According to a Student Government report released last spring, 32% of UT students are food insecure. The report cited living on or off campus and differences in access to reliable transportation as factors that impact student food security.

“If you have limited access to healthy food or vegetables, … you technically live in a food desert,” said Junfeng Jiao, associate professor in the Community and Regional Planning program at UT. “I cannot say that UT is a food desert because that needs a lot of calculation and measurements, but I do share (the idea) that for residents (and) students, choice is limited.” 

To aid in finding food throughout UT campus, The Daily Texan has compiled a list of food resources.

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Food Resources Close to or on Campus

UT Outpost 

The UT Outpost is a free food pantry for students that offers a variety of foods and personal care products. Operating under four satellite locations in Patton Hall, the Gender and Sexuality Center, the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Perry-Castañeda Library, as well as a central building on 2609 University Avenue. The UT Outpost is open to any students in need of food or personal care products. Hours for the Outpost vary depending on location and can be found on its website.

UT Farmstand 

Every other Wednesday, UT Farmstand provides seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables and other goods at Jester Plaza from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The goods include a range of produce grown on UT campus.

UT School of Social Work Food Pantry

The Steve Hicks School of Social Work operates a free food pantry directed towards social work students. Students in need can go to the school’s student lounge kitchen to obtain a variety of food.

Longhorn Baptist Student Ministry 

Every Wednesday from noon-2 p.m, the Longhorn Baptist Student Ministry provides free meals for all. The BSM offers both vegetarian and meat options under their FLOW initiative. 

LuMin

The Lutheran Campus Ministry runs a program called The Daily Bread every Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. at 2100 San Antonio Street, Suite 120. Students can show their UT ID to receive a free bag of groceries. Along with this initiative, LuMin runs a weekly Tailgate Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. that offers free burgers with beef and vegan options for all.

UT Student Government Community Food Distribution

UT SG is running a pilot program to provide free snacks and drinks to students every month. SG has published a list of monthly dates on its Instagram and times where students can stop by on campus to obtain free food. Locations for the snack distribution may vary and will be posted on SG’s social media. The next distribution is Oct. 14.

“How are you expected to go to such a rigorous university and attend your classes if you’re worried you’re not gonna have food on the table?” said SG vice president Isabel Agbassi. “It’s more of a prevalent issue that should be prioritized.” 

Agbassi, along with SG president Leland Murphy stated that they plan to take into account student feedback on the snacks and adjust provisions as needed.

Local Grocery Stores

Wheatsville Co-op

The Wheatsville Co-op located at 3101 Guadalupe St. is a local grocery store that allows shoppers to become members for a one-time $70 payment. Afterwards, members can shop at Wheatsville and get discounted groceries and a money rebate during profitable years.

H-E-B

H-E-B is a large grocery store relatively close to UT campus. Students can use the CapMetro app to locate the closest bus station to go to H-E-B, which offers a wide selection of fresh produce and general food products. The closest H-E-B to campus is located at 1000 E. 41st St.

Orange Market

Unlike some of the smaller bodegas and chain stores around campus, Orange Market, located on 910 W. 25th St., offers fresh produce such as tomatoes, onions and greens, along with complementary goods such as spices. Orange Market is open 24/7, every day of the year.

Useful Apps

H-E-B Favor

For those who are unable to get to an H-E-B due to time constraints or transportation issues, the My H-E-B app can be used to get groceries delivered directly to your house for a $5-$10 dollar delivery fee.

TooGoodToGo

To get food at a cheaper menu price, students can download the TooGoodToGo app. The app lets users book different time windows to pick up surplus food from local shops and restaurants. Doing so saves both food waste and user money. For the UT campus area, students can select to pick up bags of food from O’s Campus Cafes across the campus, or off-campus shops such as Kung Fu Tea, Clay Pit and The Pizza Press. The application’s food options and availability are variable and time-sensitive, but food is often priced within the range of $3-$6 for a portion of surplus food.