City council approves slight loosening of street food rules

Get ready for prepackaged nuts: Toronto city council voted today to approve some changes to street food vending regulations that will allow a whack of new types of food to be sold on the city’s hot dog carts. The selection, however, is not exactly inspiring. Think prepackaged cut fruits and vegetables; bagels with individual serving containers of butter, margarine, peanut butter or jam; prepackaged salads containing only vegetables and/or fruit; prepackaged tabbouleh and pita; soups; pre-cooked veggie burgers; and coffee and tea. The liberalization of food truck rules, meanwhile, will have to wait until at least November, when a staff report is expected. Welcome to the brave new world of Toronto street food! [Toronto Star]