Eating on campus: socially conscious to quick-service ‘comfort’ food

By Chris McGregor

Across Canada, the country’s colleges and universities are changing to meet the needs and, really, the demands of a new generation of student.
While fast food offerings are not gone completely from the post-secondary campus, it’s no longer the only choice. Now there is vegetarian, Halal, a variety of ethnic options and calorie-wise dishes, all of which are appearing more often on the menu boards across college and university campuses.
Students at the University of Winnipeg have one of the most distinctive foodservice operations at any college or university in Canada. Fast food outlets are non-existent. Instead, there is Diversity Food Services, which promotes locally sourced and organic products.
Part training program for those with barriers to employment and part healthy eating, Diversity has well-known chef Ben Kramer, formerly of Winnipeg’s Dandelion Eatery, as its executive chef.
“Our aim is to create authentic cultural food that is alive with flavour and nutrition, prepared from scratch using authentic ingredients and recipes,” Kramer says.
“Our kitchen philosophy ensures that we will accomplish this in a socially responsible manner for the wellbeing of our guests, the community, and the environment.”
Everything on the university’s dining hall menu is prepared from scratch, including baked goods, salad dressings and sauces. Soups are made with fresh vegetables and the stock is homemade.
“For the last number of years there has been a growing concern about the foodservices at the University of Winnipeg—issues that related to fair prices, fair trade, local produce and products, and sustainability,” Kramer says.*
In September, bottled water was banned from the campus as students voiced their concerns about creating less waste while promoting local food.
“We source as much of our food from local suppliers as possible. As a chef, my first choice is local organic (food). If that is not an option, then I choose local. If that is not an option, then I source organic from abroad,” Kramer says.
Seafood served on campus is Ocean Wise certified through the Vancouver Aquarium and Kramer has developed close ties with local Manitoba farmers and producers to source fish, chicken, turkey and beef.

Taking fast food in-house
Algonquin College in Ottawa has also eschewed branded fast food outlets on its campus, preferring instead to develop its own in-house concepts.
“My feeling has always been that we can mirror these fast food outlets and, in some cases, have the freedom to enhance them and at the same time not appear as a fast food outlet,” says Mike Dash, Algonquin’s general manager of food and beverage.
Over the last few years, the college has expanded its salad bar offerings to include 28 different items, opened Taste of Asia stir fry with 10 choices of fresh vegetables, an It’s a Wrap outlet, and Thunder Alley Pita Rally serving stuffed made-to-order pitas.
Other culinary introductions include Greek and Mexican foods and the Sweet Spot, which features fresh fruit, crepes and waffles.
The school butchers its own meat on-site, purchases food from local growers, uses trans fat-free oil and is a member of a purchasing co-operative made up of a number of colleges and universities, allowing the school to share a bulk shipment to reduce costs.

Contract feeder goes local and healthy
Sodexo Canada, which has 50 dining contracts on university and college campuses across the country, works with its local culinary teams and chefs associations to come up with healthy and regionalized menu ideas.
“Students are certainly well aware of nutrition and information is instantaneously available. They are looking for choices the help them with a well balanced diet,” says Jon Kristjanson, senior vice-president of corporate development and marketing with Sodexo.
Kristjanson says the company offered more vegetarian and vegan options, while working with leaner cuts of meat for its protein ingredients.
“We’re doing as much cook to order as we can and we steer away from the deep fryer in favour of the wok, grilling, and steaming.”
Three years ago, the company partnered with television chef Michael Smith to tap into his ethic for quality fresh and local products. Smith has a say in Sodexo’s menu development, which can change from campus to campus.  
“Menus vary based on the character and makeup of each campus. We are lucky in this country to be so culturally diverse. There are pockets where certain ethnic backgrounds are more prevalent. We like to bring in local flavours, but we also address ethnic cuisines, whether it be Asian or Scandinavian,” Kristjanson says.
He says Sodexo has made an effort to strike a balance between healthy eating options and its branded fast food partners, which make up about 20 per cent of the foodservice facilities on the campuses where the company has contracts.
Kristjanson says partners such as Pizza Pizza and Quiznos have worked to provide healthier choices with things like thin or whole wheat crust and vegetable toppings.

The University of Victoria in British Columbia started cooking up healthier menu options a decade ago, following a request from students to expand the food offerings. Four years ago the school went a step further in catering for vegetarians at Village Greens restaurant.
“We opened a 100 per cent vegetarian facility, which offers vegan and healthy-only choices in addition to vegetarian,” says Thomas Bain, the university’s manager of foodservices. 
“We offer healthy options in every one of our facilities.  We have posted menus of our daily meal specials for customers to be able to select where they dine.”
The university’s two cafeterias each feature daily vegetarian specials, plus a meat option, and menu items that include fresh steamed vegetables, yam fries, organic bread, soup, salad, vegan and vegetarian sushi choices, fruit smoothies, and sandwiches at two made-to-order deli counters.
Bain says the university has also brought the local food movement into its 12 dining facilities.
“We have recently committed to buying as much fresh local produce grown on Vancouver Island as possible. Our campus’ goal is for a zero carbon footprint as of next year,” Bain says.

