A Quick Guide to Food Security Resources – Part 1

Photo by Duncan McHugh / LFS Learning Centre

Last semester, UBC students marched across campus denouncing the lack of food security, as well as the lack of affordability across UBC food retailers. This is not a UBC specific issue, as post-secondary students or university students are especially vulnerable to food insecurity (Lee et al., 2018)

Food security is a broad concept that can be broken down to everyone, at any time, being able to access food that is affordable, healthy, and that matches their personal or cultural preferences; access involves to both being able to afford it without worry and to have it available nearby (FAO, 2006).

Need Groceries?

2 sets of hands holding a bowl of tomatoes
Photo by Elaine Casap on Unsplash

Food affordability is not a new problem on UBC campus and there have been a variety of initiatives launched to lessen the ongoing problem. The Meal Share program is a food security initiative that offers meal swipes at residence dining halls, an E-gift card to a grocery store, or added value to one’s UBC card. Applications to the program are only open for a week per semester in the Fall and Winter terms due to high demand and those who can access the program are chosen through a lottery basis. Despite offering some access to food, the program can be seen as a short-term solution for a very small group of people not really serving as an effective food security measure.


Year-round options include the AMS Food Bank and the re-opened Food Hub Market. AMS Food Bank is an on-campus food bank UBC students can visit up to 16 times per semester to fill up a bag. The Food Hub Market re-opened after a pilot run in the first half of 2022. The
student-run market is located on the main floor of the CIRS building and offers a variety of produce, dairy products/nondairy alternatives, laundry items and other general groceries at affordable prices. You can find their current operating hours here!

bowl of fruits and veggies
Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

Just Looking for a Quick Meal?


There are also a few on-campus retailers that offer food at reduced prices such as Sprouts in the Life Building basement and Agora Café on the basement floor of McMillian. Sprouts strictly offers vegan options while Agora offers a vegetarian-based menu. If you’re on campus later in the day, LFSUS (Land and Food Systems Undergrad Society) also has Wednesday Night Dinners which offers a vegetarian dinner at $5 for non-LFS UBC students and $4 for LFS students and staff, with an additional $2 charge to rent utensils and plates instead of bringing personal Tupperware. Hillel House offers $5 vegetarian lunch every Wednesday from 11:30 to 1:30 pm. Unfortunately, many of these retailers and events don’t run during the summer term. Some clubs and other groups on campus may host events with free or reduced-price food, which may be an opportunity to get some food while also meeting others on campus! A lot of these events are promoted through club social media pages, mostly Instagram!

Joining the Fight!


Pursuing food security on campus can also mean engaging in the discussion. Throughout both terms, different organizations and clubs hold events to discuss food security. A lot of clubs and organizations located on and off campus also have volunteer opportunities for those who want to get involved. If you want to start a project or research the impact of food security on campus, AMS offers multiple grants to fund student-led projects.

Of course, food insecurity and the food-related issues on campus are not just going to get better in an instant, but hopefully, some of these resources can ease part of the accessibility pressure.

References


Lee, S. D., Hanbazaza, M., Ball, G. D. C., Farmer, A., Maximova, K., & Willows, N. D. (2018). Food insecurity among postsecondary students in developed countries: A narrative review. [Food insecurity among postsecondary students] British Food Journal, 120(11), 2660-2680. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-08-2017-0450

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