Comida With Comfort: 3 Latin-Inspired Recipes Utilizing Ingredients from the ASI Food Pantry 

12 Oct Comida With Comfort: 3 Latin-Inspired Recipes Utilizing Ingredients from the ASI Food Pantry 

By Karla Garcia

As the fall back-to-school frenzy finally calms, a new season of life and nature is welcomed at Cal State Fullerton. Battling for a parking spot may still be a regular struggle, but awkward class icebreakers and reviewing syllabi are over. 

For many college students living away from family, home-cooked meals can become less frequent as busy schedules, limited cooking experience and convenience shape their eating habits. 

National Hispanic Heritage Month honors Hispanic culture from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and food and home-cooked meals are an essential aspect of Hispanic communities and families. 

Hispanic students make up the majority of CSUF’s student population, accounting for 56.3% of its more than 45,000 students. Designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution in 2004, CSUF ranks No. 3 nationally for awarding bachelor’s degrees to Latino students, reflecting its longstanding commitment to Hispanic student success. 

This month, the Associated Students Inc. Food Pantry has prioritized Hispanic food items such as tomatillos, tortillas, fideo noodles, bouillon seasoning, chicken, beef, squash, as well as ready-made food items like refried beans and soups.

“One of our main goals this year is including more culturally relevant ingredients and items that students are familiar with from home,” said ASI Food Pantry Coordinator Monica Ramirez. 

Chloe Mendoza, second-year business major at CSUF, grew up eating different Latino foods that helped her build a bond with her family beyond words.  

“Food has always helped me connect with my culture and my grandparents,” said Mendoza. “Watching them cook traditional food in Mexico gave us another way to connect, even when we couldn’t always communicate through words. Food brings us together, and I feel like that’s a really important part of Hispanic culture.” 

As shared meals become less frequent among young adults, convenience continues to shape their eating habits. Research found that about one-third of young adults shared two or fewer meals per week, while another study found that nearly 70% ate fast food at least once a week and about 20% did so three or more times. 

For college students living away from family, home-cooked meals can be more difficult to recreate. 

“My cooking has definitely changed from cultural meals to more Westernized meals,” said CSUF fourth-year theater major Mariana de la Peña. “I don’t make too much of the food my mom used to make, but thankfully, she taught me some recipes before I moved away from home. Every once in a while, I’ll make them, but I cook a lot more American food now.” 

Home Away from Home: Three Hispanic Recipes Using Food Pantry Ingredients 

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with these three easy-to-make healthy Hispanic recipes, all using ingredients available in ASI Food Pantry.  

1. Cilantro-Avocado Enselada de Pollo

Ensalada de pollo (chicken salad) is a simple-to-make recipe and perfect for meal prep or a quick and high-protein bite. Swap out the traditional mayonnaise for a cilantro-avocado sauce to make it more nutritious! 

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups shredded chicken (Pantry Ingredient, while supplies last)  

• 1 tomatillo (Pantry ingredient) 

• 2 garlic cloves (Pantry ingredient) 

• 1/2 jalapeño (Pantry ingredient) 

• Juice of 2 limes (Pantry ingredient) 

• Small bunch of cilantro (Pantry ingredient)  

• 1 tsp of chicken bouillon (Pantry ingredient) 

• 3 cups of frozen vegetable medley 

• Tostadas  

• 2 avocados  

• ¼ cup sour cream  

• 1/3 cup of milk  

• ½ tsp of pepper 

• Pickled jalapeños (optional) 

Instructions:  

1. Boil the frozen vegetable medley until soft. 

2. In a bowl, combine shredded chicken and vegetable medley. 

3. For the avocado-cilantro sauce, combine the tomatillo, garlic, avocados, cilantro, jalapeño, sour cream, lime juice, milk, pepper, and chicken bouillon in a blender. 

4. Mix the avocado-cilantro sauce with the chicken and vegetable medley. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.  

