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Food fair aimed at immigrants

Learning to eat local foods will help new residents acclimatize

For new immigrants to Canada, finding food and ingredients from home can be difficult. This Saturday (Sept. 20), they will be given the opportunity to learn about food security and healthy eating in Canada at the third annual Multicultural Food and Health Fair.

“It’s about adapting to the new practices or norms around food in their new country,” said Jennifer Almeida, event coordinator of the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, who is putting on the event.

Almeida, originally from Malaysia, said immigrants often divert from their original diets. The event will feature multicultural vendors set up with food samples and food to buy and eat.

“The main purpose is to promote healthy eating and food security to new immigrants, and for the local people to have a flavour of ethnic food,” said Almeida.

In addition, there will be dance performances from different nationalities, door prizes and a children’s area.

In the fair’s first year, there were 400 to 600 people; last year the number doubled, and Almeida said they are expecting even more people this year.

The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CDI College, 950 Kings Rd.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com