Free food energizes students, eases stress during final exams
TMU’s Free Food Initiative served more than 18,200 meals and snacks to TMU students. (Photo: Student Communications)
There’s no doubt about it: exams can be stressful.
Juggling numerous tests, final papers and the pressure to excel, along with the added challenge that some students face balancing part-time jobs and other obligations, can be overwhelming.
So much so that finding the time to prepare healthy meals often falls to the wayside.
To help relieve some of the stress and keep students strong, this year, during the Winter 2024 final exam period, a TMU program helped ensure that, throughout it all, students had access to healthy meals – for free.
That’s right – free.
Free Food Initiative
Recognizing the importance of nutrition for health and well-being, combined with the fact that many students are feeling the effects of high food prices, TMU’s Free Food Initiative helped ensure TMU students could perform their best.
The program is all thanks to a partnership between Student Societies, the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students (OVPS), and TMU Eats.
As part of the program, both snacks and hot meals were available to all undergraduate and graduate students Monday to Friday over the final exam period.
The program was so popular, more than 18,200 snacks and hot meals were served.
As part of the Free Food Initiative, students could access “grab and go” snacks and hot meals prepared by the TMU Eats team during the final exam period. (Photo: Student Communications)
Healthy eating ‘can be hard to coordinate’
For fourth-year business management co-op student Bavisha Thavarajah, the Free Food Initiative has helped guarantee that no matter how hectic her day is, she will eat a proper meal.
“During exams, it can be hard to coordinate. It's just very easy to drink a Redbull or get a coffee to get things done,” she said.
Thavarajah, who majored in human resources, had two final exams and four papers to complete from mid-March to mid-April.
She said the food options offered were helpful for her dietary needs.
“I’m vegetarian, and I don’t eat eggs. On particular days it can be hard to coordinate,” she said.
She thinks the program is extremely valuable for students.
“I've seen multiple people stop by and use it, and I’ve seen a lot of content on TikTok showing students line up for the full meals. I really think it helped people,” she said.
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Snack program
The snack program included energizing snacks that could be grabbed “to go”, such as fresh fruit and energy bars. It ran on weekdays from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Mattamy Athletic Centre and TRSM.
Hot meal program
The hot meal program offered students the choice of a meat entrée (halal) with two sides or a plant-based entrée (vegan) with two sides (vegan).
Certified kosher packaged sandwiches and pastries along with gluten-free entrée alternatives were also available upon request.
The hot meal also came with coffee, tea or a cold beverage, and one snack item.
The meals were prepared by the TMU Eats team and offered at the Hub Café in Jorgenson Hall from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., until quantities last.
The Free Food Initiative is part of the university’s commitment to helping students access healthy meals.
During the holidays and in two subsequent initiatives, gift cards to Metro and SkipTheDishes were also offered to students in need thanks to the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, the Toronto Metropolitan Graduate Students’ Union, the Toronto Metropolitan Association of Part-Time Students, and OVPS.
These initiatives are in addition to the TMU Eats’ free, monthly soup days and “Friendly Fiver”, both of which are sponsored by the Office of the President.
Other initiatives are outlined here.
Learn more about the Free Food Initiative.
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