A '''Food Release ''' releases a Member from their obligation to pay food-related [[Release Requests|House Charges ]] for the period requested (which could be the entire contract period). As noted above, if you will be out of the house for 14 or more consecutive days, you qualify for an automatic [[Release Requests#Food Release|Food Release]]. ''To receive it, you must notify the [[Treasurer]] via email with your dates of travel beforehand.'' All monetary releases on the house-level are given in half-month increments. Anyone can request a Food Release, but they are generally utilized in the following cases:

 '''Food Release''' grants a member exemption from the food portion of Escher's [[House Charges|house charges]]. Co-opers share the cost of eating together, but this arrangement is unlike the meal plan you might find at a dorm. When everyone shares the burden for everything, we all benefit from the lower prices we get when we buy as a group. For this reason, the same house charges are expected of all members (based on room size as per the contract), regardless of what resources they use. Food charges are a bit special, because there are some members with severe allergies or conditions like celiac disease. In some cases, the house may vote to grant food release to a member who demonstrates they cannot have their basic food needs met by Escher.