Finding Food: A College Student’s Struggle
College can be a time for growth, exploration, and finding your independence. Between classes and extracurriculars, it can be hard to make conscious food decisions that benefit you and your body. Whether you’re dining in the dining hall or making your own food off campus, it can be difficult to make the right choices but even harder when those choices are limited. A part of that independence is making sure your body is healthy and nourished. People tend to brush this responsibility off. Nourishing yourself is a part of adulthood, but many people find themselves struggling. This struggle is known as food insecurity.
The US Department of Agriculture defines this as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy lifestyle. This problem affects 10.5% of households in America. People you know may struggle with this. From all aspects of life, people struggle with food insecurity, and there are resources out there to help. The struggle among college students mostly goes unrecognized. According to Students Against Hunger, it is estimated that 30% of college students have food insecurity.
Being properly nourished is important to academic performance. Financial insecurity contributes to this problem. When students have to buy their own food, they often go with lower-cost products that are high in sugars and sodium. When faced with the choice of fresh produce that costs around $6-$8, or microwavable meals that cost $2-$5, students will often go for the cheaper option. It’s not about the food, it’s about the money.
Many colleges offer a food pantry or a small room with a fridge full of fruits and vegetables. While this is beneficial to students who feel the pressure of financial insecurity, many colleges don’t make this resource known.
In the village of Brockport, N.Y. people have renovated their free library stations into food pantries for those who need a little help. The concept behind these mini food pantries is the same as those free libraries. People can take or leave food. It’s a helpful way to offer help to those who are afraid to ask for it.
Dietician, Amy Stacy, offers some simple food prep and shopping tips to help college students in need. The problem with food insecurity can be helped by spending some time at different grocery stores to figure out which has the best prices or by finding a local farmers' market for your produce. Stores like Aldi and Walmart have cost-effective options that are healthy.
“Personally, I feel like it’s more realistic to plan week by week. I plan several meals for a week so that I don’t have to think about it. When you plan your meals, it’s really going to ensure that you’re eating healthier,” said Stacy.
The other problem students face is in the dining hall. It can be tempting to grab all the greasy food, especially when the food in the dining hall is sub-par at times, but this doesn’t help when you’re trying to practice healthy eating habits. Food is not just to enjoy, it’s main purpose is to nourish. Try out the healthier options available or keep healthy snacks on hand in the dorm. A bag of baby carrots costs around a dollar, and a bag of apples costs around $3. Although small and simple, finding the best price for your produce is key to staying healthy.
Food insecurity affects many people. It’s important as a college institution to recognize that this problem affects its students, and offer help to counteract it.
