In 2020, the University of Texas at Austin’s Environmental Science Institute reported that, according to survey responses, 42% of UT students experience/suffer from food insecurity. Whether food insecurity comes from waiting for your next paycheck to bounce, an inability to travel to the grocery store, or simply confusion about having to provide meals for yourself after leaving home, it is a prevalent issue that many students face even six years later. Below is a compiled list of primarily University-led resources that help students battle food insecurity.
Food Pantries
The UT Outpost is a free on-campus food pantry, as well as a career closet for all enrolled students at UT Austin. Students are allowed to shop up to 20 lbs worth of food every month, and are allowed one visit a week. The Outpost offers a variety of items such as toiletries (shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, menstrual products), canned foods (tuna, fresh produce, etc), and even microwavable meals like ramen and canned pastas. The Outpost is located at 100 W Dean Keeton (SSB) G1.406, and is open Tuesday to Saturday (times may vary depending on the day).
If you wish to help out the Outpost receive more items for students, their Amazon wishlist can be found here.
The Outpost is one of many food pantries located on campus, but it is well known for being the biggest one. Other food pantries include The Daily Bread pantry at the Lutheran Campus Ministry. It is open every Wednesday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and only requires a physical UT ID from students. La Tiendita Student Pantry offers non-perishable food items, toiletries, etc. It is accessible throughout the day with a student ID and is found in the main hall of the Gordon-White Building. The UTforMe Program offers a food pantry to UTforMe students exclusively, and can be found in the FAC 21. All of the pantries are located on or near campus, and are actively accepting monetary or food donations.
PTS Shop Shuttle
The PTS Shop Shuttle offers transportation to the nearby H-E-B on Hancock, and is available to all UT Austin students. The services take students on a round trip to the H-E-B and campus, and meet at one of four locations: 2400 Nueces, Duren Residence Hall, East Campus Graduate Apartments, and Moore-Holl Residence Hall. The shuttle runs during select Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and reservations are made per individual. If need be, students can send cancellation requests to ShopShuttle@utexas.edu, but they must be done by 6 p.m. before the scheduled service. Currently, the service only runs to and from the Hancock H-E-B; however, their website also shares possible bus routes that students can safely take to other grocery stores, such as 99 Ranch, Trader Joe’s, or Whole Foods. Even if a student does not experience food insecurity, this mode of transportation can assist students in avoiding spending money on gasoline for their own vehicles.
UT Free Food
UT Free Food is a certified UT Austin channel that sends alerts about leftover food that is available on campus. For example, if an event occurs on campus and there is leftover food, a message can be posted through the channel. The service is first come first serve, and is available up to 30 minutes after the message was posted. Requirements include that individuals must be associated with UT (whether it be student or staff), must bring their physical UT ID, and provide their personal to-go container if required.
Too Good to Go
Too Good To Go is a free application available on both Apple and Android that informs individuals about nearby grocery stores, restaurants, and convenience stores — corporate and locally-owned — about discounted food products to fight global food waste. The app informs its users of the time and location of the food available for pick-up. Whilst some companies opt for giving out surprise bags with a brief overview of their contents, other stores may give vivid descriptions of what is to be picked up. It is recommended to bring your own bag, and users are advised to proceed with caution regarding any ingredient and allergen warnings in each bag description.
Food insecurity is a prevalent issue in the U.S. According to the USDA, 13.7% of the population (estimated 18.3 million people) suffer from not being food secure in 2024. In 2023, Texas was reported to be the second hungriest state in the country, 16.9% of Texans suffering from food insecurity. The mentioned resources are small steps to solving nationwide food insecurity, and it starts here in our campus community.