I feel like one thing people don’t talk about enough when it comes to being in college is how expensive it is just to take care of yourself. We always hear about tuition, textbooks, and other school expenses, but what about food? Groceries have gotten so expensive, and as a college student balancing school and work, I’m learning how hard it can be to make my money stretch. I can spend around $200 on groceries and still feel like I barely got anything. When you’re making a little amount of money, that’s a lot to spend on something you need to survive.
Food insecurity. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion defines food insecruity as a household-level economic and social condition involving limited or uncertain access to safe, nutritious food. This can mean skipping meals, stretching groceries until payday, or not knowing if you will have enough food to last. Food is a basic necessity, but being able to afford it is not always as easy as people think.
food insecurity is bigger than college campuses
Food insecurity is not just a college student problem. According to a 2026 WTKR article by Jay Greene, a study found that 43% of households in Southeastern Virginia and on the Eastern Shore experienced food insecurity during the previous year. The report also showed that 87% of food-insecure households statewide said rising grocery prices had a major impact on their finances.
Although these statistics do not specifically focus on college students, they reflect what people throughout Hampton Roads are experiencing. Students are dealing with the same rising grocery prices as everyone else, often while trying to manage school, work, and other expenses. This makes me wonder how we can better support people in our communities instead of expecting everyone to figure it out on their own.
here’s what i do to make my money stretch
For me, making my money stretch starts with checking what I already have and planning around my schedule. I do not meal prep by cooking a whole week’s worth of food on Sunday. Instead, I think about my classes, when I can eat on campus, and what groceries I have available.
For example, I might eat oatmeal for breakfast, use a meal swipe at the campus cafe after class, and grab a snack from my dorm later. If I have bread and sandwich meat, I might make a sandwich instead of using another swipe. By Friday, I might treat myself to Chick-fil-A with my dining dollars. I am still planning my meals, just in a way that works for my schedule and budget.
Living in a dorm also means working with limited space. I have a mini fridge, not a full kitchen Keeping affordable foods like oatmeal, peanut butter, bread, crackers, instant rice, and canned beans gives me options without requiring a lot of cooking or storage. I also try not to buy more groceries than I can realistically keep fresh and use before they go bad.
here’s what NSU students can do
Having a meal plan does not always mean having access to food when you need it. At Norfolk State University, my meal plan costs $1,991 and includes 10 meal swipes per week and approximately $230 in dining dollars. However, the dining hall closes at 8:30 p.m., which can be difficult for students with evening classes, jobs, or other responsibilities.
Sometimes, I have to rely on DoorDash or groceries in my dorm after the dining hall closes. I cannot afford to order food every night, and not having a car can make getting groceries more difficult, too. I think keeping campus dining options open later would help students make better use of the meal plans they have already paid for.
NSU students should know about the campus food pantry, which offers support to students who need food and other essentials. Students should check NSU’s current guidance for access details and hours. There is no shame in using a food pantry. These resources exist to help, and struggling financially should not mean struggling in silence.
Students can help by sharing information about campus resources, organizing food drives, volunteering at food banks, and asking student government and administrators for solutions like emergency meal assistance and more flexible dining hours. Sometimes, people simply do not know what help is available.
colleges and communities have a role to play, too
Budgeting and meal planning can help, but they cannot solve everything. When groceries are expensive and income is limited, there is only so much a student can do. Colleges should consider extending dining hours, improving awareness of food assistance programs, and making emergency support available to students who need it.
This issue also goes beyond campus. The food insecurity statistics in Hampton Roads show that families and individuals throughout the region are struggling, too. Communities and local leaders should consider how investing in lower-income neighborhoods and improving access to affordable food can help address the problem.
good meals should not be a luxury
Being on a budget has taught me to plan ahead and be more intentional about spending, but I know budgeting can only do so much. Students should not have to spend their college experience worrying about whether they will have enough to eat.
At the end of the day, food is a basic necessity, not a luxury. Students deserve to focus on their education without constantly worrying about where their next meal will come from. The conversation should not just be about how students can stretch their money further. We should also be asking what colleges and communities can do to make sure people do not have to struggle this much in the first place.