As is the case with most students, myself included, spending money on food is one of the most annoying expenses we encounter while living alone. One never truly appreciates their parent’s bountiful cupboards until they’re left with only a can of tuna and a slice of bread to eat for dinner.
Having lived in Ottawa on my own for three years now, I’ve found the key to snacking on a low budget: free food samples. So, if you’re like me and love nothing more than a tasty snack at a great price (free!), here’s your guide to the best places to get free samples in Canada’s capital.
Whole Foods: Typically known for its over-priced groceries no student could ever dream of affording, Whole Foods’s free samples is a poor student’s heaven. But there’s a trick to eating free samples at Whole Foods—get there early! If you show up looking for samples at five in the afternoon when everyone’s grocery shopping, you can forget about it. Aim to go before or around noon. On one of my free sample adventures at Whole Foods, I had sweet potatoes, roast beef and rice, and it didn’t cost me anything. Because there are so many free samples, here’s a list of my personal favourites (this stuff flies off the shelf so get there early . . . seriously):
- Guacamole and tortilla chips (yum).
- A variety of fruit, breads and cheese.
- Mini scones!!!
Main Street Farmers’ Market: One afternoon while walking around Centretown, I stumbled upon the farmer’s market, and what a discovery that was. You can eat a full meal of the freshest free samples and not spend a dime. The only downfall of this free sample hotspot is that the market only runs on Saturdays from late spring to fall, but it’s worth it, I promise. Here’s a list of some of the market’s best samples, and keep in mind that EVERYTHING is homemade and local:
- Buttery biscuits and jam. These are some killer biscuits.
- Apple cider—what more can I say?
- Vegetarian dips and tortilla chips, for all you vegetarians out there.
- Samples of maple butter. Yes, this is a thing and it’s sooooo good!
Kettleman’s Bagel Company: Everyone in Ottawa has at one point or another had a delicious bagel with cream cheese or some kind of sandwich from here. If you haven’t, that changes now. Free samples here are great and give you the full Kettleman’s experience in a bite-sized portion. Bagels are cut up into generous chunks and accompanied by varying types of cream cheese. Flavours depend on what’s available. One day, you might have a blueberry bagel with plain cream cheese, the next you could have a multigrain bagel with hot pepper spread.
Those are just a few of my favourite places to get free samples, but if you’re looking for more, I recommend:
- David’s Tea for their tea of the day
- Lindt Chocolate for a sample of their melt-in-your-mouth chocolates
- Crust and Crate for a slice of pizza (this only happens occasionally so keep your eyes peeled!)
- Wine Rack for a lil sum’ sum’ to get you ready for your night out.
Hunting for free samples can be awkward – I’m constantly asking myself, “Do they care that I’m not spending money and eating all their food???” But, I say forget about it! People put out free samples for a reason, and as a student who doesn’t like spending money on food, why not take advantage of these great opportunities? Clearly, I already have.
