Student Nutrition Program

About the Student Nutrition Program

The Student Nutrition Program offers school-age children and youth nutritious food through breakfast, lunch, and snack programs.

The goal of the program is to support learning and healthy development. Nutritious food helps kids learn and focus. Research has shown that students have trouble learning when they are hungry at school.

Eligibility

The program is open to all children and youth at each program site across Ontario.

Information on how to contribute or volunteer

Thirteen lead agencies oversee program administration and grants. They support fundraising, build partnerships with program sponsors and work with community partners to support local programs.

Programs are developed by schools and community partners to meet local needs. Program delivery is supported by volunteers, such as parents, teachers, school staff and other community members. Program providers are encouraged to select foods that are grown or produced locally.

Local fundraising is an important part of the Student Nutrition Program. You can contact your local lead agency to find out how to contribute or volunteer with programs in your community.

Local fundraising and volunteering

Local fundraising is an important part of the Student Nutrition Program. Contact your local lead agency to find out how to contribute to, or volunteer with programs in your community.

Donations support the Student Nutrition Program and the First Nations Student Nutrition programs.

First Nations Student Nutrition Program

159 sites across 66 First Nations communities and in 27 urban Indigenous communities offer the First Nations Student Nutrition Program. Nutritious meals and snacks are available for children and youth at each site.

The program is delivered by 42 Indigenous partners through a First Nation-led process. Delivery models can vary depending on the needs, capacity and infrastructure of the program site.

Indigenous partners are responsible for all aspects of the design and delivery of their programs including food sourcing, meal preparation and distribution.

First Nations Student Nutrition Program partners may also incorporate traditional food practices into their programming.

The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres also receives funding for Student Nutrition Programs for children and youth who attend Akwe:go and Wasa-Nabin programs or the Alternative Secondary School Program.

Through the First Nations Student Nutrition Program, children and youth receive 1.4 million nutritious meals and snacks per year.

Find a local lead agency

You can contact your local lead agency to find out how to contribute or volunteer with programs in your community.

Western Ontario

Eastern Ontario

Northern Ontario

Central Ontario

Toronto

Student Nutrition Program guidelines

The Student Nutrition Program guidelines will help model healthy breakfast, lunch and snack foods options for children and youth participating in the program.

Further information can be found in the Student Nutrition Program guidelines.

A PDF version of the Student Nutrition Program guidelines is also available for download.