Wedged between Stoughton and Fourth streets, the County Market’s location, 24-hour accessibility and lack of competition is why many students shop there. For those who do not have cars on campus or who are not on a meal plan, reasonably priced groceries can be hard to come by. While some may catch a ride with friends, many students trek across the community to visit out-of-the-way, more affordable grocery stores, like Walmart and Aldi. With public transport routes that don’t run as frequently to places outside campus, this can be arduous, regardless if you’re on foot or bus. It can be so taxing that some opt to eat out, which can also strain bank accounts. On a campus covering upward of approximately 3.6 miles, it is a wonder why there are not more affordable options to purchase food. News broke last month that Trader Joes is considering C-U to open up shop, but unless Trader Joe’s  builds on campus, there are no other commercial businesses to pick up groceries at an affordable price.

Even those who are on meal plans are not exempt from food insecurity, Longfellow said. She had thought freshmen in particular didn’t struggle with food accessibility.

“I actually spoke to somebody this Quad Day who talked about (having to) spend time with their family over the summer (to) decide what was the least amount of food she could eat to get the lowest food plan cost as part of her tuition,” she said.