The Best On-Campus Dining Experience in the Country
While the University of Guelph ranks among one of Canada’s highest-rated institutions for education, student satisfaction, and its environment, the university is perhaps most well-known for the high quality of food services offered to students. According to UniversityHub—a website that ranks Canadian universities based on a multitude of metrics—the University of Guelph consistently ranks as the number one university in Canada with the best food.
As Dr. Franco Vaccarino—the President of the University of Guelph—explains, the university’s food services have been consistently ranked as the best in the country by publications like Maclean’s magazine and the Globe and Mail.
“In fact, we’ve retained the top spot in Canada for 10 years in a row,” said President Vaccarino. “These rankings are a symbol of the importance we place on culinary and hospitality services and our people are at the centre of that success.”
The University of Guelph offers one of the finest university culinary experiences in the entire country, and it’s largely thanks to the university’s dedication to high quality food, as well as Guelph’s location within Ontario’s green belt.
Understanding Food Insecurity
In spite of these successes, food insecurity remains a problem in both the university and city community.
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a marketing and consumer studies professor at the University of Guelph. As an author of almost 200 peer-reviewed publications, he’s an expert on understanding how human effects influence food production, as well as food consumption.
For Dr. Charlebois, defining food insecurity is a simple matter.
“I would say that, essentially, it is the inability for individuals to have access to the amount of calories to survive,” explained Dr. Charlebois. “You can look at the issue from a western world point of view, but in the developing world, food insecurity is very much an issue.”
According to Dr. Charlebois, it’s much easier to find examples of food insecurity in developing worlds, because of the issue’s widespread nature.
“For example, if you’re dealing with a drought, while an entire region might be affected, it is easier to detect that someone is food insecure,” explained Dr. Charlebois.
As a result, individuals who suffer from food insecurity are far more hidden in Western countries like Canada.
“[In Canada], we can be surrounded by people who are food insecure, and we wouldn’t even know it,” said Dr. Charlebois. “It doesn’t present obvious symptoms.”
When attempting to assess the leading causes of food insecurity around the world, Dr. Charlebois focuses on two issues: climate change and the economy. Climate change affects food security around the world; a drought or a bad harvest season are more than enough to cripple an individual’s chances at securing enough food to maintain their caloric needs.
“If agricultural output is reduced significantly as a result of climatic events—major climatic events—eventually it will even affect students in Guelph indirectly, without [us] necessarily realizing it,” suggested Dr. Charlebois. “Climate change affects our ability to access food every single day.”
Dr. Charlebois believes that it is a human imperative to aid those who suffer from food insecurity.
As he puts it, “it’s important for society in general to take care of the next generations. In order to do that, we need to make sure that our future generations have access to the proper nutrition—and affordable nutrition as well.”
The Guelph Student FoodBank
Thanks to groups like the Guelph Student Foodbank at the University of Guelph, there are resources for those looking for emergency food services.
“The Foodbank’s role on campus is foremost to provide emergency food and resources to both undergraduate and graduate students,” explained Namrata Tilokani, the Guelph Student Foodbank Coordinator. “Resources can be provided to other emergency food services and other services in the community, if those services are better suited to the individual’s needs.”
According to Tilokani, approximately 300 students utilize the Foodbank’s services every month. Thanks to the efforts of approximately 60 volunteers every semester, as well as weekly donations from the Guelph Food Bank—and donations from the Guelph community—the Guelph Student Foodbank is able to promote awareness for food insecurity, healthy eating, and agency.
“We also have a garden fresh box program, which is a healthy box of produce that anyone in the community can order. We are a host site for the program, and it is run by the Guelph Community Health Centre,” said Tilokani. “For $15 or $20 a month, an individual can order a small or large box of fresh produce (with recipe ideas). The produce is almost two weeks worth of vegetables, so it helps cut the cost of grocery items and supports local farmers when the produce is in season.”
As an organization devoted to serving the needs of the community, the Guelph Student Foodbank is dedicated to advocacy and education. “[Our] advocacy role has to do with collaborating and partnering with various organizations in the community to talk about the structural reasons for food insecurity—a low minimum wage, tuition fees, increased housing costs—and advocate for policy changes so that food security can improve in our community,” said Tilokani.
Food Insecurity and the University of Guelph
When it comes to tackling food insecurity in the university and city community, the University of Guelph stands as a strong leader. For example, this year, the university raised more than $625,000 to support the United Way.
“All of this money goes back into the community, including supporting agencies that provide food relief services, such as the Centre Wellington Food Bank, Chalmers Community Service Centre, Easy Wellington Community Services, and the Guelph Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination,” explained President Vaccarino.
With campaigns like Trick or Eat and the student-led Meal Exchange, the university takes active efforts to combatting food insecurity. Additionally, campaigns like the annual Skip a Meal event enable students to donate money from their meal plans to support men’s and women’s shelters, food banks, and drop-in centres.
Finally, the university’s own hospitality services regularly work with the Guelph Student Foodbank to ensure that the Foodbank receives the same subsidies and discounts from the university’s food suppliers that the university enjoys.
When asked how the university assists students, faculty, and staff struggling from food insecurity, President Vaccarino explained that there are a number of bursaries, awards, and vouchers that provide support.
“U of G has a generous and holistic financial aid program that provides a variety of avenues for students who demonstrate financial need: bursaries, scholarships, a work-study program, research assistantships, emergency bursary funds (issued as a cheque immediately), and food vouchers,” explained President Vaccarino.
While food insecurity remains a national and an international issue, the efforts of the University of Guelph’s students, administration, and staff are welcome forms of aid and assistance for the hungry many.