Ryerson Students Want More Food Options on Campus
By: Georgina Parker

Students at Ryerson University feel there is a lack of variety when it comes to inexpensive, healthy, and appealing food options on campus and that the school needs to expand beyond just coffee shops.

While there are resources for students on campus and in the area, many are either unaware of or have not been able to access the services of these resources.

By: Shannon Schaefer

One service available through the university is The Good Food Centre which runs under the Equity Services of the Ryerson Student Union.

It is open three days a week and while they do provide food and meals to students, some feel hesitant to take advantage of this resource.

Zainab Damji, a first-year journalism student said that she did not reach out because “it’s for students who really need it and I wouldn’t want to take a spot that someone else could have used. I didn’t want to be greedy.”

Kent Yacyshyn, a third-year marketing student, did reach out to the Good Food Centre, but was not satisfied with the results.

“I ordered a food box from there once, and it never came,” said Kent. “No one told me it wouldn’t come, and I never got a refund.”

Some students also pointed out that several of the options on campus, provided by the university are just coffee shops and cafes.

“We need more options that are not just coffee,” said Ali Atallah, a second-year Business Management student.

Even with resources such as The Good Food Centre available, students still struggle to find options that fit in terms of their diet and affordability while looking to get food at or around school.

Damji also struggles to find Halal options on and around campus.

“In between commuting you don’t have time to fend for food or go look for it.
There aren’t that many halal options. I’d have to eat the same thing every day,” said Damji.

“If they were switching out the Tim Hortons kiosks I would think it would be to more inclusive,” said Damji.” “They may have vegan and gluten free options, but I think they are forgetting that a large part of the population needs halal food.”

Over all students find it difficult to find and access food that is affordable while going to school.

“There are no options on campus, and the ones we do have are so expensive,” said Atallah.

(RSJ/Tim Falco)