Feeding Kids, Nourishing Minds School-based Research Initiative

In 2024, the Government of Canada committed $1 billion over five years to implement a National School Food Policy, aiming to expand access to school food programs for 400,000 children across the country. All provinces and territories have signed on to participate in this initiative.

Prior to this commitment, Canada was the only G7 nation without a national school food program, and there was limited research on the delivery and evaluation of school meals in Canada. To address this gap, President's Choice Children's Charity donated $2 million to the Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition to launch the Feeding Kids, Nourishing Minds (FKNM) School-based Nutrition Research Initiative.

This initiative is a series of studies designed to:

• Provide a comprehensive overview of school meal and snack programs in Canada
• Inform the development and implementation of the National School Food Policy
• Generate evidence-based recommendations and resources for policy-makers, school boards, school and program implementers  

Research activities included landscape policy analyses, systematic reviews, stakeholder consultations, measurement tool development and school food assessments.

Scientists

Publications

• Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the adaptability and resiliency of school food programs across Canada
• Canada-wide survey of school food programs
• Nutrient intakes of Canadian children and adolescents at school by meal and location of food preparation
• Promoting healthy school food environments and nutrition in Canada: A systematic review of interventions, policies and programs
• Grocery and chain restaurant foods and beverages allowed for sale in Ontario schools: An evaluation against Ontario's School Food and Beverage Policy
• Evaluating the nutritional quality of school food programs in Canada compared to national nutrition guidelines
• Exploring perceptions and needs of school food programs among parents and caregivers: A mixed methods study
• From Policy to Plate: Strengthening Implementation of Canada's National School Food Policy
• Toward a national school food program in Canada: Understanding current offerings and characteristics in a sample of schools
• Towards a comprehensive school food environment audit tool in Canada: a systematic review of school food environment measurements and nutrition determinants
• Top food categories contributing to Canadian children's energy and nutrient intakes at school