Student Food on a Budget: A Closer Look at USYD $5 Meals

By Cherie Chan and Chen Ma, Master of Nutrition and Dietetic Students, University of Sydney

To help students with the rising cost of living, this semester, the University of Sydney Union (USU) introduced $5 lunches at Laneway, serving over 500 meals daily. As dietetic students undertaking our public health placement, we sampled the meals offered and gathered feedback from our peers. We also explored the nutritional value, size, taste, and overall contribution to student’s campus life.

What’s on the plate: variety, taste, and nutrition             

When we arrived at lunch, the waiting lines were long and clearly a well-liked event! Three choices are available everyday, with a mix of cuisines and options for different dietary needs like vegetarian and gluten-free.

The meals had more than half the plate filled with carbohydrates like rice or mashed potatoes, about a quarter with protein such as chicken, and a small amount of vegetables. Although this covers a mix of food groups, the meat and vegetable portions were quite small, about the size of one and a half iPhone 13s in length and width. Many students, us included, felt hungry not long after eating. As for the taste, it was quite good for a $5 meal! Out of the chilli basil tofu with rice, chicken cacciatore with mashed potato and chilli ginger chicken and rice, we tried the chilli ginger chicken with rice. The sauce was tasty and matched well with the chicken and rice, making the dish appetising.

What students are saying about the meals

We chatted to a few students about the $5 lunches and most of them were pretty happy with it. Portion size came up a lot – many girls said it was just right, and most boys felt it was a bit small. “The size is a bit small, I still feel hungry after it. But since it’s $5, I wouldn’t mind,” shared Carpenter, a male student. Although the portion size is not really large, most students said they didn’t expect too much for the price. Most of them rate the meal of score 7-8 out of 10. “The meal actually tastes really good, especially the sauce. Can’t ask for more for a $5 meal.” said He, a female student. Honestly, it feels like a great step toward cheaper food options on campus.

Scrolling through RedNote (Xiaohongshu – a social media platform used by many international students), we found lots of students sharing their thoughts on the $5 meals. Most people love them because they’re cheap, filling, and way easier than cooking or buying $10+ lunches on campus. The taste is “okay for the price,” but some wish for bigger portions, more sauces, or simpler options like fried rice or sandwiches. A few mentioned the meals are better than when they first started - portions got bigger, though sauces are still limited. Overall, students care more about price, convenience, and being full than fancy flavours.

Building on success: flexibility options and sustainability

Students say the $5 meals are already great as they are cheap and easy to get, but they can still be improved. One idea is to keep the current three daily options but allow students to mix and match. For example, choosing two dishes plus rice, with prices ranging from $5-8 depending on the combination. This would give students more choice and flexibility to make the meal fit their appetite. Adding simple protein choices like eggs or tofu could boost nutrition and variety without raising costs too much.  

Sustainability is another area to think about. Using more seasonal vegetables, reducing packaging waste, or giving discounts to students who bring their own containers could support an eco-friendlier campus. By staying flexible, healthy, and sustainable, this program can meet students’ needs while setting a good example for campus food culture.

Overall, this is a great effort that makes campus food more affordable, accessible, and student friendly.