Food & Nutrition

Activities & Recreation Center (ARC)
201 East Peabody Drive, Suite 1430, Champaign
217-333-3806
campusrec@illinois.edu

Campus Recreation works to empower students to strive for health and wellness while maintaining a sense of balance. Achieving and sustaining wellness is an active and dynamic process which involves becoming aware of and taking steps toward a healthier, happier, and more satisfying life. The student wellness program focuses on Healthy Campus 2020 and the 8 dimensions of wellness to inform program offerings.

Food Assistance & Well-Being Program


Campus Recreation Food Assistance & Well-Being Program
Activities & Recreation Center (ARC), Instructional Kitchen (entrance on the concourse level)
201 East Peabody Drive, Champaign
Check the website for updated hours
217-333-3806
campusrec@illinois.edu

The Food Assistance & Well-Being Program is a shopping style pantry. Food is set up on shelves by food groups. Shoppers walk through the space and select food according to pantry guidelines. This model allows shoppers to handle food, choose items, and look at the labels as if they were shopping in a store.

Student volunteers are available to answer questions and provide resources. A valid I-Card is required for entry, when entering, you will be asked to complete a short online form. No personal information is collected.

Nutrition and Food Programs

Campus Recreation Nutrition and Food Programs
Activities & Recreation Center (ARC)
201 East Peabody Drive
Suite 1430, MC-556, Champaign
217-333-3806
campusrec@illinois.edu

The Student Wellness team at Campus Rec designs engaging nutrition programs to educate the campus community on how to cultivate healthy habits. Programs include instructional cooking classes, nutrition coaching, a seasonal foods program called Get Fresh!, and a meal kit program called Illini Eats. Additionally, the Activity and Recreation Center (ARC) houses the Food Assistance and Well-Being Program, a shopping-style food pantry where patrons can choose and take home food for FREE in welcoming and inclusive environment. Campus Recreation also works with organizations and RSOs to create custom team-building events in the instructional kitchen, such as cooking classes, wellness workshops, and parties.

  • Get Fresh: Get Fresh! is extremely cost-effective for students, faculty, and staff. This program is offered through a collaboration between Student Wellness, McKinley Health Center, and Student Sustainable Farm. Participants will pick up their re-usable Get Fresh! tote of seasonal fruit and vegetables every Tuesday of the program between 1 pm and 4 pm in the ARC Instructional Kitchen. Included in the pick-up will be recipes and educational resources for participants to enjoy.
  • Illini Eats: Leave the meal planning behind and put down the shopping list! Grab a to go meal kit from the ARC Instructional Kitchen. This chef curated meal serves two for a low cost. Register today.
  • Nutritional Coaching: Our staff of dietetic, food science and human nutrition students under the guidance of two Registered Dietitians from McKinley Health Center oversee peer dietetic students to inform and develop ways to help patrons reach their wellness goals.
  • Schedule an Instructional Cooking Class: Looking to host a fun team-building event, wellness workshop, or cooking class? The ARC Instructional Kitchen is the place. The kitchen was renovated in 2020 with the help of American Campus to include a state-of-the-art audio/visual system, group stations, and an increased capacity of up to 50 patrons. Due to the pandemic, capacity is currently set to 10 individuals. The Instructional Kitchen looks forward to hosting your next large gathering in the future.
  • Tasting Thursdays: A program where you can sample delicious food from the Instructional Kitchen and learn a tip or two about keeping up great wellness habits.

Student Assistance Center
Turner Student Services Building, 3rd Floor
217-333-0050
helpdean@illinois.edu

No one should go hungry. And we want to ensure you have access to nutritious food and assistance to help you solve issues of food insecurity. There are many resources available to assist you in securing food on and around campus based on your needs and comfort level. These resources are safe and inclusive spaces.

1109 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana
217-333-2700

McKinley Health Center’s vision is to be the student health provider of choice for the University community, an integral part of the University’s educational mission and recognized as a leader in collegiate health care.

Nutrition Education Programs

The Nutrition Education Program aims to education students on a variety of nutrition topics, encourage healthy eating behaviors and increase understanding on the benefits of health eating. Students can schedule one-on-one nutrition appointments or attend a workshop.

Students can meet one-on-one with a Registered Dietitian to learn about:

  • General healthy eating
  • Vegetarian eating
  • Preventing heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Sports nutrition
  • Disordered eating behavior
  • Herbs and supplements

Outreach Programs: We provide general nutrition information including healthy eating, weight management, and sports nutrition. Nutrition workshops are available upon request.

Cooking Show: Kale Yes

Kale Yes is a YouTube Cooking Show hosted by Ashley Peters, a dietician at McKinley Health Center who walks through the process of making easy, fast, and high quality recipes for anyone to enjoy- especially our Illinois students.

Learn more about Kale Yes.

100 Clark Hall, 1203 South Fourth Street, Champaign
217-333-7111
housing@illinois.edu

Do you have a question about healthy eating, food allergies, special diets, or other nutrition topics? Our staff nutritionist consults on all menus, and can also provide guidance on a range of topics, from food allergies to making healthy choices.