To support students' nutrition and well-being, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) will be hosting Nutrition Month, a month-long campaign with activities to educate, raise awareness and support students on a budget.
The initiative aligns with National Nutrition Month, which is observed in Canada each March.
"Food insecurity is impacting post-secondary students all across Canada, and KPU is no exception," says Shalini Vanan, Director of Student Wellness at KPU. "Throughout March, we're initiating a series of activities to raise awareness about food security and better support the needs of our students. Our goal is to provide them with the essential tools, knowledge and resources they need to better manage their health and well-being."
As part of the Nutrition Month campaign, each campus will be offering free breakfast for students once a week throughout March. KPU’s Peer Wellness team will also hold information sessions to address students' questions about nutrition, health, and well-being.
A food skill workshop will be led by Megan Matthews, registered dietitian and Manager of Student Health Promotion at KPU. The workshops are designed to help students improve their culinary skills and learn about meal planning and budgeting. There will be one workshop at each of the five the campuses throughout the month. The Surrey campus workshop, co-hosted with Indigenous Student Services, is designed to cater to the needs of Indigenous students.
During Nutrition Month, specialists from KPU's Sustainable Agriculture program will host a workshop on how students can grow herbs and vegetables at home. The KPU Seed Library is available to students on the Langley campus throughout the year, where they can exchange and pick up seeds to start their own vegetable garden.
View a full schedule of events for KPU's Nutrition Month and learn more about the campaign here.