University of arizona celebrats food day fair featured, free healthy foods

University  of Arizona celebrats Food Day Fair featured, free healthy foods to promote healthy, affordable and sustainable food around campus.

"We are celebrating healthy, local and sustainably produced food," said Sarah Marrs, nutrition counselor and UA Food Day Fair coordinator.

"We invited campus groups that fell in line with the priorities of Food Day." "This event highlights some of the student groups that are doing such wonderful things with food," Marrs said.

"It's a great way for students to engage with different campus groups and learn about the different clubs that are related to food that they can get involved with." Marrs gave special thanks to the Healthiest Campus Coalition, the Department of Nutritional Sciences and the students volunteering in the event that made the Food Day Fair possible.

The UA Campus Pantry held a drive for non-perishable food items at the fair.

The UA Campus Pantry provides staple foods at no-cost to the UA's students and staff.

The Body Smart Initiative has a booth at the UA Food Day Fair to promote their message of self-worth and positive body image on campus.

We're teaming up with Food Day to get people to become more aware of what they're eating, "said Alexa Frisch, senior Wildcat and Body Smart interns.

"We're doing an exercise to make you stop and be aware of the emotions that food can bring you, so focusing on if it makes you happy or full rather trying to keep up with calories or body image.

"Veggie Cats is a student vegan and vegetarian club on campus, and gave out free bananas at the fair.

She said Food Day is useful because "It's really important to be conscious of what we're eating and how our food impacts others.

"Nutritional Sciences is involved with teaching students to be professionals who make an impact in increasing food security and promoting nutrition as a method of protection," said Ashlee Linares-Gaffer, professor of practice in nutritional sciences department.

"These are the reasons we are interested in being at Food Day." The UA Food Day Fair was also sponsored by the Healthiest Campus Coalition.

The Healthiest Campus Coalition is a group of departments that promote health and wellness on campus that's goal is "to make the University of Arizona the healthiest campus in the U.S.," according to.