By Jhaneel Lockheart | Business Insider | Jan. 13, 2012

So much for ditching ramen. 

Nearly 3 million college-educated New Yorkers report having difficulty affording food, according to a new report by the Food Bank For New York City.

One in three expressed concerns that they might need assistance, a stat that's increased 6 points for those with bachelor's degrees and from 2 points for those with graduate degrees.

The number of affected residents making between $50,000 and $75,000—and therefore not eligible for food assistance programs—increased by 6 percent.

To cope, they're cutting back on spending by purchasing fewer essential items like dairy, meat and fresh fruits and turning to soup kitchens and food stamps, the Food Bank says.

It's a strategy the organization calls "sacrifice and support," which speaks to the growing concern about rising food prices. The cost of staple foods like eggs, milk and meat shot up by 11 percent in 2011 alone.  

Campus food banks for struggling college students exist in states like Georgia, California and Michigan, but New York schools have fewer programs that are geared to college students.

If you're a student in this predicament, check out the Food Bank For New York City's Food Program Locator. Outside of New York? Call their information hotline at 212-894-8060 to see if you're eligible for the federal food stamp assistance program.