A Health Promoting Approach to

School Food and Nutrition Programs

Nourish breakfast programs help increase opportunities for children and youth in Nova Scotia to access a healthy breakfast daily.

A healthy, balanced breakfast meal contributes to health & learning by:

Development of life-long healthy eating habits

Affords opportunity for students to reach their potential in the classroom

Providing ~ 25% of daily nutrition needs

At Nourish we believe that if you teach kids to eat “real food” early on they will be great eaters throughout life, and that

good food = good thinking. …………………………………………

Our motivation is simple:

children who eat well-balanced and healthy meals have better

health and education outcomes

Nourish is the largest funder of Breakfast Programs in Nova Scotia

The Government of NS (DHW/DoEECD) is our sustaining partner

We are a local “Made-in-Nova Scotia” grassroots organization created by breakfast program stakeholders to support the health & learning of Nova Scotia’s children & youth

Nourish—a named action in Thrive!

366 Breakfast Programs

4.4 Million Breakfasts Meals!

1 Goal

To support the health & learning of Nova Scotia

children and youth(2013-2014 school year)

Workshops with schools & school boards

Provincial platform for

sharing & learning

Fundraise provincially to grow programs

Sustainable source of core funding

Leadership for Nutrition Program Development

Website resourcesto support programs

Volunteer recognition

Advocacy

What we Offer

The Health Promoting benefits

of breakfast programs

As shared by schools…

It provides our students with a safe environment to join their peers in the morning to start their day off on a positive note while enjoying a balanced breakfast. The office has received fewer discipline referrals during this time period. The students who participate in the program appear to be fueled and alert for

the time period leading up to recess then lunch. It has been an asset not only to the students

but the entire school body.

VP Elementary School

“Being able to feed our students breakfast has changed the entire dynamics of our school.

Our students work better and we see a decrease in discipline issues.”

Elementary Principal

Student Leadership Opportunities

“The Breakfast Program has had a significant impact on our school community. 40 students

who were chronic late arrivals are now attending school on time and on a regular basis. The

students are starting off their day happy and feeling part of the school community. I can't

imagine our school day not starting off with the Breakfast Program. The way it has engaged

parents, volunteers and students is fantastic.”

Elementary Principal

It goes without saying that hungry children don’t learn well.

Therefore having the option to have breakfast is immeasurable in terms of their wellbeing.

Principal, Consolidated School

Community development; bringing new people and ideas into the school

“Our breakfast program is one more way in which our school says “Welcome, we want you here”. Through this and other programs, the

school community reaches out to provide a warm and caring environment that fosters the

growth and development of our adolescents academically, physically and socially.”

Junior High Guidance Counselor

Breakfast as a springboard for conversations about

food and health

The breakfast program positively impacts our students. We have many students who are the

bus very early in the morning and providing them with a breakfast once they arrive at the school helps them to be better prepared for the day. We see some of our students who

can focus much better and it also helps improve mood and behavior.

Principal, P-8 School

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