Meal Types
- Programs offer breakfast or morning meals, lunches and/or snack programs.
- A meal (i.e. breakfast, morning meal and lunch programs) contains at least one serving from a minimum of three out of the four food groups of Canada’s Food Guide with a minimum of one serving of vegetables and/or fruit and one serving or milk or milk alternatives at every meal. A minimum of one serving of grain products or meat or alternative is required at every meal.
- Breakfast programs serve meals to children and youth prior to the start of the school day while morning meal programs offer meals to children and youth after the morning bell.
- A snack contains a minimum of two food groups of Canada’s Food Guide with a minimum of one serving of vegetables and/or fruit at every snack.
A variety of program models exist including, but not limited to:
- “grab ‘n go” programs where food is set up in a central area for students to grab on their way to class
- Bin programs, where nutritious food is delivered to the classroom in a reusable bin
- sit-down meals or snacks, typically served buffet style