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Promoting healthy eating in schools

Promoting Healthy Eating in Schools

Healthy eating contributes to creating a healthier school environment. Healthier students are better prepared to learn. The way nutrition is promoted in the school environment should be consistent with the nutrition information being taught in the classroom, to help shape and inform lifelong healthy eating habits among students.

The benefits of a Healthy School Food Culture are endless.

The following action plan ideas are provided to help with addressing the topic of healthy eating at school. Include a selection of activities from each of the five sections bellow, or brainstorm ideas of your own:

Teaching tools for healthy eating - elementary.
Teaching tools for healthy eating - secondary.
Cross-curricular opportunities
Experiential learning approaches
Non-food rewards for student recognition.
Where possible, avoid using non-nutritious foods as a teaching tool (e.g. jelly beans in math).
Create a school cookbook.

Make classroom celebrations healthier, either without food or with healthy food choices.
Use non-food rewards for student recognition.
Encourage positive role modeling by staff, students and parent volunteers.
Engage school councils and fundraising committees in healthy fundraising initiatives.
Encourage student-led initiatives to promote and improve cafeteria food and the social environment.
Develop nutrition policies for classroom celebrations, fundraising and special events.

There are many ways to engage students in healthy eating initiatives, such as:

Creating and maintaining school/community garden or greenhouse.
School-wide meal programs or Student Nutrition Programs.
School-wide campaigns - World School Milk Day, The Great Big Crunch, etc.
Organizing a theme week during nutrition month (March).
Use of fresh produce for cafeteria or salad/smoothie bar.
Peer-led social justice initiatives about food industry marketing or household food insecurity.
Advocating for water promotion in the school and installation of hydration stations.

Ensure food choices comply with the Ontario School Food & Beverage Policy, PPM 150 and follow Canada's Food Guide whenever food is offered or sold. For example, fundraising and catered lunches (e.g. pizza days), cafeteria food, etc.
Establish guidelines for healthy classroom celebrations and school events.
Offer Student Nutrition Programs that provide safe and healthy breakfasts. snacks and lunches based on Student Nutrition Program nutrition guidelines.
Create a nut-free environment and offer anaphylaxis training to staff to support Sabrina's Law.
Create safe, clean and pleasant eating areas that are peanut/nut safe.
Encourage families to pack litterless lunches to support healthy eating and eco schools initiatives.
Create and maintain a school/community garden or greenhouse. Review the Garden, Grow and Learn resource. (See Additional Resources below.)
Offer and promote a School Milk Program that is accessible and affordable to all students.
Consider using non-food rewards for student recognition.
Offer healthy snacks during provincial testing and exams.
Install hydration stations and allow students to have water bottles on their desks throughout the day.
Consider offering a salad bar or smoothie bar for staff and students.

Engage community partners in the development, planning, and implementation of Healthy Schools initiatives. Check out our Community Partnerships page.
Share BrightBites as a resource with teachers, students and school council for planning and implementing activities and initiatives to improve the school food culture in your school.
Provide parent, student and community education about healthy eating and food safety, e.g. School Lunch Your Kids Will Munch.
Encourage parents and volunteers to take the You're the Chef leader's training to offer food skills program to students- Currently on hold for 2021-2022
Share resources with your students and their families to encourage healthy meal and snack choices at school and at home.
Encourage parents to send in fruit trays and themed veggie trays instead of candy and cupcakes for celebrations, or consider whether food is really necessary to celebrate every event.
Include non-food activities on school fundraising plans. Examples: dance-a-thon, poinsettia or magazine sales, or fundraise with healthy options like oranges or grapefruit or Fresh from the Farm fundraising.
Encourage volunteers to take a certified food handler training certification to support the Student Nutrition Program in the school.
Offer vegetables and fruit with catered lunch days.
Arrange for educational visits to visit local farms, greenhouses, farmers' markets or grocery stores.
Arrange for your school to be a Good Food Box drop/pick up site.
Involve families and local community in school/community gardens/greenhouses.
Partner with local community groups to apply for grants to support healthy eating initiatives.
Partner with local community kitchens or Georgian College hospitality program for food skills opportunities.

Unlockfood.ca - Unlockfood provides a wide range of easy-to-use nutrition information to help make healthier food choices.
BrightBites.ca - BrightBites helps schools to boost student well-being by changing the school food culture - one bite at a time.
Dietitians of Canada - Dietitians of Canada (DC) is the national profession association for dietitians. Access trusted useful tools and science-based information including how to assess lifestyle and eating habits, tips on meal planning, and delicious new recipes to try.
Canada’s Food Guide – This is an online suite of resources that provides general healthy eating recommendations.
Garden, Grow and Learn resource (PDF)
Student Nutrition Program Supplemental Guidance (PDF)
For planning JK/SK school events, refer to:

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Promoting healthy eating in schools

Promoting Healthy Eating in Schools

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