Elgin St. Thomas Public Health is committed to assisting educators to incorporate healthy eating and active living into the classroom setting, as well as help your school create a healthy nutrition environment.
Students need wholesome, tasty food and enjoyable eating experiences, but improving school nutrition can be challenging.
BrightBites® is a non-profit project that breaks this challenge down into fun, easy badges.
Entire schools (elementary and secondary) or individual classes/groups can sign up as teams. By earning badges, teams rise up in the BrightBites® Hall of Fame and receive recognition on social media.
Teachers and other school leaders can use free BrightBites® resources to guide their teams every step of the way. BrightBites® is a fun way to boost student wellness — one bite at a time.
The Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) has great resources for the school setting . This online resource is designed to support your entire school community in addressing healthy eating and active living. You will find curriculum connected lessons, school nutrition checklists, interactive tools and templates, and printer-friendly resources.- Teach Nutrition Ontario provides curriculum connected programs and resources for K-12, and offers teacher workshops facilitated by Registered Dietitians. Go to this site’s Clinics, Classes and Events for the next teacher workshop hosted by Elgin St. Thomas Public Health.
- Go to BrightBites® for curriculum connected resources.
Well nourished children are better able to pay attention and learn in school, so fueling their days with healthy food choices is important. For information on a variety of school nutrition topics (from peanut free lunches to the importance of breakfast for learning) EatRight Ontario can help.
Move over chocolate bar fundraisers! For a fresh and healthy take on school fundraising using Ontario fruits and vegetables, enroll with Fresh from the Farm .
This fundraiser supports a healthy nutrition environment and student leadership by:
- Teaching students about food, nutrition and agriculture
- Supporting local Ontario farmers
- Engaging students to execute fundraising campaigns
- Contributing to the promotion of healthy eating habits for kids, their families and their community
Learn more about the NutriSTEP® program here.
The Ministry of Education’s School Food and Beverage Policy requires that all food and beverages offered for sale in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary and secondary schools for school purposes comply with the requirements set out in the policy, including nutrition standards.
Learn more about downloadable tools that help support the policy in The School Food and Beverage Policy (PDF). Find out how the policy affects:
- Classroom rewards
- Catered lunches
- School fundraising
- Classroom celebrations
ESTPH School PHN’s and RD’s have been fully trained on the policy, so if you have any questions about interpreting it, please contact us.
All publicly funded schools in Elgin County are very lucky to have Student Nutrition Programs.
The vision of Ontario Student Nutrition Programs is to ‘ensure that every student in Ontario has equal access to nutritious food as a means to support their physical, social and academic development.’
These meal and/or snack programs are for every student to access, regardless of the reason they may need something to eat while at school (from missing the bus to not 
having enough food in the home to pack a lunch). Learn more about how Student Nutrition Programs may benefit your students or find your local Student Nutrition Program coordinator at https://www.osnp.ca/
No matter what subject you teach, you may have the greatest influence on a child’s health of any adult outside of the home. What you say and do as it relates to healthy eating and healthy growth can have lasting impressions.
‘A Tool for Every Teacher’ addresses frequently asked questions about role modelling and teaching to positively impact your students, and looks into the following topics: media literacy; healthy eating; physical activity; healthy weights; healthy body image; and eating disorders.
If you do suspect an eating disorder in one of your students, please consult your School PHN for help and direction.
‘You’re the Chef’ is a cooking program designed to help develop the skills and confidence necessary for youth to prepare healthy and tasty recipes emphasizing vegetables and fruits. Consider becoming a trained volunteer and lead a cooking series in your school!
