International Students Consideration: Grocery Stores and Meal Preparation

Welcome to our latest blog post, where we’re diving into a topic that’s as delicious as it is essential: Whether you’re an international student new to the area or someone looking to explore the rich tapestry of cultures through their culinary delights, this post is for you. We understand that navigating the food landscape in a new place can be daunting, especially when trying to balance the scales of affordability, nutrition, and a taste of home. That’s why we’re tackling three key questions to help you find your feet (and your fork) around Kamloops.

What are the most affordable grocery stores and markets near campus?

Most stores in Kamloops offer a variety of ingredients that cater to international students’ needs; however, FreshCo, Walmart, Superstore, Save on Foods, Safe Way, Fresh St, and Costco are good options, especially, the Real Canadian Superstores offer a 10% discount to TRU (Thompson Rivers University) students on Tuesdays. Also, Safeway offers a 5% student discount on in-store purchases. When it comes to Costco, it doesn’t offer free or discounted memberships, it provides an exclusive college student offer to join Costco as a new member and receive a Costco Shop Card. In addition, people can find stores’ deals, flyers, and coupons on their pages. For further discounts, students should bring a student card or create a membership card. Moreover, “PC” and “no name.” are the best options for cheap products.

Looking for non-Canadian stores? If you are looking for non-Canandian stores, Cheng Kwong Grocery (長江超市), Eastuff Grocery (達富超市), FraserCart Indian Store, and Dede African Caribbean store (a bit further from the rest but offer delivery) are the best choices.

Photo by: Le Do

What everyday cultural dishes and flavors are popular among international students, and where can they find them?

Meal 1: Jollof Rice
- Background: A rice dish from West Africa is called jollof, or jollof rice. Long-grain rice, tomatoes, chiles, onions, spices, and occasionally other vegetables and meat are usually combined in a single pot to make this dish, while regional variations exist in the components and cooking techniques.
- It can be found at:
  - Tobilicous Kitchen is located at 205 Tranquille Rd., with prices ranging from 3.50- $25
  - Afrofusion:326 Victoria St., prices ranging from $10-$20
  - African food (grilled and spicy) 1065 Edgehill Pl, Kamloops

Meal 2: Kashmiri Pulao
- Background: A rice pulao recipe from Kashmiri cuisine in India that includes almonds, dried fruits, saffron, and fresh fruits A pulao is often made of rice that has been spiced up with different herbs and spices, and then is thickened with meats, veggies, or nuts. The majority of pulao varieties are often prepared using aromatic, long-grained basmati rice. Every grain of rice maintains its shape because it is cooked to the ideal consistency without sticking.
- It can be found at:
  - Koh-I-Noor Indian Restaurant located at 550 Columbia St W · $20–30
  - Dhaliwal’s Kitchen · price range:$10–20 · location: 855 8th St
  - Flavors of India – The Viewpoint price range: $20–30 · location: 626 Columbia St W

Meal 3: FAJITAS
- Background: A classic Tex-Mex cuisine, chicken fajitas are made of delicious chicken strips topped with sautéed onions and bell peppers. To add flavor and tenderize the flesh, the chicken is usually marinated in a blend of spices, including cumin, paprika, chili powder, lime juice, and garlic. The dish is served with warm flour tortillas and a variety of sides, including salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and shredded cheese.
- It can be found at:
  - Señor Froggy Restaurant North Kamloopsprice ranging from $10–20 located at 724 Sydney Ave
  - Hacienda Cielito Lindo has prices ranging from $20 to $30 and is located at 750 Fortune Dr
  - Casa Azul Kamloops· $20–30 · 330 Victoria St

Photo by: Stephanie Ajuwape

What role do campus resources and support groups play in helping international students navigate their food and nutrition needs?

The majority of students experience food insecurity and financial hardship, as TRU is aware. The Kamloops Food Bank, a vital community partner in ensuring food security, has noted an increase in the number of students requesting food assistance since 2019. This finding was based on their study. Kamloops Food Bank (2022) reported that 210 students made use of the food bank in October of that same year.

To identify student populations who are at risk, TRU aims to gather a baseline measure of food insecurity among enrolled students at the Kamloops and Williams Lake campuses for in-person instruction. Additionally, the organization will examine the correlation between food insecurity levels and demographics.

TRU provides:

Student Case Managers: They can connect students to on-campus and community resources and assist students in navigating challenges related to food access. If you need help getting access to food, please schedule a meeting with a student case manager by contacting 250-828-5023 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or sending an email to fsd@tru.ca.
TRU Education and Skills Training (ESTR) program: It operates ESTR’s Market, an on-campus social enterprise that provides reasonably priced, healthy meals, snacks, and desserts to all students. During the fall and winter semesters, ESTR’s Market, located in room 2425 on the second floor of Old Main, is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the most reasonably priced lunch alternatives on campus.
Soup Circle at Cplul’kw’ten (The Gathering Place: All students are invited to join Cplul’kw’ten (The Gathering Place) for their weekly soup circle every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to connect with their team and share a bowl of soup. Cplul’kw’ten may be found on Sk’lep Trail near House 5.
TRU Emergency Grocery Cards: The Faculty of Student Development is in charge of running this program, which is open to on-campus students. Each situation is evaluated individually for eligibility. Contact foodsecurity@tru.ca to schedule an appointment or for further information.
TRUSU Emergency Food Security Program: Grocery store gift cards are provided by this program to qualifying students who are in crisis and facing food insecurity.
TRUSU Monthly Chef’s Package: Students at TRUSU can take advantage of monthly chef’s packages. The TRUSU website has more details regarding the chef packages’s packages.

Photo by: Stephanie Ajuwape

As an international students, we could sympathize and acknowledge to common difficulties and challenges in preparing nutritious daily meals. Therefore, this article can be known as a guideline for new students or even the current ones.

References

Amit, D., & Guide, S. (2023, January 31). Kashmiri Pulao » Dassana’s Veg Recipes. Dassana’s Veg Recipes. Retrieved February 24, 2024, from https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/kashmiri-pulao/

(n.d.). Real Canadian Superstore | Online Grocery Shopping : Pickup & Delivery. Retrieved February 24, 2024, from https://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca

Segal, J. (2023, May 4). Chicken Fajitas. Once Upon a Chef. Retrieved February 24, 2024, from https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chicken-fajitas.html

Thomas, M. (2023, February 27). Safeway Student Discount 2024 (All You Need To Know). QuerySprout. Retrieved February 24, 2024, from https://querysprout.com/safeway-student-discount/

TRU Food Security Initiative. (n.d.). Thompson Rivers University. Retrieved February 24, 2024, from https://www.tru.ca/current/wellness/food-access-tru-food-security-project.html#resourcesss-tru-food-security-project.html#resources