University Initiatives Combat Student Food Insecurity on Budget

As university costs continue to escalate, students are increasingly facing challenges in maintaining a healthy diet while managing their budgets. At Wilfrid Laurier University, initiatives have been established to combat food insecurity, significantly impacting students’ physical and mental well-being.

A key resource is the Food Justice Garden, which originally focused on supporting Indigenous students. This initiative allows student volunteers to engage with urban agriculture, fostering sustainability. A collaboration between Martin Luther University College‘s Centre for Earth Consciousness and Gender Justice and the Laurier Students Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG), the garden serves as a practical educational tool.

The university also offers the Free Weekly Distro, an essential grocery pop-up that provides students with fresh produce and pantry staples. According to Tavia Weber, the Distro program and Luther’s development manager, “Students walk in and choose what they need and want. The only requirement is a student card.” Last year, nearly 6,000 students utilized this service, highlighting its vital role in addressing hunger on campus.

In addition to weekly groceries, the Distro has begun offering recipe cards and cooking seminars, aimed at enhancing students’ culinary skills. The Students’ Union also contributes to the effort by distributing care parcels containing non-perishable food and hygiene products, tailored to accommodate dietary preferences. Students can discreetly pick up these parcels, with a limit of five every 12-week term.

The university has implemented an emergency hot meal program, providing four dining hall credits for students experiencing acute need. Those with ongoing requirements are referred to the dean of students’ office for additional assistance.

Maria Gonzales, vice president of programming and services at Laurier’s Waterloo campus, emphasized the importance of these initiatives, noting that monthly events offer additional food resources. “We did the fresh food market, where we provided various types of vegetables and fruit. Students come and take what they need,” she explained.

For students looking to enhance their cooking abilities, the Brantford campus has developed a cookbook featuring accessible recipes, while Waterloo’s campus is considering producing cooking videos to further support students.

Cooking on a budget has become a vital skill for many students. Jaycob Linnamaa and Shively Holland, both final-year undergraduates, highlight the importance of culinary knowledge in saving money. Linnamaa expressed concern about the number of peers who lack basic cooking skills. “It’s such a fundamental skill, especially if you’re trying to save money,” he stated.

Holland, who learned to cook before university, noted that being able to prepare his own meals has saved him significant expenses after moving off-campus. He and his roommates often bulk cook meals, using herbs and spices to adapt flavors based on their diverse preferences. “We coordinate cooking to avoid wasting rice, as we often eat rice-based meals,” Holland explained.

Linnamaa adopts a frugal approach by saving vegetable scraps and bones for stock to use in soups and other dishes. “I could buy the ingredients for a decent steak dinner for the same cost as a fast food burger, so it doesn’t seem worthwhile to me,” he commented.

Both students are active members of WatSFiC, the Waterloo science fiction and fantasy club, where they host soup nights. Participants either follow a recipe and share ingredient costs or contribute their own ingredients to create a communal dish. “We all come together in the kitchen, tasting and adjusting seasonings as we go,” they noted.

To further assist students, Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus provides simple recipes, such as peanut sesame noodles, to promote healthy cooking on a budget. The recipe includes basic ingredients and optional toppings, encouraging students to experiment with their culinary creations.

As food insecurity continues to pose challenges for many university students, initiatives like those at Wilfrid Laurier University play a crucial role in providing necessary resources and fostering skills that can lead to healthier eating habits. These programs not only address immediate needs but also empower students to take control of their nutrition and well-being.