A provincial charity is applauding a recent investment from federal and provincial governments to expand school food programs.

It is $12.4 million over three years to help strengthen breakfast programs and add to any infrastructure needed.

Executive Director of Nourish Nova Scotia, Aimee Gasparetto tells us, they are thrilled with the investment and the money will be used differently at each school, depending.

“Some are working with a household stove. Others are working with more robust kitchen spaces. So, in each region the infrastructure needs are very different.”

Gasparetto says one school might need a complete kitchen renovation, others might need to replace equipment or even add a more modular unit to make food.

“What we do know is that as we develop this program over time, we really need to think about what the long-term vision is. For us, we’re really focused on how food in schools and school food programs can become a vehicle for learning.”

She says this involves really thinking about the spaces that this might require.

What they do

Nourish Nova Scotia supports youth learning about food while working with schools and community partners.

This ranges from community and school gardens to field trips and different programs.

Soon, Gasparetto says, the charity will launch a fund to help get the word out about the impact of food in schools and how fundamental food programs are.

“What we’re engaged in right now is really trying to capture those stories [and] help to build a much broader sort of understanding. Not just of what school food is right now, but where we could really go with it into the future.”

She says, that means they need support from not only the government but the private sector and communities.

Creating a cookbook

Nourish Nova Scotia wanted to come up with a way to celebrate the provincial school lunch program.

Gasparetto says an easy way to do that was to produce something from feedback they have received on meals.

“We sort of had this idea to develop a cookbook that could not only celebrate some of the most loved meals from the school lunch program but also facilitate food literacy for kids at home with their families.”

She adds, it will feature recipes from the school lunch menu, stories from those who share the recipes and benefit from food in school.

So far, it is in the early design stages and will likely be available in the fall.

As for kinks in the school lunch program, Gasparetto says it will take time to get it right.

“Overall considering the enormity of the task at hand, it seems to be going quite well. It’s going to take time to really build to the system that we need to get to.”