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.

Changes due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

Due to COVID-19, we are making changes to help ensure the program continues to be available to meet family needs during school closures and throughout the summer.

The program is adapting to include new approaches, such as:

• providing grocery gift cards or farm vouchers
• offering food boxes, meal kits or frozen meals
• partnering with food banks

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

Eligibility

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

Information on how to contribute or volunteer

Fourteen 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.

First Nations Student Nutrition Program

The First Nations Student Nutrition Program helps provide children and youth with access to nutritious meals and snacks at 120 sites across 63 First Nations. The program is delivered through a First Nations-led process.

For more information about the First Nations Student Nutrition Program, you can contact a representative from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services by emailing firstnationssnp@ontario.ca.
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.

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 to 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.