School Nutrition Program

Overview

The school nutrition program 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 directly to public, separate and Francophone school authorities to create, continue, or enhance existing nutrition programs in identified schools.

We encourage school authorities 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 authorities 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 provided $3 million in additional funding to 9 non-profits in the 2019-20 school year to provide additional food assistance for students and families in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s in addition to $15.5 million provided directly to school authorities.

The government allocated $16 million annually for the school nutrition program for the 2020-21 and the 2021-22 school years.

Nutrition education

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

Healthy schools

Healthy schools encourage students to:

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

Health and life skills (K 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
• respond to the opportunities and expectations in the world of work

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: 780-427-9296
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]