Between vending machines, donuts at meetings, and fast food days at school, who is hungry for a packed lunch from home?
Having healthy food choices on hand is one way to fight the temptation to make unhealthy choices. But temptation is everywhere and constant easy access to choices that are high in fat, sugar and calories makes healthy eating a challenge for even the most determined people.
If your school or workplace has the right policies in place, making healthy choices can be easy. Talk to the people in charge at school or work to find out what they're doing to make healthier food options more available than unhealthy ones.
For ideas about what schools can do to encourage healthy eating, read the following:
- School food and nutrition recommendations for Ontario Ministry of Education regarding snacks and beverages dispensed by vending machines (link requires PDF reader)
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Stresses the importance of healthy eating in childhood and the need for supportive, healthy eating, school environments. Outlines the link between nutrition and school performance. Reviews the nutritional needs and current eating habits of school age children. Discusses childhood obesity.
Source: Dietitians of Canada
- Recommendations for school food and nutrition for Ontario Ministry of Education (link requires PDF reader)
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Discusses the role of schools in promoting healthy eating. Presents an evaluation of beverages and foods currently available in vending machines located in Ontario elementary schools and offers recommendations for food choices and serving sizes of foods that should be available.
Source: Dietitians of Canada
- Nutrition guidelines: student nutrition program
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Assists nutrition program providers in selecting foods for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to promote healthy eating among students in Ontario. Provides criteria for selecting foods in each of the food groups in Canada's food guide and lists foods that should not be offered.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services
- Nutrition in Saskatchewan schools: policy, practice and needs
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Presents a study that determines the existence of nutrition and food policies in Saskatchewan schools, the factors contributing to or inhibiting the development of policies, and school activities involving nutrition and food. Offers recommendations for promoting healthy eating at school. Link requires PDF reader.
Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan
- Manitoba school nutrition handbook: getting started with guidelines and policies
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Presents guidelines for food that may be sold in, or provided by schools in Manitoba from kindergarten to grade 12. Provides information on how to create a school nutrition policy and gives examples of these policies. Stresses the importance of good nutrition at school. Link requires PDF reader.
Source: Manitoba Healthy Schools
- Guidelines for food and beverage sales in B.C. schools
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Outlines which foods and beverages should be chosen often and which should be chosen less often or are not recommended and provides nutrition criteria for these recommendations. Discusses the implementation of the guidelines in schools. Prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Link requires PDF reader.
Source: British Columbia Ministry of Education
- The school healthy eating toolkit
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Covers school nutrition policies, guidelines and procedures for offering healthy food at school, and fundraising ideas. Offers learning activity ideas and materials, resource suggestions, and recipes. Link requires PDF reader.
Source: PEI Healthy Eating Alliance
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