Salads
- Apple Cranberry Tuna Salad
- Apricot Quinoa Salad
- Asian-Inspired Veggie Slaw
- Avocado, Bean, and Corn (ABC) Salad
- Barley Garden Salad
- Bulgar Tabouli
- Carrot Apple Slaw
- Chickenless Curry Salad
- Chili Lime Cucumber Salad
- Classic Greek Salad
- Confetti Bean Salad
- Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad
- Elote Salad
- Fall Farro Salad
- Lemon Basil Orzo Salad
- Mediterranean Salad
- Mighty Greens Summer Salad
- Millet Salad with Avocado and Citrus
- Roasted Vegetable Balsamic Salad
- Salad Dressing (Basic Vinaigrette)
- Salad Dressings (Basic Vinaigrette & Honey-Mustard Dressing)
- Simple Side Salad (No Chop)
- Spring Swiss Chard Salad
- Super Green Summer Salad
- White Bean, Tomato, and Feta Salad
Soups
Entrees
- Black Bean Enchilada (Oven Baked)
- Burrito - Anytime
- Burritos - Make-Ahead (Food Prep)
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- California BBQ Veggie Sliders
- Chard Cheddar Omelet
- Cheesy Grits with Creamy Beans
- Chicken Tinga
- Chili - Loaded Veggie
- Dumplings, Pork and Cabbage
- Easy Fried Rice
- Egg in a Mug
- "Egg" Tofu Scramble
- Flapjacks
- Garden Pancake
- Lentils - Indian-Inspired
- Oats - Overnight
- Oats - Overnight with Peanut Butter and Chia
- Oats - Savory Garlic
- Pinwheel Sandwich
- Pizza - Homemade
- Ramen Reinvented
- Spicy Peanut Noodles
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Boats
- Sun-dried Tomato and Pesto Roll-Ups
- Tempeh - Sweet and Spicy
- Tofu - Garlic Soy (Simplified)
- Tofu Salad
- Tofu Salad - Curry
- Tofu Taco Crumbles
- Tomato, Egg, and Tofu Stir Fry
- Tuna Cakes
- Tuna Salad
- Vegan Fried Rice
- Veggie Burrito Bowl
- Veggie Bowtie Pasta
Sides, Snacks, and Sauces
Sides
- Baked Beans - Homemade
- Brussel Sprouts - Honey Balsamic
- Dumplings, Pork and Cabbage
- Edamame Flavor Pods
- Fall Fruit Compote
- Kale Pesto - Vegan
- Pickled Onions - Quick
- Pickled Veggies - Sweet and Sour
- Pinto Beans - Slow Cooker
- Salsa - Restaurant Style
- Salsa - Tomato and Basil
- Sauteed Mushrooms and Kale
- Sauteed Tomatoes and Collard Greens
- Shishito Peppers - Blistered
- Swiss Chard - Garlicky
- Veggie Spring Rolls
Snacks and Sauces
- Apple Peanut Butter Nachos
- Apple Sauce and Apple Tea
- Banana and Almond Butter Cups
- Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl
- Banana Roll-Ups
- Caprese Skewers
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Creamy Apple Bites
- Crunchy Berry Parfait
- Flavored Popcorn
- Fruit Kabob
- Greek Yogurt - Garlicky Herb Dip
- Greek Yogurt with Banana and Sliced Almonds
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad
- Guacamole - Devin's Famous
- Hummus - Homemade
- Kale Chips
- Oatmeal Energy Bites
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites
- Shishito Peppers - Blistered
- Vegannaise - Lemon Basil
Desserts
- Ambrosia Salad
- Apple Peanut Butter Nachos
- Banana and Almond Butter Cups
- Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Chickpea Blondies
- Chocolate Cake Mug
- Chocolate-Dipped Pistachio Apricots
- Crunchy Berry Parfait
- Fruit Kabob
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad
- Nice Cream - Frozen Fruit Dessert
- Oatmeal Energy Bites
- Snickerdoodle Shake
- Spicy Chocolate Tofu Pudding
Beverages
- Agua de Lima con Chia (Limeade with Chia Seeds)
- Apple Peel and Core Tea
- Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana Protein Shake
- Citrus Ginger Refresher
- Infused Water
- Milk Tea (with Boba)
- Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
- Pink Power Smoothie
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
- Self Love Potion
- Snickerdoodle Shake
- Tropikale Smoothie
- Turmeric Tea Latte
- Watermelon Agua Fresca
No-Cook Recipes
These are a compilation of simple, student-friendly recipes that do not require an oven, blender, food processor, or stove to cook. Recipes with an asterisk(*) indicate a microwave or toaster oven is required.
