Ways to eat as a college student during the holidays.

Deadlines, coursework, and group projects make being a college student difficult enough. The thought of returning home to enjoy a parent’s cooking and sleeping in a familiar bed often makes the workload feel worthwhile. However, not every student has the option to go home for Thanksgiving, and many must remain on campus. Staying in the holiday spirit can be difficult when traditional holiday food is not easily accessible and preparing meals independently may not be affordable. Fortunately, there are several ways to make the holiday feel more festive. 

First, for students living on campus, the campus cafeteria and on campus restaurants are often the most convenient option for holiday meals. According to the Winston Salem State University (WSSU) campus dining instagram page the cafeteria will be closed from November 26th through November 29th but Cobbler and Que, located in the Donald Julian Reaves building will be open during those days from 4-8pm. WSSU also has a food pantry which is open to all students and may have some of those necessary ingredients and items used to make a holiday meal. 

Many grocery stores also provide Thanksgiving meal bundles. These bundles allow individuals to prepare a complete holiday meal at a reasonable price. For example, Lidl offers a Thanksgiving meal deal that totals under $36 and includes a 14-pound turkey and more than nine sides. Shoppers may need to search the store for all the included items, and the food is not precooked, so some cooking skills are required. However, the affordability makes it a valuable option. Walmart’s annual thanksgiving meal also returns this year and you can serve 10 people for up to 4 dollars a person. It includes 20 national and private brand items as well as a butterball turkey for 97 cents a pound. For first time pick up and delivery customers there is free express delivery of the meal basket. Both of these bundles are available this year according to the Lidl and Walmart websites.  

Additional community resources are also available. According to Jennifer from Second Harvest, a food bank serving northern North Carolina and a partner of the university, Samaritan Ministries operates a soup kitchen six days a week and remains open during the holidays. Jennifer says “Second Harvest is a really great church that is open and serving food during thanksgiving and they do really great work in that area”Meals are available to the public for $3.37.  

According to a study done in 2020 by the Department of Education's National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), about 23% of undergraduate college students and 12% of graduate students experience food insecurity. Going home for the holidays is a privilege not available to every student. With these resources, those who remain on campus can still enjoy a warm and meaningful holiday experience.