Co-creating an inclusive and caring national school food program in Canada Community Engaged Research uri icon

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abstract

  • Universally accessible elementary school food programs are opportunities to provide all children attending publicly funded schools with healthy food. Beyond responding to the immediate need for food support, such programs can promote food literacy, improve the nutritional quality of school food, teach children about cultural diversity, support local food producers, and promote the role of local food in connection to agriculture and the environment. Canada is the only G7 country and one of the only members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development without a nationally harmonized school food program. In 2022, however, the federal government stated its commitment to developing a National School Food Policy that would explore ways to provide more students with healthy school food. The time is therefore right to begin envisioning what a national school food program could look like and what principles it should incorporate.