Welcome to The Pantry’s first release of our new zine! We’re so excited to share this project with you. We wanted to create The Pantry Zine as a way to celebrate the achievements within our organization as we continue our mission to expand basic needs, services, and eliminating food insecurity across campus. We also wanted to shed light on our teams and give our supporters a behindthe-scenes look at all that we do!
Expect to see anything from Pantry updates, educational content, community spotlights, interactive activities, and more!
With lots of love,
The Pantry
The History of The Pantry
The Pantry was established by two UC Davis students in 2010, initially run by a small team of six, including a director, assistant director, donations manager, and two interns. It was launched under ASUCD, Counseling & Psychological Services and The Office of The Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. Institutional knowledge was preserved through shared Google Docs and photo documentation. In its early years, The Pantry served about 50-100 students daily and operated on an annual budget of around $6,000.
Over those past few years, The Pantry experienced rapid growth, securing two prime locations on campus. After moving from the Memorial Union (MU) basement to the first floor in 2020, its budget, operations, and organizational space expanded significantly. Daily student users peaked at 1,050, and the volunteer team grew from 30-40 students in 2018 to over 100 students by 2020! The paid student staff also increased, with more managers (from 3 to 12) and coordinators (from 6 to 15), along with the addition of specialized roles like technology developers and data scientists.
The History of The Pantry
In the spring of 2024, The Pantry made its most significant move yet by relocating to its own dedicated building behind the ATMs. This new location has allowed The Pantry to expand its daily operations by installing additional fridges, expanding shelf space, and gaining the ability to serve a greater capacity of students. With this expansion, The Pantry now offers a broader range of resources and has gained greater visibility on campus.
As a student-run non-profit organization, The Pantry continues to support our fellow students through the resources we provide, along with our year-round leadership opportunities through volunteering. Driven by a mission to combat food insecurity throughout the UC Davis community, we strive to ensure that no student goes hungry, no matter their circumstance!
How to Make Harira!
A hearty-tomato based Moroccan soup perfect for the Fall weather! Serves up to 4 people.
Ingredients Instructions
Olive oil
½ yellow onion (chopped)
2 celery stalks (chopped)
1 carrot (peeled and chopped) salt
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cayenne
I can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bunch chopped cilantro
1 cup lentils
½ cup chickpeas
4-5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
¼ cup long grain rice, rinsed
1 In a large pot, heat your olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the celery, onions and carrots and season with salt. Stir regularly and cook until softened.
3. Add your garlic, black pepper, turmeric, ginger, cayenne and cinnamon.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cilantro, lentils, and chickpeas. Add salt to taste and cook for 5-10 minutes while stirring.
5. Add the broth and adjust the heat to high, bringing mixture to a boil. Cover and let it simmer until legumes are cooked and tender. Add water and salt as needed.
6 Stir in the rice and cook until rice is ready!
Harira made by our Assistant Director, Kathlyn Nicole!
Behind Our Cause: Food Insecurity at UC Davis
Levels of Food Insecurity
No problems or anxiety associated with consistently accessing adequate food
May have problems or anxiety at times but the quality, variety, and quantity of food were not substantially reduced
Reduced quality, variability, and desirability of diets but the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns were not substantially disrupted
Eating patterns were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money or other resources for food
Source: University of Kentucky, Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition
In a 2022 survey conducted by ASUCD R&D Committee, UC Davis students reported that 27% experienced very low food security. They were identified as those not knowing where their next meal would come from, or having to eat less than they needed due to expense-related hardships within the last 12 months.
Of those UC Davis community members who identified as having very low food security, 89% felt that it negatively affected their physical or mental health, and 69% felt that if negatively affected their academic performance.
Behind Our Cause:
Food Insecurity at UC Davis
Although many campus resources like The ASUCD Pantry strive to combat food insecurity across our campus, some community members still face barriers accessing these resources.
Barriers to Accessing The Pantry:
Students/UC Davis affiliates are unsure about whether or not they qualify as food insecure
Students/UC Davis affiliates don’t know when and where food is distributed
Students/UC Davis affiliates are afraid of being judged by their peers
Our Commitment to Overcoming Inaccessibility Barriers:
The ASUCD Pantry serves all UC Davis students and staff, regardless of their status, and will continue to strive to create a judgement-free space where patrons feel respected and valued.
For patrons unaffiliated with the university, we provide resource pamphlets and flyers so all of Yolo County can access essential resources provided by other local organizations within our community!
For more information regarding our services, feel free to visit our website https://thepantry.ucdavis.edu/ or follow us on Instagram @ucdpantry!
How to Make Pan de Muerto!
Pan de Muerto, translated to "Bread of the Dead", is a Mexican sweet bread that is traditionally placed on altars to pay homage to the departed.
