By Alice McFarlane

Improving children’s access to nutritious food while at school

Nov 3, 2022 | 2:58 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – The federal government has launched consultations to develop a policy to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school.

One in five children in Canada are at risk of going to school hungry on any given day. School meal programs can help reduce hunger and food insecurity, improve children’s access to nutritious food, improve academic outcomes and achievement, and help support families by reducing food costs.

Karina Gould, minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, said the recommendations will help government improve children’s access to food. She said too many children at school are trying to learn on empty stomachs, and too many Canadian families are not able to reliably access healthy food.

“We know that a pan-Canadian approach to school food has the potential to improve the overall health of our children as they learn, leading to better futures for them and for Canada. Every child should have access to the healthy food they need to grow and learn,” Gould said.

A pan-Canadian school food policy would consider the diverse realities of children in Canada, their families, and their schools, and it should constructively build on the programs that already exists. Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said it’s important to hear directly from Canadians with diverse perspectives.

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“When we launched the first-ever Food Policy for Canada in 2019, setting up a school food policy was deemed indispensable. Every child, no matter where they live, deserves access to safe and nutritious food to reach their full potential,” Bibeau said.

In addition to roundtable discussions, the federal government will be launching an online questionnaire on its Consulting with Canadians webpage later this month, where all Canadians will be welcome to share their perspectives.

Following these consultations with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders, the policy will guide the expansion of school meal programming, while ensuring a flexible approach that leaves room for local adaptation.

Engagement with Indigenous partners will help ensure that the policy reflects the unique and diverse needs of Indigenous children.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW