School Food Programs in Canada - Food Literacy Education Guide
Date
2025-02-28
Authors
Corbin, Lindsay
Foster, Stefanie
Gasparetto, Aimee
Martin, Alicia
Engler-Stringer, Rachel
Ruetz, Amberley
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University of Saskatchewan
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Technical Report
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Abstract
Food literacy is an important component of school food programs (SFPs). Research shows that effective SFPs do not just serve meals and snacks to students, they are also integrated directly into the school curriculum (Hernandez et al., 2018) so that students are regularly engaged in learning about food and building connections between the food they eat at school and the content they learn in the classroom. Food literacy education is a valuable tool for developing practical knowledge and skills, fostering positive relationships with food and enhancing social ties by connecting around food and experiencing diverse food cultures.
Despite food being a tangible, relevant and powerful tool for engaging students, food literacy is an often-neglected component of school food programs. The goal of this “how to” guide is to change that by helping educators and policy makers see the possibilities of food-based learning - planting seeds of inspiration and providing a better understanding of what food literacy is, and how to incorporate it more holistically into the school, the classroom, and the curriculum. This guide will also provide links to dozens of practical resources: food literacy units and lessons, learning and evaluation tools, best-practice recommendations and more.
Description
Keywords
school food, student nutrition, food literacy, elementary education, secondary education, food-based learning, land-based learning, food security
Citation
Corbin, L., Foster, S., Gasparetto, A., Martin, A., Engler-Stringer, R., Ruetz, A. (2025). School Food Programs in Canada: Food Literacy Education Guide. University of Saskatchewan.
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Part Of
School Food How-To Guide 3