Prep Time: 3hrs 40 min
Serving Size: 8 servings
Ingredients
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon whole aniseed
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups white bread flour, or all-purpose flour, divided
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 & 1/4 cups warm water (not to exceed 110 F)
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 (1/4-ounce)
packets instant dry yeast
Instructions
1 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, sugar, aniseed, salt, and 1/2 cup of flour.
2. Use dough hook to mix ingredients until they begin to come together.
3 In a separate small bowl, whisk together eggs, water, and orange zest
4. Add to stand mixer bowl, along with another 1/2 cup of flour. Mix until combined.
5. Add yeast and another 1/2 cup of flour, mixing to combine
6 Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time, mixing between additions, until a dough forms.
7. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute.
8 Cover with a clean, damp dishcloth and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
9. Heat oven to 350 F.
10. Shape dough into a tight ball. Position bone shapes on the top of loaf and press gently so they adhere Let dough rise for an additional hour
11. Bake the loaf for about 40 minutes (30 minutes for smaller loaves).
12. Cool and glaze before serving!
Did you know? The Pantry gets a portion of its produce from Fresh Focus at the Student Farm!
Fall Seasonal Veggies to keep an eye out for!
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Radishes
Turnips
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Spinach
Arugula Chard
Kale Bok choy
Winter squash
Pomegranates
Persimmons
Fresh Focus supports food justice efforts on campus and in the community, through gleaning and other program-specific production methods at the Student Farm.
The Student Farm is a whopping 23-acres, working to grow organic, fresh produce while providing students and the Davis community the opportunity to gain hands-on experience growing their own produce!
Bok Choy
Rich in Calcium, this is important for building strong bones and teeth!
Cabbage
Rich in folate, which can be absorbed and turned into energy fast!
Sweet Potatoes
Rich in Vitamin B6 which supports your brain, especially in preventing memory problems.
Rich in Potassium, it's helpful for your digestion!
Potatoes
Rich in vitamin C which help the body produce white blood cells that help fight infections.
Rich in choline which support a healthy liver!
Rich in Vitamin A. Arugula seed oil is commonly used for hair and skin
Kale
Arugula
Cauliflower
Winter Squash
High amounts of vitamin B6 and fiber. They’re good for your eyes!
Persimmons
Rich in Vitamin D. Very important for bone growth and strength and boosting mood!
Radish
Rich in Fiber. They can help flush out toxins from the liver and overall digestive health.
Chard
Rich in Magnesium, great for bone health
Rich in iron, which promotes immune support and skin nourishment.
Pomegranate
Rich in prebiotics. They can help fight oral germs!
Spinach Broccoli
1 cup of broccoli has as much Vitamin C as an orange. It contains antioxidants that help reduce inflammation.
Turnip
Rich in Potassium which helps regulate blood pressure!
A Behind the Scenes look at...
The Mobile i Pantry!
Stop 1: Stop by the loading dock to pick up produce along with our sign from The Pantry!
Fun fact: Our food truck can go a maximum speed of 25 mph and it's electric!
Stop 2: Drive to the student farm!
Stop 3: Collect more fresh produce from the cooler at the student farm!
Stop 4: Ready for opening at the SCC!
The Mobile Pantry?
11/5/24 11/12/24 11/19/24 11/26/24
Findusatthe SCCevery Tuesday,from 11amto1pm! = tentative date
Scan our QR code to follow our route and find out where the Student Farm is located! We hope to see you soon! 4/8/25 4/15/25 4/22/25 4/29/25 5/6/25 5/13/25 5/20/25 5/27/25 6/3/25
Our Volunteers of the Month!
SEPTEMBER WINNER
Quynh-vi Pham Nguyen
"Quynh-vi is not only an excellent volunteer but a great shift-lead! Through her leadership, shifts ran smoothly and she was always happy to help volunteers whenever she was free!"
Chengze (Carl) Wang
"Carl is a huge help to The Pantry. He is always willing to pick up shifts whenever other volunteers aren’t available. He’s a hard worker, a great multitasker, and a selfdirected learner!
OCTOBERWINNER
Fun Facts About The Pantry!
The Pantry helps around 1,200 students each week, providing much-needed resources to the UC Davis community.
Established in 2010 and officially launched in 2011, The Pantry has become a vital support system for students for over a decade.
One time The Pantry had over 300+ volunteers in an academic year!
The Pantry partners with organizations such as Yolo Food Bank, Daylight Foods, Total Access Group, & Saalt to ensure a steady supply of food and other basic essentials.
The Pantry originally operated in Lower Freeborn, which is the basement of the Memorial Union!
The Pantry used to have a "PayItForward" program in partnership with Ciao at the ASUCD Coffee House where you could buy pizza for another student!
Advocacy Managers:
Outreach + External Affairs Managers:
Satellite Managers:
Our first release of this zine was made possible from the efforts of our hardworking Pantry staff! Directors:
