MacEwan’s campus food prices: Are they reasonable for students?

Written by Allegra Fuerderer and Jaiden Lam

After a long morning of classes, students are pining for a delicious, and reasonably priced meal. But some are concerned that they are not able to find either on campus.

At MacEwan, food prices vary by store, with students paying more at some locations than at others.

MacEwan student Aaron Marquina said he purchases food on campus “two or three times a week, so maybe around 40 to 60 dollars, around there.”

Marquina said he is more inclined to purchase food from lower-priced places.

“It is pretty expensive for good quality food, like, the fruit cups [are] really expensive. Five dollars for like a handful of grapes. I usually then kind of opt for the more unhealthy options, or I sometimes just won’t eat,” said Katrina Gibb, another MacEwan student.

For Gibb, the weekly cost of food is another expense in her student budget.

She said, “It’s either eating at school or paying my insurance.”

According to the Government of Canada, a typical budget for groceries, depending on whether they are on or off campus, ranges from $ 240 to $480 per month.

With tuition increasing at MacEwan and rising oil prices, food expenses are another cost some students need to consider in their budgets.

“I wish I could have better quality food for a little bit cheaper, especially because I can’t work a lot when I’m studying,” Gibb said .

While lower food prices may not alleviate students’ financial pressure, some MacEwan students feel that cheaper on-campus dining could help when managing their expenses.

“Maybe some more options for people who can’t afford it, I think, would be really nice, or maybe just a couple of cheaper options,” said Gibb.