According to the report, the average Harvard student is still eating just 14 of the 21 meals available each week.

But Weissbecker said that ratio is taken into account when board rates are set. "We base our budget on the figure that students will take an average of 14 meals. So there is nothing to rebate," he said.

In each river house, the average meal costs between $4.50 and $5.00, but average meals at the Quad cost nearly a dollar more, the report said.

Dining Service officials attributed the difference to the fact that two kitchens in the Quad must serve meals in three dining halls.

"It is just a little harder to keep track of everything," said John J. Soldano, Dining Services supervisor for the Quad.

The new report also contains statistics on the number of meals served last year--a total of 3,506,068--as well as comparisons between Harvard and other colleges. Over the last seven years, according to the report, meal costs at Harvard have been increasing at rate lower than the Ivy League average.

Weissbecker said it was too early to predict any increase for next year.