Province touts benefits as school nutrition program rolled out provincewide
EDMONTON – A pilot project to incorporate nutrition programs in schools is being rolled out across the province.
Highlights from the $3.5 million pilot project that took place during the 2016-17 school year were released Monday, Nov. 20. The provincial budget included an additional $10 million to allow every school district in Alberta to take part, with $141,000 for each of the new school divisions and $250,000 to continue the program in the pilot school boards.
Each school board must show it is adhering to the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth, and must include a nutrition education component.
Among those which took part in the pilot was Livingstone Range School Division. W.A. Day School in Fort Macleod and Canyon Elementary in Pincher Creek are serving 225-250 breakfasts, lunches, and snacks each day. Both schools had breakfast programs already, but the goal of the project was to improve the quality, add a weekly high-quality lunch, and make snacks available during the day.