Anabel’s is opening!
It’s been over two years since the idea of an affordable, on-campus, student run grocery was conceived. But we are ecstatic to announce that, come April, Anabel’s Grocery will officially be birthed and open to Cornell students!
If this is your first time hearing about us, Anabel’s is a grocery store for the students, by the students. The primary goal of Anabel’s Grocery is to address on-campus food insecurity by providing affordable and nutritious food for all Cornell students. The store will be located on the first floor of the Anabel Taylor Hall (right next to the law school) and open 3-9 pm on weekdays and 10-4 pm on weekends.
The phrase ‘food insecurity’ often has negative connotations because many people don’t completely understand it. Food insecurity doesn’t just relate to a person’s ability to pay for food. It’s also about a person’s physical ability to get to a place that sells food (as well as the time and energy required to shop for that food), the type of food and its nutritional value, and the reliability of the food source. For students without a car or without a meal plan, it can be difficult and time-consuming to get to a grocery store. While Collegetown offers some a fair variety of restaurants and some stores that sell raw ingredients, buying all of your food in Collegetown is not cheap or healthy.
Enter Anabel’s Grocery.
Our student-run grocery will be stocked with nutritious and fresh produce (fruits and vegetables, seasonal ones when possible) and cooking staples (rice, bread, canned goods, dairy, spices, meats and baking supplies, etc.) at affordable prices. Unlike Cornell’s cafes and convenience stores, Anabel’s is not designed as a ‘grab-and-go’ store. While there will be some ready-to-eat snacks and small meals, we will carry foods that can be cooked and made into healthy and delicious meals at home.
Can’t cook? No worries! Anabel's will also hold meal kit building events and free cooking classes in order to increase on-campus food literacy, food skills, and nutritional knowledge. Be sure to check our blog and social media pages for new, easy-to-make recipes.
All of our food will be sold at affordable prices - prices lower than those at other grocery stores in Ithaca. It’s not only fun and empowering to be able to cook what you eat, it’s also more practical and cheaper than buying all your meals. Additionally, students who demonstrate financial need through a simply survey will be able to receive a confidentially- applied discount of up to 10 percent. Currently, Anabel's is able to accept cash, card, and EBT/SNAP, but we are working to integrate Cornell's payment system into our own.
As part of our mission, we will also hold events like roundtable-discussions, documentary screenings, and speaker series that contribute to a broader discourse surrounding campus food insecurity. Check the events tab on our website to stay updated. Also keep up with our blogs! Every month we'll post a fun, easy recipe, as well as journalistic pieces. Topics will include perceptions of food insecurity, food waste, ethical eating and spotlights on students, faculty and organizations, among many others – but feel free to suggest topics in the comments below!
We are so excited for Anabel’s opening and we hope you are too!