The scoop on the Loaded Ladle

Expanding food options on campus

- April 11, 2011

Alexander Gopen and Rebecca Hoffer are volunteers with the Loaded Ladle. (Bruce Bottomley Photo)
Alexander Gopen and Rebecca Hoffer are volunteers with the Loaded Ladle. (Bruce Bottomley Photo)

Looking for a good meal on campus? The Loaded Ladle is a student-run food co-operative that serves meals from locally grown sources. The Ladle began this year when a few students from previous foodie groups joined together to offer new food options to students on campus. In the March DSU elections, Dalhousie students overwhelming voted to fund the new society through a $2 student levy.

Alexander Gopen, a fourth-year sociology student, has been involved with the group since its creation in September. He says the group wanted to get as many students involved by having all Dalhousie students as members.

Vegetarian

“We could have charged for meals but we wanted meals to be available to everyone,” says Mr. Gopen. “We want students to have ownership of the group and be able to participate.”

Don’t expect any meat in Ladle meals. All meals are vegan. Ironically, most of the Ladle’s members aren’t vegan. “We wanted the food to be accessible to everyone,” says Mr. Gopen. “We understand there aren’t good food choices for vegans and we wanted people to know vegan food can taste good.”

“Food creates a great sense of community,” says Krista Holman, a first-year environmental studies student. “I’m learning more about vegan food and really enjoying it.”

How the Ladle will provide services remains an issue. Society members plan to offer meals at least once a week although the society does not have a permanent space on campus to prepare and serve meals. Currently meals are prepared ahead of time in local kitchens close to campus. Space within the Student Union Building is unavailable.

Details to be ironed out

Details on how the society runs are also a work in progress. Currently the society operates as a co-op without the usual executive model. Their business plan includes creating a Board of Directors to oversee the general function of the society. “It’s tempting to have one person in charge of everything,” he says. “We want people to have the opportunity to participate in major decisions.”

The Loaded Ladle Society will have its first AGM on Friday, April 15 at 4:30 p.m. in the NSPIRG office in the Student Union Building.

LINKS: Loaded Ladle blog | Facebook page


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