I am a Muslim woman and I eat halal food. But I have a problem finding it at Humber's eateries.
Halal food is prayed on food, meaning before cutting an animal open, the butcher or the person who is cutting the animal says a prayer before killing them. There are many Muslim people at Humber and they deserve to eat halal food, a religious necessity.
I barely have time to make food at home as I am always out for school doing a lot of work. I usually go to the cafeteria by the student centre and grab a bite.
But there aren’t many halal food options at Humber. Quesada has one halal option: the flamed grilled chicken, but not beef and spicy chicken, and I have always wondered why. Humber has a good amount of Muslim staff and students and they deserve to eat halal food, a religious necessity.
Villa Madina, a shawarma spot, opened in LinX in 2023. The food is certified halal but it's the only certified halal food establishment in Humber Polytechnic where I can get food. Humber opened a huge cafeteria last year with many food options, such as Quesada, Pizza Pizza, and more, but not one that sells certified halal or halal chicken.
It’s not fair to religious Muslim students to have limited options to eat at school, especially when we have no time to make food at home. Humber has more than 10,000 international students from 120 countries, and many of those students have different diets.
According to Muslim Insights, the Muslim population has grown by 68 per cent since 2011, accounting for five per cent of Canada's total population. With that growth, many Muslim students choose to learn at Humber Polytechnic. However, students need certified or halal food options on campus.
Terri Salters, the manager of Chartwells at Humber, said halal foods are available.
“Currently, we have a variety of menu items made with halal-certified ingredients, including chicken dishes at several of our dining stations, as well as additional halal options from Pizza Pizza and Villa Madina on our North campus,” she said.
I have been to the dining station several times. I didn't see any halal options at Pizza Pizza while Quesada and the pasta station are the only stations providing halal chicken. Chartwells can always partner with any halal-certified food company, restaurant, or organization. It will help Muslims and also bring more money to the school.
According to Food in Canada magazine, the Canadian halal food industry is worth about $1 billion, and the population is estimated to be growing at about 13 per cent annually. Expanding halal food options and other diverse dietary foods should be a serious concern and an essential step toward diversity and equity on campus.
I’ve always questioned why they don’t start selling more diverse dietary food. Some people are vegan and vegetarian, as a choice or for religious purposes. Humber has many other religions and diet restrictions including kosher. This would also bring a campus experience by supporting different cultures’ food while reflecting on a student's well-being.
Offering the required dietary food options on Humber's campuses would help students feel more welcomed.
