With a growing cost-of-living crisis, Editor Oisín Gaffey discusses the impact on food prices, and dissects the best and worst deals on campus.
Research over the past decade has provided evidence on the impact of diet on mental function, concentration and memory retention. There has never before been such conclusive evidence to point to the importance of diet on mental function, and as we head into a new academic year, it’s important to explore your food options (and their cost).
It has never been more expensive to be a student in Dublin than it is now. Whilst studying at UCD during your time at college, you are effectively given three options when it comes to food; cook at home, eat-out in town, or graze on what UCD’s shops have to offer.
Some students living in Digs may not be permitted to use the kitchen, whilst others face hours-long commutes and simply don’t have the time to cook a large batch of food.
Without a doubt, the cheapest option for students is to cook at home and reheat your meals in one of UCD’s many microwaves (James Joyce Library, Student Centre, Newman, Sutherland, the list goes on…) Following a BBC Good Food recipe for Bolognese whilst consulting Tesco online shopping, you can make yourself pasta Bolognese for roughly €8. The recipe makes four portions, which reduces the price per serving to just €2. If you are a vegetarian, this total comes to even less, coming in at just €1 per serving when you substitute the minced beef for an equal serving of chickpeas. Whilst this option is certainly the most cost-effective, it may not be possible for many students for a host of different reasons. Some students living in Digs may not be permitted to use the kitchen, whilst others face hours-long commutes and simply don’t have the time to cook a large batch of food.
If you are relying on sourcing food on the Belfield Campus, unfortunately you can expect to pay a hefty price. For many of us when we think of a ‘student meal’ we think of the iconic Chicken fillet roll; the mini baguette filled with joy (spicy chicken, cheese, lettuce, onions, peppers and taco sauce.) Here in the UCD Centra you can expect to pay €6.50 at the till; a €2 increase compared to when I started college in 2020. Should you wish to add a packet of crisps and a soft drink to your basket, it’ll raise the price to an eye-watering €10.
Sticking with Centra, I fondly remember strolling to the old shop near the Merville help desk to buy a half-litre tub of Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie for what I thought was an expensive €4.50. Back then I could not have foreseen its price being raised to an astonishing €8.
It’s not all doom and gloom on campus though, as there are some good deals to be availed of if you play your cards right.
If you’re looking for cheap eats on the Belfield campus, avoid The Village altogether. Similarly disappointing are the UCDSU shops located in the JJ library and in the student centre, which charge €6.15 for a meal deal that consists of a cold sandwich, crisps and a drink. Meanwhile in Donnybrook, Tesco (who effectively created The Meal Deal) are charging just €4.50 for an enhanced selection.
It’s not all doom and gloom on campus though, as there are some good deals to be availed of if you play your cards right. Firstly, for coffee I’d recommend the SU shops or Poolside Cafe, who make a solid cup of joe for just €2.50, a bargain in today’s coffeeconomy. Arguably the best value for money food option on campus is The Clubhouse, who serve up some delightful options that will leave you feeling satisfied and not quite-so-broke. A veggie curry will cost you just €5 and will definitely fill you up, whilst for the carnivores amongst us the infamous goujons, chips and curry sauce comes in at €6.90. While it might be one of the more expensive options, it is certainly the best value.
Whilst ‘boomers’ would argue the reason why students are broke is because we spend too much money on brunch, smashed avocado, and coffee, the reality is that Dublin is scamming students out of a sustainable social life.
Unfortunately, as prices continue to rise in Dublin, going out for a reasonably priced meal is increasingly becoming a tale from the past. Whilst ‘boomers’ would argue the reason why students are broke is because we spend too much money on brunch, smashed avocado, and coffee, the reality is that Dublin is scamming students out of a sustainable social life. The likes of Boojum and Bambino continue to raise their prices, and charge as much as €12.50 for a basic burrito and €5.25 for a single slice of pepperoni pizza.
To combat this, here are some cheap-ish suggestions from my brain. For your morning coffee and pastry, look no further than Carluccios on Dawson street, offering a hot beverage and pastry of your choice for just €5. For lunch they offer a tub of deliciously fresh pasta for just €5.50, but you better get there quickly before the Trinners swoop. After the sun sets, you can’t go wrong with a Spice Bag from Xian Street Food, and for €8.95 the portion is so large it easily stretches to two sittings.
So there you have it. Add ‘food’ to the long list of necessities students in Dublin are being priced out of. Hopefully some of these tips save you a few quid throughout the year.