Health Resources for Schools
Nutrition & Healthy Eating
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Children and youth who eat nutritious foods have better mental and physical health and are more likely to be successful in school. Schools have an important responsibility to provide students with supportive eating environments, teach nutrition in a positive way, and create hands-on opportunities to learn about and experience food. Learn more about Nurturing Healthy Eaters in Elementary Schools and Secondary Schools to foster life-long healthy eating habits.
Resources for
Nutrition and Healthy Eating
- Take a positive and inclusive approach to teaching about food and eating. Learn more about this food exploration approach at Teach Food First
- Use Canadian resources such as Canada’s Food Guide
- Review Tips for Educators to Teach Nutrition in a Positive Way on BrightBites
- Learn more about Food Neutral classrooms
- Use the lesson plans, and hands-on learning resources on the NEW Food is Science website to meet the grades 3-9 Food Literacy, Science and Technology curriculum expectations
- Use the Paint Your Plate! Vegetable and Fruit Action Guide to teach about vegetables and fruits with curriculum-based lesson plans for grades 1 to 8
- Teach about food and food systems using AgScape classroom programs and resources for grades 3-12
- Visit Connect Ontario or call 811 and speak to a Registered Dietitian to answer student questions about food and nutrition
- Find local food literacy programming, field trips, and resources in the Hamilton Edible Education Guide, 2024.
- Review Nurturing Healthy Eaters in Elementary Schools and/or Nurturing Healthy Eaters in Secondary Schools to understand how the school community can support students become healthy eaters
- Create a school policy where achievement and success are recognized with non-food rewards using ideas from BrightBites It’s An Honour
- Find creative ways for classroom celebrations!
- Look for ways to provide students with hands-on cross-curricula experiences involving food – check out these ideas from Growing Chefs Ontario
- Visit FoodLand Ontario to find ideas and recipes to help students plan a school-wide event to learn about and taste local food
- Encourage students to drink more water using tips in the Water at School Toolkit and experiment with flavoured water
- Support school-wide campaigns and events like the Great Big Crunch or World Milk Day , etc.
- Offer students opportunities to learn food skills using ideas from Bright Bites Cook It Up badge or Six by Sixteen website
- Before using food as part of classroom lessons, be sure to review these Tips for Preparing Food at School and Kitchen Safety Tips
- Make the school cafeteria a safe and pleasant eating space using ideas from Fresh It Up on BrightBites.
- Help everyone enjoy eating at school with these tips for a relaxed and positive experience.
- Share this printable handout with parents/caregivers - School Lunch Your Kids Will Munch
- Consider improving the food offered or sold to students and staff so that it boosts health, celebrates diversity, and promotes food literacy! See the Menu Makeover badge for tips and ideas to get started.
- When preparing and/or serving food at school, be sure to follow basic food safety practices.
- Use the Water at School Toolkit to ensure that students and staff have easy access to clean, fresh water to drink during the school day, and at all school events and celebrations. Order reusable water bottles from the City!
- Use Seeds to Success, Hamilton’s School Garden Toolkit to start a school garden.
- Get support for your student nutrition program from the Hamilton Tastebuds: Student Nutrition Collaborative.
- For information on programs and services that provide food and other support for children and families experiencing food insecurity refer to the Hamilton Food Access Guide
- Browse the badges on BrightBites – a website from Ontario Dietitians in Public Health -- to find fun and evidence-based ideas and resources to help parent councils and school community members improve their local school’s food environment.
- Start or continue a school milk program
- Include non-food initiatives on school fundraising plans. Try a dance-a-thon, poinsettia or magazine sales!
- Fundraise with refillable water bottles through the Hamilton Water Education Program or with fruit and vegetables like oranges and grapefruit or Fresh from the Farm fundraising
- Contact a Public Health Dietitian or Public Health Nurse by emailing [email protected] for help and advice on healthy eating in schools.
Ressources Du Service De Santé Publique En Français
Certains renseignements et certaines ressources du Service de santé publique présentés sur cette page Web pourraient être disponibles en français. Communiquez avec l’infirmière affectée à votre école ou envoyez au courriel à [email protected] pour en savoir plus long sur les ressources et les services offerts en français.
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