By now, most of us know that it’s better for us and the planet to eat healthy and local. So why aren’t more students doing it? Waterloo is surrounded by farms that offer fresh seasonal products all year round, and yet the Plaza remains a primary food source.
This summer, kick the expensive habit of fast food by visiting the on-campus farmers market! Every summer and fall, a farmers market is held on Thursday mornings in the ENV 1 courtyard. Aside from fresh local fruits and veggies, there’s a big selection of baked goods, jams, and other homemade treats. Everything is priced comparably to a grocery store, and it gives you an idea of what kind of produce is in season. Bring your own bag, pay in cash, and prepare to be tempted by a $4 apple crisp. You may also be able to sign up for a student-run cooking workshop if you’re new to cooking from scratch. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming and the results are well worth it! Your roommates will also love you.
Even if you don’t know what a leek looks like, summer is the best time to experiment. Why not try to bake a strawberry rhubarb pie? You don’t even have to be a kitchen god to assemble some sandwiches and fruit salad to eat in the sun with friends. The UW farmers market food is sourced from the Elmira Produce Auction Cooperative, a group of farmers who sell wholesale fruits and veggies to the community, so everything is fresh to eat without cooking at all. For budding local foodies (aka locavores), www.foodlink.ca is the best place to find everything there is to know about local food in the Waterloo region. Foodlink connects local healthy food to consumers, businesses, and policymakers in a network that’s bigger than you might think.
If you want to go straight to the source for more selection, a day trip to St. Jacob’s is definitely worth it. It’s completely accessible by transit via GRT and a thousand times more exciting than ValuMart. For something closer, the Kitchener Farmers Market is a short walk from Charles St. Terminal (I’d say a hundred times more exciting than ValuMart). These farmers markets have a huge variety of local produce, meat, dairy, bread, and some imports. You can definitely accomplish your entire grocery list, even if it includes donuts and chips (as long as it doesn’t include Hungryman or Fruit Loops).
Of course, the UW farmers market is the most convenient of them all. You don’t even have to leave campus, which is the major barrier for most students. It’s run by student volunteers and they’re always looking for more help. Stop by the WPIRG office in the SLC for more info. There’s even talk of expanding the market to be all year round and making pre-made baskets ready to order for students in residence. Once you start to eat local, you’ll find it’s hard to stop. You really notice the taste improvement and soon you’ll find yourself cooking for fun! True story, but let’s not get carried away. Try out the UW farmers market and make your own assessment.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m hungry.
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