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Food and Nutrition Resources for Elementary Educators

Educators play an important role in encouraging students to develop a lifelong healthy relationship with food by teaching nutrition in a positive way. Building food skills and familiarity with a variety of foods is one of the best ways that nutrition education can support students to feel positive about eating and learn to enjoy nutritious foods, over time and at their own pace.

Educators should follow the principle “first, do no harm” and ensure that the learning environment is always physically and emotionally safe. Create an atmosphere in which students of all body shapes and sizes, abilities, and backgrounds feel accepted, comfortable, and free from harassment. Be aware of issues such as food insecurity and poverty, food allergies and sensitivities, eating disorders and weight preoccupation and social and cultural practices in order to ensure sensitivity to the topics presented. (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, 2019 - revised (gov.on.ca)
  • You're the Chef (YTC) - A cooking program designed to help youth develop the skills and confidence necessary to prepare healthy and tasty recipes.
  • BrightBites – a comprehensive program to help create a healthy school nutrition environment, one bite at a time.
  • School Food and Beverage Policy – Ministry of Education.
  • Unlockfood.ca –a searchable site of nutrition topics including types of foods, eating patterns and behaviours, chronic disease prevention, food preparation and planning. There is also a section dedicated to School Health.
  • Health Canada:
  • The Good Food Machine – information about how to access a Good Food Machine for your school or classroom.
  • Sustain Ontario Edible Education Network – resources and information to make it easier for people across Ontario to get children and youth eating, growing, cooking, celebrating, and learning about healthy, local and sustainably produced food.
  • Garden, Grow, and Learn resource (PDF) – tips, benefits and curriculum links to keep safe and healthy when gardening at school.
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