School Nutrition Program

Overview

The school nutrition program currently helps approximately 40,000 students in participating schools get a daily nutritious meal that follows the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth.

The program provides funding  to  school jurisdictions to create, continue, or enhance existing nutrition programs in identified schools.

We encourage school jurisdictions to work with community partners to use supports and resources in their area. These could include the many successful breakfast and lunch programs already in Alberta schools.

Participating school jurisdictions should design a program that consists of one nutritious meal per school day. School authorities can determine what time to offer the meal.

Funding

Alberta’s government is allocating $20 million ($17 million directly to school authorities and $3 million to non-profit organizations through a call for proposals) for the 2022/23 school year to provide students with quality meals.

School Nutrition Pilot

Alberta’s government is reintroducing a pilot program that will provide $3 million in grant funding to non-profit organizations to lead innovative school nutrition projects during the 2022/23 school year. As part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan, non-profit organizations selected through a call for proposals will receive up to $500,000 to collaborate with school jurisdictions to pilot innovative ways to support vulnerable youth and reduce operating costs and the administrative burden on schools while ensuring students receive healthy, balanced meals. Applicants are required to collaborate with at least two school jurisdictions, and must demonstrate this collaboration in their application.

The call for proposals for the School Nutrition Pilot is now closed.

Nutrition education

There are several opportunities to address health, wellness and nutrition in Alberta’s K to 12 curriculum.

New physical education and wellness (K to 6)

Physical education and wellness enables students to learn:

• A lifetime of optimal well-being and physical wellness is supported by prioritizing nutrition and healthy eating.
• Various aspects of well-being to make informed decisions that benefit themselves and their communities.

Current health and life skills (7 to 9)

Health and life skills enables students to:

• make well-informed, healthy choices
• develop behaviours that contribute to the well-being of self and others

In addition, through a Comprehensive School Health approach, Healthy schools encourage students to:

• practice healthy eating
• practice active living
• contribute to positive social environments in their school

Career and Life Management (High school)

Career and Life Management program of studies helps students:

• make good choices in all aspects of their lives, including health and nutrition
• develop behaviours and attitudes that contribute to the well-being and respect of self and others

Career and Technology Studies (High school)

The Health, Recreation and Human Services cluster offers food and nutrition courses.

Nutrition resources and guidelines

• Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth
• Healthy Eating Starts Here

Contact

Connect with Alberta Education for more information about the school nutrition program:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-5394
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]