Supermarket tour to introduce international students to Canadian food shopping

Walking through a Canadian grocery store, there are healthy choices in every aisle—if you know how to find them, says Chris Wellington.

A registered dietitian at the Windsor Family Health Team and a sessional instructor in nursing, she has started a one-year contract as a nutritionist with Food Services, Student Health Services and Residence Services. She will conduct a tour of the Metro supermarket this Sunday, September 16. It is aimed at international students but everyone is welcome.

“The idea is to go up and down the aisles and help them to identify smart choices,” she says. “I will point out the healthy options, teach them how to read the nutrition info on the labels, and even just introduce them to our system.”

Depending on their home countries, Wellington says, newcomers may not be familiar with the concept of one grocery store stocking everything from dairy goods to bakery items to dry staples. She will tailor her presentation to the needs of attendees.

“I want to focus on the specific issues raised by the members of the tour,” she says. “Maybe some of the people will be lactose intolerant or will be unfamiliar with the seasonal availability of local fruits and vegetables. They are going to educate me on what they need addressed.”

The tour will begin at 4 p.m. in the Metro store at 2750 Tecumseh Road West and will be repeated the following Sunday. Free rides to and from the supermarket will be offered from the International Student Centre at 3 p.m. The centre asks that any students interested in attending register by noon Friday by e-mailing iscnurse@uwindsor.ca.