Graduate teaching assistants (TAs) play a valuable role in undergraduate courses; however, TA roles vary substantially in demands and expectations. An anonymous, cross-sectional survey was completed to examine the perspectives of Food Science and Human Nutrition graduate students serving as TAs (response rate: 50%, n = 12/24). Quantitative responses were summarized descriptively, and open-ended responses were analyzed to contextualize trends. TA responsibilities extended beyond grading and office hours to include exam proctoring (83% of respondents), lab preparation or course material development (42%), accessibility accommodations (33%), and teaching a class or course components (25%). Weekly time commitments varied widely, with 58% of respondents reporting 0–5 hours per week, while some (17%) reported working more than 15 hours a week. Although the majority of respondents (83%) described their workload as at least moderately manageable, 67% reported substantial workload fluctuations, particularly during exam periods and end-of-semester grading. TA responsibilities interfered with research for 50% of respondents and coursework for 33%. Most TAs reported clear or very clear role definitions (75%) and felt moderately to extremely supported by instructors (75%). However, 42% reported challenges related to course policies or structure, including unclear grading deadlines and strict turnaround expectations. Although grading rubrics were provided to most respondents (83%), 42% reported that rubrics and answer keys were unclear and insufficient, increasing the manual grading burden. Additionally, 42% of respondents reported performing duties they perceived as beyond the typical scope of a TA role. Despite these challenges, respondents identified professional development benefits, including improved time management, enhanced communication skills, increased teaching confidence, and experience with course development. Overall, TA experiences were generally positive but unevenly distributed across courses. Standardizing expectations, refining grading rubrics, and increasing flexibility in grading deadlines may better align TA responsibilities with graduate students’ primary academic and research goals.