Beginners’ cooking classes and more than 10,000 free meals are part of a range of support available for students as part of the University’s Food Security Strategy.
Food security events and services for students have launched at UNSW Sydney as part of the University’s Food Security Strategy, announced by Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs in December 2025.
The Food Security Strategy, co-created with Arc, represents a bold, coordinated commitment to ensuring no student goes hungry. The strategy addresses the complex social, economic and cultural conditions that drive food insecurity in the first place. The strategy moves beyond emergency relief and is built around three interconnected pillars: Rapid Relief, Sustainable Skill Building and Systemic Support.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education & Student Experience, Professor Sarah Maddison, said, “This strategy will drive longer-term structural change through community partnerships, subsidised food access and an evolving campus ecosystem designed to uphold dignity, equity and belonging for every student.”
Chef-led cooking classes give students practical skills
As part of the Sustainable Skill Building pillar, more than 180 students attended chef-led cooking classes in early March. Students learned how to prepare nutritious, budget-friendly meals while building confidence and practical life skills in a community setting.
Each student received a take-home ingredient kit to recreate the dishes independently, helping reduce reliance on costly takeaway options.
Sarah said it’s important for UNSW to support students with practical life-skills such as cooking.
“It was great chatting with students during the cooking classes. Many told us how valuable it was to learn practical cooking skills, expand their cooking repertoire and have reliable access to nutritious food during their studies,” she said.
Students expressed their appreciation for the events in a short video reel.
Cooking classes will continue across each term in 2026. Find further information on the Arc Savers website.
Free meals and Food Hub Pantry pop-up
More than 400 breakfast and lunch meals were provided to students via the Food Hub Pantry pop-up last week. The Hub has served more than 10,000 free meals to students this term so far.
The pop-up was staffed by a passionate group of Arc student volunteers who managed the space while keeping the atmosphere open and welcoming to everyone who came by.
The distribution of breakfasts, lunches and snacks twice-weekly around campus under the ‘UNSW Cares’ banner will continue. The Food Hub Pantry and representatives of the food sustainability program were also at the cooking classes, offering pantry staples, snacks, and seasonal fruit and vegetables.
Read more about our Food Security Strategy.
- Log in to post comments