5. Add salt as needed. Refrigerate until chilled.  

6. Serve on tostadas; add pickled jalapeños and enjoy! 

2. Sopa de Fideo

Sopa de fideo is a classic in any Hispanic household, providing a simple, yet comforting recipe perfect for the upcoming fall months.  

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup fideo noodles (Pantry ingredient)  

• 1 tsp of chicken bouillon (Pantry ingredient) 

• 2 cups diced Roma tomatoes (Pantry ingredient) 

• ½ onion, diced (Pantry ingredient)  

• 3 cloves garlic (Pantry ingredient) 

• 1 diced zucchini (Pantry ingredient)  

• 1 diced potato (Pantry ingredient) 

• 1 diced carrot (Pantry ingredient) 

• small bunch of cilantro (Pantry ingredient) 

• 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil 

• 1 juice of lime (optional) 

Instructions:  

1. In a blender, add two cups of water,  Roma tomatoes, garlic cloves, diced onion and chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth.  

2. Place a pot on medium heat and add one tablespoon canola or vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add fideo noodles and cook until golden brown — about three minutes. Stir fideo noodles frequently to avoid burning them! 

3. Pour mixture from blender into the pot with the cooked fideo noodles.  

4. Bring to a boil.  

5. Add zucchini, potatoes, carrots and cilantro into the pot for added nutrients.  

6.  Cover the pot with a lid and lower heat to medium-low. Let simmer for about 10-12 minutes.  

7. Add salt as needed and garnish with lime juice and cilantro. Enjoy! 

3. Pumpkin Spice Arroz Con Leche

The aroma of arroz con leche wafting through the air is a nostalgic scent for anyone who grew up in a Hispanic household. Put a modern twist on this beloved classic with this high-protein pumpkin spice arroz con leche recipe.  

Ingredients: 

• ¾ cup uncooked white rice (Pantry ingredient)  

• 1½ cups water  

• 2 cups 2% or whole milk (or another high-protein milk)  

• ¾ cup pumpkin purée — not pumpkin pie filling  

• ½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt  

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder  

• 2–4 tbsp maple syrup, brown sugar or sweetener of choice  

• 1 tsp vanilla extract  

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon  

• 1 cinnamon stick  

• Pinch of salt 

• Pepita seeds (optional)  

• Orange peel (optional — works well with pumpkin and gives it that traditional arroz con leche fragrance) 

Instructions: 

1. Add rice, water, cinnamon stick, orange peel and a pinch of salt to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until most of the water is absorbed, about 12–15 minutes.  

2. Pour in the milk and cook uncovered over low-medium heat for another 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the rice very tender and the mixture creamy.  

3. Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and sweetener. Cook another three to five minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and orange peel, if using.  

4. Take the pot off the heat. Let it cool for several minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the protein powder with a few spoonfuls of the warm arroz con leche until smooth, then stir it back into the pot. This helps prevent protein powder clumps.  

5. Once it’s warm rather than piping hot, stir in the Greek yogurt. Taste and adjust the sweetness/cinnamon. 

6. For that more traditional taste, add cinnamon or pepita seeds on top and enjoy! 

Combating Food Insecurity at CSUF 

A 2025 UCLA Center for Health Policy Research study found that more than half of college students experienced food insecurity, with 28% reporting they skipped meals because they could not afford food. The Pantry works to directly address these challenges by making food resources more accessible to students.   

Since the start of the fall semester, The Pantry has served over 3,116 students with free groceries.  

Partnerships with organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank are essential to The Pantry’s mission. Through its Grocery Rescue Program, Second Harvest recovers food from local grocery stores and delivers it to The Pantry for distribution to students. 

“Our partnership with the Grocery Rescue program allows us to go to many different grocery stores within the area and some of them include  99 Ranch and Northgate.  Whenever we get stuff from Northgate, it’s usually like Hispanic-based items and that sort of thing,” said Ramirez. 

The Pantry’s partnership to bring more culturally relevant food items to CSUF brings a taste of home right to students’ grocery bags.  

To access The Pantry’s resources, visit the The Pantry webpage to book a free appointment, available to all enrolled students on campus.