Food and Nutrition
Food Safety and Nutrition in Schools
Lambton Public Health (LPH) supports schools in creating healthy food environments through food safety guidance, nutrition education, and programs that help students build food skills and confidence.
LPH provides food safety education, guidance, and inspections to help schools prepare and serve food safely.
Food Handlers Education
Schools offering food programs that prepare or serve food beyond pre-packaged items must follow appropriate food safety practices.
LPH can support schools by:
- Providing information about food safety training requirements
- Connecting schools with available food handler training opportunities
- Supporting student nutrition programs with food safety information
The Safe Food Handling Training Course for Student Nutrition Programs was developed by the Ministry of Health for volunteers supporting breakfast, morning meal, and lunch programs.
Food Premises Inspections
LPH conducts inspections of school food premises, including:
- School kitchens and cafeterias
- Before- and after-school programs
- Student nutrition programs
Teaching Food and Nutrition
LPH Registered Dietitians support educators by providing evidence-informed classroom resources related to food, nutrition, and positive relationships with food.
Resources available to educators include:
- Teaching Food and Nutrition in the Classroom (English and French)
- Body Image in the Classroom (English and French)
- BrightBites.ca. A free resource created by Ontario Dietitians in Public Health to support educators with curriculum-based resources on supportive food environments and positive relationships with food.
You’re the Chef – In-School Program
You’re the Chef is a hands-on cooking program for students in Grades 5-8 that helps build food skills and confidence through the preparation of recipes that emphasize fruits and vegetables.
The program follows a train-the-trainer model, where members of the school community are trained to lead the program with support from LPH Registered Dietitians.
What Participating Schools Need to Do
- Identify an adult leader from the school or community
- Recruit volunteers to support program delivery
- Obtain parental or guardian consent for participating students
- Support student participation
- Provide an appropriate space with two sinks and a refrigerator for cooking classes
What LPH Provides to participating schools
- You’re the Chef resources and implementation guides (password provided to participating schools)
- Leader training and consultation from an LPH Registered Dietitian
- Evaluation forms and certificates of completion
- Funding opportunities for eligible schools:
- Up to $500 in grant funding for selected schools for year one program start-up costs (e.g., kitchen equipment)
- Up to $250 in funding for selected schools for subsequent program years
Program Costs
Schools should budget approximately:
- Year One: $500–$1,000 for food and equipment, including any funding provided by LPH
- Subsequent Years: $250-$500 for food costs, including any funding provided by LPH
Actual costs will vary depending on the number of participants, available equipment and space, and recipes selected.