On Oct. 2, Vol Dining employees at UT came together to support students by hosting their annual Fall Harvest Market in involvement with the Center for Health Education and Wellness and Wellness Wednesdays.
At UT, Vol Dining supports students with diverse dietary needs that may not be fully addressed by the dining hall. This includes considerations for allergies, health preferences, religious beliefs and more. To assist these unique nutritional requirements, Vol Dining offers nutritional counseling to help students meet their health goals.
This event served as a wonderful kickoff to fall, celebrating the season’s focus on comfort food and harvest time. The fall market had a warm, inviting atmosphere that gave off the same feel as a farmers’ market, free to all students.
While this event gets students in the fall spirit, it had the added benefit of teaching students about healthy foods and providing free meals.
Food insecurity is a prominent issue. There are several reasons as to why students may struggle acquiring balanced meals.
For instance, according to Move for Hunger, approximately 30% of students experience food scarcity in college because of the increasing cost of tuition, costly meal plans and the lack of opportunities for student support on campus.
Luckily, UT has several resources available to address food concerns for students.
Rachel Lindley, a junior majoring in nutrition, is an intern for Vol Dining this semester. She spoke on her insight of the primary reason students often struggle to find their next meal.
“Accessibility, 100%,” Lindley said. “I feel like there is a stigma between poor college kids who cannot afford anything, so they have to get fast food sometimes and have to settle for what is around.”
This event helped with the stigma as it provided a welcoming space for all students to feel comfortable accessing meals, as everyone — regardless of their food security status — stopped by to explore the various tables.
Lindley’s booth was filled with enticing, nourishing foods such as homemade granola, hot cider and quinoa salad for students. Most of these items require no additional preparation, making the food easily accessible to eat.
“I think this is a great opportunity for students to get whole foods that aren’t cooked in the kitchen, and they can kind of prepare food in their own dorms by themselves,” Lindley said.
Tatyana Kimble is a registered dietitian for Vol Dining and works with Wellness Wednesdays as well as Student Life. She spoke on the reality of food access issues among students.
“A lot of students that I consult with are food insecure and do not realize it,” Kimble said. “So, I just make sure they know what opportunities on campus there are, trying to get the word out so people can do these kinds of events.”
At UT, a variety of meal plan options are available, along with a diverse selection of restaurants. However, students often find it challenging to resist choosing the more affordable options, which tend to be less healthy.
Nutrition plays a vital role in both physical and mental well-being and choosing healthy foods is essential for optimal health. Kimble spoke about what a healthy diet means to her.
“Living long-term, reducing chronic illness, staying healthy so that we can live a longer life so that we can continue to do things we enjoy in general,” Kimble said.
Vol Dining takes pride in promoting a healthy lifestyle by educating students about smart eating and bringing the Vol community together by these engaging events.
