It’s no secret that eating well can be hard when you’re short on time and money — things that graduate students don’t always have a lot of. However, undernourishment can lead to serious short- and long-term health consequences (opens in a new tab). Read on to learn more about local resources and some of our favorite tips for making the most of your relationship with food.
Cooking on a Budget
Week-long Menu for $5 a Day (opens in a new tab) — Preparing food at home will take a little time and effort but is a lot cheaper than ordering take-out and eating at restaurants. This food guide takes on the effort of planning, providing you with a balanced set of meals for the week, plus a shopping list. You can also find lots of great bloggers and meal prep sites to help diversify your menu with your favorite recipes. There’s also a vegetarian menu (opens in a new tab)!
Campus Microwave Map (opens in a new tab) — When you meal prep, you need a place on campus to reheat the fruits of your labor! This map identifies cafes and kitchens you can access to microwave your meals.
Food Demos and Nutrition Workshops (opens in a new tab) — The UHS nutrition team provides regularly scheduled free nutrition events on and around campus, including food and cooking demonstrations and interactive cooking classes. Make sure to check out their events calendar for the most updated times and locations.
More Resources (opens in a new tab)
Shopping Local
Affordable Groceries Near UC Berkeley Campus (opens in a new tab) — There are a number of affordable grocery stores within a two-mile radius of campus, accessible by walking, biking, or taking the bus. Local favorites include the Berkeley Student Food Collective and the Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market — which also accepts SNAP benefits.
Good and Cheap – Eat Well on $4/Day (opens in a new tab) — A recipe book by Leanne Brown.
Additional Food Assistance
Food Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) — Food insecurity can affect any student. If you lack access to food in the short-term and are waiting for your CalFresh (opens in a new tab) benefits, or you are not eligible for CalFresh benefits, applying (opens in a new tab) to the food assistance program may be an option for you. Through the support of an additional funding source, we encourage all students who are experiencing food insecurity to review the Application for Additional Food Assistance on our forms page (opens in a new tab).
UC Berkeley Food Pantry (opens in a new tab) — Located in the Martin Luther King Student Union – Room 68, the food pantry provides emergency core food support to UC Berkeley students. Visit the Food Pantry website for current hours of operation (opens in a new tab).