Salads
- Apple Cranberry Tuna Salad
- Avocado, Black Bean, and Corn (ABC) Salad
- Carrot Apple Slaw
- Chickenless Curry Salad
- Chili Lime Cucumber Salad
- Classic Greek Salad
- Confetti Bean Salad
- Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad
- Asian-Inspired Veggie Slaw
- Mediterranean Salad
- Mighty Greens Summer Salad
- Salad Dressing (Basic Vinaigrette)
- Salad Dressings (Basic Vinaigrette & Honey-Mustard Dressing)
- Side Salad (No Chop)
- Spring Swiss Chard Salad
- Super Greens Summer Salad
Soups
Entrees
- Burrito - Anytime*
- Egg in a Mug*
- Oats- Overnight
- Oats - Overnight with Peanut Butter Chia
- Pinwheel Sandwich
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Boat*
- Sun Dried Tomato and Pesto Roll-Ups
- Tofu Salad
- Tofu Salad - Curry
- Tuna Salad
- Veggie Burrito Bowl* (Rice can be cooked in the microwave or use leftover rice)
Sides
- Edamame Flavor Pods
- Quick Pickled Onions
- Sweet and Sour Pickled Veggies
- Salsa - Tomato and Basil
- Veggie Spring Rolls
- Vegannaise - Lemon Basil
Snacks
- Apple and Peanut Butter Nachos
- Banana Roll-Ups
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Creamy Apple Bites
- Crunchy Berry Parfait
- Devin’s Famous Guacamole
- Energy Balls with Masala Spice
- Flavored Popcorn
- Fruit Kabob
- Greek Yogurt - Garlicky Herb Dip
- Greek Yogurt with Banana and Sliced Almonds
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad
- Oatmeal Energy Bites
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Bites
Dessert
- Ambrosia Salad
- Chocolate Cake Mug*
- Chocolate-Dipped Pistachio Apricots
- Crunchy Berry Parfait
- Fruit Kabob
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad
Beverages
- Infused Water
- Milk Tea with Boba* (Some quick-cook boba can be cooked in the microwave)
Recipes with Videos
- Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl Recipe + Smoothie Bowl Video
- Chicken Ramen Soup Recipe + Chicken Ramen Video
- Chicken Tinga Recipe + Chicken Tinga Video
- Cheesy Grits with Creamy Beans Recipe + Cheesy Grits Video
- Greek Yogurt with Banana and Sliced Almonds Recipe + Recipe Video
- Lentil Stew Recipe + Lentil Stew Video
- Snickerdoodle Shake Recipe + Shake Video
- Tomato Egg Tofu Stir Fry Recipe + Stir Fry Video
Eating on a Budget
- All of the recipes on this webpage were chosen with UC Berkeley students in mind. They have a simple, economical, and nutritional focus.
- Eating on a $50 weekly budget: Menu for omnivores and a menu for vegetarians
- Budget Eating Tips and Swaps
Low-Cost Grocery Stores
- Trader Joe’s - Located at 1885 University Ave and 5727 College Ave. Frozen food section recommendations: stir-fry, tamales, lasagna, brown rice, cauliflower rice, and mixed vegetables.
- Safeway - Located at 1444 Shattuck Place and 6310 College Ave. Safeway is perfect for whole wheat loaves of bread, instant oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly, yogurt, lunch meat, canned tuna, cereal, milk, and frozen vegetables that can be steamed in the microwave.
- Berkeley Student Food Collective - Located at 2440 Bancroft Way #102 (Across from Eshleman Hall). The Berkeley Student Food Collective offers a selection of reasonably priced local produce and snacks.
- Berkeley Bowl - 2020 Oregon St. (1.3 miles from campus). Although some items are pricey, you can check out the bargain produce section with discounted bags of fruit and veggies.
- Find more Affordable Groceries near the UC Berkeley campus
- Savvy Grocery Shopper Tip Sheet - Buy in bulk, frozen or dry, and cut coupons to save money!
