Bringing people together with food

Second community #EatTogether event happening Friday

Islanders are encouraged to eat together this Friday in celebration of the second President’s Choice community #EatTogether event. Last year saw the launch of the campaign aimed to bring Canadians back to the table and make connections over food with friends, family, neighbours and strangers. The public is invited to join store colleagues and community members for free public barbecues on the afternoon of June 22 at Atlantic Superstore in Summerside, Charlottetown, West Royalty and Montague, as well as Your Independent Grocer locations in Kensington, Cornwall and Souris. Voluntary donations collected at the event will go to President’s Choice Children’s Charity in support of local childhood nutrition programs across P.E.I. In recent years, the charity has provided school nutrition grants to schools across the Island as well as Boys and Girls Clubs on P.E.I. “When we sit together at the table, we relax. We are able to share stories, build relationships, learn from each other’s mistakes and triumphs, create bonds and enhance our wellbeing in so many ways,” said Angela Dawson, the in-store registered dietician at the Summerside Superstore. According to a recent survey by President’s Choice, 42 per cent of working Atlantic Canadians eat lunch alone every day at work. This behaviour continues even though we recognize the benefits that arise from eating with colleagues, including improved communication and stronger working relationships with coworkers. Another study by Dalhousie University notes that two-thirds of Canadians eat breakfast alone, most of the time – that jumps to almost nine out of 10 Millennials (86 per cent). And, almost 50 per cent of workers in the Atlantic region eat their lunch at their desk, more than any other region in Canada.