A campus market for freshness
At the University of Waterloo in Ontario, fast food choices are still available, but the focus is on the introduction of organic, free range and free run options, fair trade and Halal.
In 2006, the university started the UW Farm Market, one of only a handful of universities to offer farm fresh products to students, faculty, staff, and the public. It runs from June to October.
Most of the food sold at the market is sourced from the Elmira Produce Auction Cooperative, a Mennonite run auction house, which only offers 100 per cent local produce, along with honey, preserves, fruit and vegetables, and baked goods from the school’s own bakery.
“Over the last three to four years we've added new healthy options for students, faculty and staff that includes sushi, a cereal and yogurt bar concept called ‘Cerealicous’, Teriyaki Made in Japan stir fry, Salad Bistro (a salad creation station), Pita Pit, a Fruit Smoothie concept, and a Subway, all offering fresh and healthy choices,” says Lee Elkas, director of food service at the University of Waterloo.
Students have a say on calorie conscious menu items and continue to make recommendations for changes through the school’s Food Advisory Board.
“We also are very diverse in our menu options from all corners of the globe. Meals influenced by Asia, Europe and the Americas (are served) either daily or through themed dining nights,” Elkas says. 
The university has also set a goal to be more sustainable and organic and has opened up an eco-friendly café preparing meals with local, organic and fair trade products when possible.
Down Highway 401 at the University of Western Ontario in London, students can obtain nutrition information on-line for most of the food served in its residences and also through on-campus “nutrition kiosks” which link directly to the nutrition websites of the university’s franchise partners.
Students are responding to the university’s efforts to provide more nutritional food, says Anne Zok, hospitality services nutrition manager at UWO.
“For example, last year Western was voted by our customers the fifth most vegetarian friendly university in Canada,” Zok says.
“The residence operations have also been granted "EatSmart" status by the Middlesex London Health Unit.”
Steps have been taken over the last 12 years to increase the availability of healthy options at both UWO’s retail outlets and at the six residence dining halls on campus. Of all the items on the residence menu, 40 per cent are vegetarian, and of those, half are vegan. Gluten free options are always available.
Students can make their own yogurt parfaits from a selection of fruit, cereals, nuts, seeds and yogurt, and sandwiches are made with whole grain bread. Veggies and dip, sushi, fruit smoothies, yogurt, tuna, roast chicken and more are available for students on the go. 
“Residence Dining at the University of Western Ontario spends 26 per cent of its total budget on local or organic food items, including grass-fed beef, cage-free eggs, and sustainably-harvested seafood,” Zok says. 
UWO also strives to meet the needs of the school’s ethnically diverse student population, with young people coming from around the world. Choices include Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and East Indian food.
“We have responded to an ever increasing demand for Halal meats by sourcing out Halal cold cuts and other Halal meats—chicken burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings—in the residence and campus operations,” Zok says.
In partnership with the London Food Co-op Store, the university put in place the Purple Carrot Organic Plus program at each residence dining hall. There, students can pick from a variety of organic food items.

Going for a balance
Lorna Willis is regional vice-president, central region, with Chartwells, part of Compass Group Canada. This is one of the country’s largest foodservice providers with 70 contracts for college and university campuses.  
When asked, Willis says students consistently rank healthy food choices among their top five foodservice needs.
“Today’s student has a very sophisticated understanding of nutrition and wants to eat in a healthful way.  We notice that students are eating more whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables,” Willis says.
“We are introducing a number of new recipes that contain whole grains such as bulgur and offering fruit or vegetable infused water as an alternate to sugared beverages.”
In selecting its national branded foodservice operators, Willis says Chartwells seeks out partnerships with companies such as Booster Juice, Extreme Pita and Teriyaki Experience—each offering healthy menu choices.
At many campuses, Chartwells has developed Baja Flats and Wild Greens stations where students can find fresh made-to-order items such as salads and fajitas with fresh vegetables.
“Students have been saying that they want more healthy options for years.  However, it is in the last three years that I have really noticed that they are ‘walking the talk,’” Willis says.
“Students are much better educated regarding the link between proper nutrition and academic success. Another emerging trend that we are seeing is the rise of the ‘foodie’ customers who are very interested in and knowledgeable about food.”
Willis’ colleague Gordon Barber, Chartwells’ western regional vice-president, agrees, saying he’s noticed students’ increased awareness of the need to eat right.
“There has been a clear shift in purchases away from carbonated beverages to water and the sales of items such as fresh fruit, veggie cups and salads have increased significantly,” he says.
“Some examples of our response to this are the additions of sushi, made to order stir fry, and many ethic offerings such as Greek, Asian, Mexican, and Indian.”
Local food is more common on campuses these days, but widespread use of organic has yet to catch on among Canada’s students, Willis believes.
“Students remain price conscious and organic foods tend to be more expensive,” Willis says. 
Chartwells recently launched a pilot program to connect local farmers with the end users and campus foodservice managers are provided lists of locally grown produce they can purchase each week.
Even with the knowledge of the positive benefits of eating healthy and the local dining trend has received, some students still want to indulge in “comfort food” regardless of its nutritional content.  
At the University of Victoria, despite a wide variety of more exotic choices to reflect the school’s ethnic diversity, Bain believes fast food will never disappear from the country’s college and university campuses.
“Fast-food-type operations do have a place as students want to and should be able to choose.”
Back in London, the University of Western Ontario’s Zok, agrees with that sentiment.
“Some students staff and faculty most certainly still look for the traditional fast food options.  Personally, I don't see them disappearing from the campus setting any time soon,” Zok says.
“We give our customers choices; there are certainly no shortage of healthy options available throughout the university campus. However there are also opportunities to indulge in comfort foods for those select few who remain unswayed.”