to high-quality, healthy foods across different cuisines and dietary needs, according to Niche.

Every institution on this list was awarded a campus food grade of A+. We also included each school's average meal plan cost (where available), acceptance rate, and net cost of attendance, based on data from the Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

Wesleyan University serves made-from-scratch meals across campus, from vegan, kosher, and comfort-food options at Usdan Marketplace to late-night bites at Summerfields.

Students can also grab coffee, snacks, groceries, and food-truck fare between classes.

Grand Canyon University has more than 35 on-campus dining spots, including a dining hall, coffee shops, a food court, and popular chains such as Chick-fil-A, Subway, and Panda Express.

Students can choose from everything from burgers and pizza to salads, smoothies, and grab-and-go snacks.

At the Culinary Institute of America, students can dine at a casual bakery café, a lively student commons, and public restaurants focused on American, French, and Italian cuisines.

Many of the on-campus eateries also double as classrooms, where CIA students prepare and serve meals to paying guests.

The University of Georgia has six dining commons serving everything from stir-fry, made-to-order omelets, tacos, pasta, and burgers to smoothies, salads, and allergen-friendly dishes.

Students can also find fast-food options like Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, and Barberitos, as well as other grab-and-go options across campus.