Affordable Take-Out Options
- Cheese N’ Stuff - Located at 2442 Durant Ave. Cheese N’ Stuff offers substantive, made-to-order sandwiches at some of the lowest prices in Berkeley.
- Sheng Kee Bakery - Located at 2307 Telegraph Ave. Sheng Kee offers both sandwiches and savory and sweet pastries at reasonable prices.
- Yelp - Explore more cheap eats on Yelp.
- SnackPass App - Many restaurants near campus offer special discounts through the SnackPass app.
Nutrition Hand-Outs
- Eating Well - There is no such thing as the perfect diet! There is only the right diet for you. But how can you tell what that is?
- How to Build a Meal - When planning a meal, it can be helpful to think about building your plate with three basic groups: Proteins, Vegetables, and Starches/Grains.
- Meal Planning - Want to try meal planning? Here are some tips to get you started.
- Quick Meal Ideas - Here are some time-saving tips for busy students.
- Eating on a Budget - Start by creating a monthly food budget. You can’t stick to one if you don’t know what it is!
Healthy Habits
- Drop-in Nutrition Counseling - Free 15-minute consultations are available for all UC Berkeley students regardless of insurance.
- Individual nutrition counseling is available with Toby Morris, UHS Clinical Dietitian, for any nutrition-related health issue. Schedule an appointment by calling (510) 642-2000 or online at eTang. Call Toby at (510) 642-5075 with questions. See nutrition appointment fees.
- Schedule a health coaching session with UHS Health Educators.
- Find general nutrition information on the USDA's Choose My Plate website.
Campus Resources / Emergency Funding
- UC Berkeley Food Pantry: emergency food relief resource for students short on money and/or access to nutritious foods.
- Short-Term Emergency Loan - The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office offers short-term emergency loans to graduate and undergraduate students. These interest-free loans are designed to help students meet unanticipated expenses directly related to the cost of education.
- Basic Needs Emergency Fund - The fund offers emergency financial assistance in the areas of rent, food, housing security deposit, and other emergency and safety needs to enrolled students who have exhausted their financial resources.
- Center for Financial Wellness - Meet with a Financial Wellness Coach to help you understand your personal finances. Peer mentors can answer basic money management questions and help you create a personal spending plan.
- Cal Fresh - a nutrition program that helps you buy healthy foods. Cal Grant or Work-Study required. Students with meal plans are not eligible.
- Campus Microwave Map - a map of microwaves on campus.
Thanksgiving and Winter Break / Free meals in the community
While some students leave campus during the Thanksgiving and Winter breaks, other students stay near campus during this time. The holidays often prove to be a particularly challenging time to eat consistently when campus dining halls and cafes close their doors. Thankfully, many options near campus will allow you to eat healthily and stretch your budget.
- Cal Dining - Cal Dining has special hours for Thanksgiving. View the Cal Dining Hours of Operation.
- Berkeley Food Pantry - Review hours for Thanksgiving and Winter Break.
- Free meals in the community
- City of Berkeley Food Pantry
- Berkeley Food Network Pantry
- Women's Daytime Drop-In Center
- Lake Merrit United Methodist Church
- Check out Food Now to find food pantries or hot meals near you, or call the Emergency Food Helpline at 510-635-3663.
- Emergency: Meals, Shelters, Drop-in Centers, & Showers (List from the Berkeley Public Library)
- Emergency Meals & Groceries Around Berkeley (List from the Berkeley Public Library)
Eating Disorders and Prevention
Eating Disorders
- Do you have an eating disorder? Take this screening
- Get help on campus: UHS Eating Disorder Treatment Team
- Help a friend or family member
- Learn more from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
- Learn about the Health Consequences of Undernourishment
Prevention
- Body image information from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
- Watch Embodied, a talk by Connie Sobczak recorded during Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2019. Learn more about Connie and The Body Positive
- Learn about negative body talk and how to combat it in this videoby UHS Nutrition Outreach Workers and a Fat Talk blog post by a UHS dietitian.
- Read UHS' thoughts on the myth of the freshman 15, and the body image blues.
- Learn the principles of Health At Every Size at the Association for Size Diversity and Health and HAES blog post
- Learn about the practice of mindful eating at The Center for Mindful Eating
- Read related blog posts from our team: Intro to Mindful Eating, Dealing with Cravings, A Nutrition Outreach Worker’s Perspective, and Gratitude.