Nutrition Recipes & Resources

• 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

• 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!

• 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.

• 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!

• 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 MyUCBerkeleyHealth. 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.

• 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. 

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

• 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 video by UHS Nutrition Outreach Workers and a Fat Talk blog post by a UHS dietitian.
• Read 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 the HAES blog post. 
• Read related blog posts from our team: Intro to Mindful Eating, A Nutrition Outreach Worker’s Perspective, and Gratitude.