The Nova Scotia School Lunch Program returned this school year and includes all elementary, middle and junior high schools. Updates this year include improved menu options and enhanced ordering.
The program, which started serving 75,000 in 256 schools is now available to over 104,000 students in 334 schools.
Lindsay Corbin, project co-lead for school food with Nourish Nova Scotia and coordinator of the province’s chapter of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, noted the province conducted an extensive evaluation of the program last year, including engaging students. The student engagement piece is important from the Nourish Nova Scotia perspective, noted Corbin, adding they want to see students informing the program.
The lunch menu saw an update with kid-friendly options, with Corbin noting they included chicken nuggets with potato wedges that follows the school food and nutrition policy. She said it’s important to find ways to make healthy food acceptable for young pallets.