Children learn best when they have enough food and drink to meet their needs. Eating well can help children have the energy they need to learn, grow, play, and take part in daily activities.

Educators can support positive food experiences by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. This can include talking about how food helps us learn, grow, and stay active; modelling positive attitudes toward food; using rewards that do not involve food; and recognizing that eating habits, food choices, and nutritional needs may look different from person to person.

The following resources can be used by educators in the classroom or to support school initiatives. For questions, contact 1-800-265-7293 ext. 7006 or email clientcommunitysupport@wdgpublichealth.ca.

Food Safety at School

School Food Safety provides information to ensure foods are prepared and/or served safely.  

School Programs

You’re the Chef (YTC) is a 6-week food skills program that develops the skills and confidence for students (Grades 5-8) to prepare tasty recipes emphasizing fruits and vegetables. Email ytc@wdgpublichealth.ca for more information or to learn about training opportunities to deliver the program in schools across Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph.

Keep Kids Fed at School is a program that provides breakfast, snack, and lunch programs for students in schools throughout Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph. These socially inclusive student nutrition programs, provide nutritious food to help improve students’ physical and mental well-being.

Recommended Websites

Canada’s Food Guide offers practical information and resources to support eating and food skills. Educators can access nutrition guidance, recipes, tips, and a downloadable copy of Canada’s Food Guide. The Toolkit for Educators includes lesson plans, activities, and teaching tools that help students build food skills, develop positive eating habits, and learn about the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide. These resources can be used to support food and nutrition learning across a variety of classroom settings.

BrightBites is a website for the school community that provides evidence-based information and resources about food, eating, and bodies. Educators can utilize this website to build knowledge, competence, and confidence in creating teaching and learning environments that are grounded in a food neutral and body inclusive approach. There is also additional information and tools that can help create a positive school food environment. BrightBites is available in both English and French.

Food is Science provides educator resources to support learning and teaching about food and food systems for Grades 3-9. Built to support the new food literacy expectations in Ontario’s Science and Technology curriculum. Includes lesson plans, learning videos, readings, and student resources.

Hands on Food is a food literacy curriculum for Grades 4-7 but can be adapted for Grades JK-12. Includes lesson plan and recipes that focus on local food and a sustainable food system.

Ophea's Ideas for Action provides easy-to-use activities on the topics of healthy eating, mental health and physical activity that can be modified for elementary or secondary students and their leaders.

Ontario Edible Education Network provides resources to encourage children and youth to eat, grow, cook, celebrate and learn about local and sustainable food.

The Healthy Respectful Lunchroom is a program for Grades 1-3. Dietitian Gwen engages students about what’s in their lunchboxes, what others bring, being open to different or unfamiliar foods and more. Includes presentations, worksheets and discussion guides.

Ontario Dietitians in Public Health has resources that can be used by educators to nurture healthy eating in students. 

Great Big Crunch is a fun event that brings your school together to celebrate healthy foods and raises awareness about the need for a universal cost-shared healthy school foods program for Canada. This Canada-wide event takes place every March.