Eating Healthy on a Budget

Eating healthy and smartly on a budget can be a challenge. One of the benefits of being a grad students is that there are resources on campus that are here specifically for us,so don't hesitate to use them! There are also affordable food resources off campus and in the greater Davis area. Follow the Aggie Compass News to learn about the most recent status of available basic needs resources.

Places to get free/lower-priced food

On campus

GSA pantry: The Graduate Student Association pantry was established especially to serve grad students, located in their offices on the second floor in the South Silo open Monday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and Friday, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm pre-COVID. Scroll to the bottom of the GSA homepage to follow them on social media or contact our IGG GSA representatives for the most updated info.
Fruit & Veggie Up!: Located at the Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center on the 1st floor of the Memorial Union (MU), the Fruit & Veggie Up! program provides free produce for UC Davis students. Learn more about this program from its Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) and Aggie Compass pages.
ASUCD Pantry: Run by UC Davis students, the ASUCD Pantry is also located at the MU and provides UC Davis students with fresh produce as well as dry and canned goods.
Food Access Map: The Food Access Map provides all kinds of food-related information about where to find what on campus. Click here to view the map and read this page for more information.

Locally (off campus)

Aggie Compass Nutritious Food Resources: This page provides a comprehensive list of additional local food pantries and resources located off campus, including information about signing up for CalFresh, food available immediately, food maps, and more.
Visit the Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) food resources page for additional resources.
Costco: Buying in bulk is a great way to get the most bang for your buck! If possible, buying in bulk with a friend or two and splitting the cost can also make food and other items more affordable. The closest Costco is in Woodland, with additional locations in Sacramento and Vacaville.
Grocery Outlet: The availability of items at Grocery Outlet varies depending on the recent stock, but it's worth checking here first because the exact same items at other grocery stores tend to be more expensive. The Grocery Outlet in Davis is located at the shopping center with Symposium and Goodwill on East 8th Street.

Learning about nutrition and cooking

Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS)

When students think of the SHCS, the first things that come to mind are probably doctor's appointments or immunization records but the SHCS also has many food- and nutrition-resources for UC Davis students included for free with default Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage, such as:

Information about physical wellness in general, how to get started with healthy eating, and healthy balanced meals
Free individual nutrition assessments with a registered dietitian
The Teaching Kitchen, which provides free cooking classes, recipes on its Pinterest page, blog entries on stocking your kitchen and cooking for one, and more

Healthy UC Davis and more

The Healthy UC Davis Food & Nutrition website lists some of the resources covered by SHCS in addition to information about the UC Davis Farmers Market and monthly wellness recipes from the UC Davis School of Medicine.
The Healthy Aggies on campus share healthy recipes, write a blog about nutrition and health, and provide nutrition peer counseling drop-in sessions at the Fitness and Wellness Center in the ARC.
The Davis Co-op holds free food-related events and has a page of healthy recipes.
The Aggie Compass Nutritious Food Resources page also provides information on additional free cooking courses, meal planning, and recipes.

Know of additional food-related resources you'd like to share? Feel free to contact our Vice Chair or Wellness Chair so that we can add them!

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