UBMunchies aims to help students make good nutritional choices

May 7 was UB Day at the North Tonawanda Farmers Market — a win-win for UB students interested in healthy eating. Not only were they able to leave their residence halls on a warm spring day, but they could also support Western New York farmers and take their pick from multitudes of colorful fruit and vegetables arranged under tents for as far as the eye could see.

The day at the market was organized by UBMunchies, the newest green-conscious project on campus. UBMunchies began in April as a Capstone project with the objective of tackling an issue people encounter daily. But it has since morphed into a full-force initiative with the power to influence the nutritional choices students make in their daily lives. Its mission: to educate students on what to buy when grocery shopping and how to make nutritious meals on a budget.

When students hopped out of the special UB Stampede bus after arriving at the North Tonawanda market — one of the largest farmers markets in the area — two members of the UBMunchies team greeted them each with $10 in vouchers to use at the market.

Students who might not regularly make healthy food choices, or are without the means to achieve that, had the opportunity to broaden their horizons.

“We found a gap in student health on campus and had the means to fill it,” said Jannat Inqiyad, a health and human services major minoring in nonprofit leadership and UBMunchies member. “We wanted to empower students to make healthier decisions and teach them nutritional awareness.”

Students first thought about the possibility of bringing the farmers market to UB, but it proved to be logistically difficult to move individual vendors away from their usual customers. So UBMunchies reached out to Parking and Transportation with a proposal for a Stampede run to North Tonawanda.

“UB lost a few bus routes during COVID. We thought that it would be better for students to leave campus and it would be nice to have a social route,” said Natalie Stevenson, a junior majoring in political science. “Farmers markets are a wonderful place to hang out and envelop yourself more with the Buffalo community, especially when you live on campus.”

Besides organizing UB Day at the market, UBMunchies posts on Instagram, offering nutritional tips, recipes for cheap, hearty meals, and local restaurant reviews. While UBMunchies members try new things, they get the same experiences and reap the same benefits they pass onto the UB community.

“We want them to live sustainable lives in the future,” Benjamin Weiner, a senior majoring in economics, said of the students UBMunchies is reaching. “Studies show that you make choices that affect the next 20 or 30 years of your life during your early 20s — your college years. We want these habits to last a lifetime.”

UBMunchies hopes to address food insecurity on campus as well. The group is quickly becoming a helpful resource for students by addressing an issue that could have a detrimental effect on student achievement.

“Twenty percent of students are at risk of hunger at the University of Buffalo,” according to one UBMunchies Instagram post. “Food is one of the first things that is sacrificed for a student struggling to afford tuition, living expenses, books and supplies.”

Students noted the problem has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The national labor shortage and challenges with the supply chain hampered on-campus eateries, resulting in long lines, reduced hours and even some closed dining locations.

“I think especially after COVID hit, the dining options have decreased,” said Evan Kuo, a senior majoring in business administration with a concentration in finance and international business. “There’s not that many healthy options to choose from.”

Campus Dining & Shops is looking to expand offerings on campus this fall, based on available staffing levels.

“Dining options that were available this past spring will reopen, along with the three remaining concepts inside One World Café (1846 Grill, Pan Asia, Noodle Pavilion), The Bowl in the Ellicott Food Court, and breakfast will return during weekdays at Crossroads Culinary Center,” said Raymond Kohl, director of marketing and communications for Campus Dining & Shops.

“Also, construction has begun in Governors Dining Center to add a Simple Kitchen (a gluten-free/allergy-friendly space) with the plan of being completed by the start of the fall semester.”

UBMunchies hopes to leave a permanent mark on campus — either as an initiative or a club. However, for now, members just want to make sure they have a solid structure. Long-term plans remain uncertain, but group members would like to keep the Instagram page live after graduation. The group wants to maintain a base to attract others who continue their work.

“The skills that we’ve learned and the work that we’ve done in this project will carry on throughout our future projects in our careers,” Inqiyad said. “Once we graduate, we’re still going to advocate for our mission: accessibility, nutritional awareness and personal autonomy.”

By organizing UB Day at the North Tonawanda Farmers Market, UBMunchies members say they’ve brought UB and the Buffalo community a little closer together.

“Overall, we’re here to serve UB students and the community around us,” said Stevenson.

“Not only were students excited about the event, but it also helped the vendors as well. They expressed how thrilled they were to receive engagement from students. We were happy to help the local community instead of funding large corporations with unethical sourcing.”

At the North Tonawanda market, vendors with friendly smiles packed up fruits, vegetables and homemade goods for their UB customers. Nearby, a hungry student sat on a park bench, munching on a tart green apple.

Mission accomplished.