A look at Guelph campus eats compared to three international universities
Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience for many students. There is the opportunity to live in a different country, experience new and exciting cultures, and most importantly, try new foods. When studying abroad I could not help but notice the different foods university cafeterias had to offer in relation to what I was used to at the University of Guelph.
Here on campus we have the luxury of trying many varieties of foods, including healthy and not-so-healthy options. We have salad bars galore, restaurants, take-out, and communal eating spaces that cater to every dietary need. When I moved to the U.K. to study at the University of Birmingham, one of the first things I noticed was the lack of food options that I had come to expect.
University of Birmingham, England
In an interview with The Ontarion, Aaman Soni, a University of Birmingham student, described the many food outlets offered at the university including a pizza shack, panini stand, and regular cafeteria offerings with meat and vegetarian options, which he described as “normal dinners” and “not the highest quality of food and also quite repetitive.” Soni also referenced the lack of budget the university offers its students for meal plans. “You have to make the money stretch,” he said. “It would definitely be cheaper to cook on your own”
University of Queensland, Australia
On the other side of the world, Radharani Das talked with The Ontarion about the food options at the University of Queensland. “We have various food outlets,” she mentioned, including the typical fast food restaurants known in North America, as well as smaller fast food places, including Guzman Y Gomez and Merlo only found in Australia. While discussing what the outlets offer, which includes pizza, burgers, and vegan options, Das concluded that “in general, I think that the food is pretty overpriced in terms of the food outlets and is not healthy.”
Université de Poitiers, France
From the Université de Poitiers, Chloé Hay spoke with The Ontarion as to how the food differs between campuses. “The law [students] have the ‘vegetable privilege,’” she explained. They are offered more vegetarian, and healthy options in their area, she explained. Due to the different campuses being far apart, students in arts and other fields do not have the means of attaining the healthy selection offered to the law students, and are only provided with fast-food options. When describing the food she ate on her campus, she mentioned typical French foods, including croque monsieur and pastries like pain au chocolat and croissants. However, when asked her opinion on the food, Hay replied with, “I think the food is too expensive for a student budget [and] the actual quality of the food. I also think it should be more diverse.”
Compared to other student experiences in the world, it can be said that U of G offers different food experiences that are not seen elsewhere. Here, students are given diverse options in cooking styles including:
- Mom’s Kitchen, which offers home-cooked style meals
- The Mongolian Grill, which serves Asian-inspired food choices (see page 20 for more),
- Subway, KFC and the like,
- Sit-down options like The Brass Taps, The Fifth, and Gryph’s
These options allow for students to feel as though they have options that are not repetitive in nature, and they also can be selective in their tastes. By incorporating freshly cooked options in conjunction with fast-food franchises, U of G students are given alternatives to unhealthy foods, with gourmet options that other universities lack. As well as offering off-campus dining options, the Guelph meal plan lets students decide their food choices for themselves rather than having them dictated by a university budget or availability. By offering locally sourced ingredients and fair trade options, it is no wonder that this U of G has been voted the best campus for food in Canada for over 10 years.