AP 167 - Nutritious and Healthy Foods

The Division is committed to encouraging all schools, school committees, Division offices and workplaces to promote, offer, and serve healthy, nutritious food. Further the Division encourages staff to make healthy choices easy for its students and staff and to promote positive nutritious habits.

1.  At the beginning of each school year, schools are encouraged to:

2.  Throughout the school year, schools are encouraged to include practical suggestions for school lunches and snacks in school newsletters, make nutrition/healthy eating promotion evident in the school (e.g. posters, displays), and otherwise distribute information on healthy eating behaviors to parents and students.

3.  Schools are encouraged to utilize the list of “choose most” and “choose sometimes” from Healthy Foods for My School (Saskatchewan Ministry of Health) to guide school nutrition decisions.  This document is tied directly to Canada’s Food Guide (Health Canada) and supports the goals of Nourishing Minds (Saskatchewan Ministry of Education).

4.  Schools providing breakfast, snack, and/or lunch programs are to formulate a written menu plan.  The menu plan shall ensure the portion size/number of servings are appropriate (Canada’s Food Guide, Health Canada), and ensure nutritious foods are served (Healthy Foods for My School, Saskatchewan Ministry of Health & Healthy Eating Guidelines Nourishing Minds).

5.  Schools shall adhere to Public Health Food Safety Standards.  The Division shall support training for those who serve and handle foods in each school.  Principals will ensure that the food provided to students in all situations in each school is acquired, prepared, stored, and served in a safe manner.  This includes but is not limited to following good sanitation and food safety practices, including hand-washing procedures.

6.  Schools shall continue to be diligent in addressing the needs and safety of students and staff with food allergies.

7.  Where food service contracts are in place for a school, the school principal (and/or designated staff member) shall oversee all offerings and assist and supervise the food service contractor to ensure a variety of foods from the “choose most” and “choose sometimes” categories in Healthy Foods for My School are served.  Food service providers shall comply with a principal’s and/or designates request to not serve or stock specific food items, drinks, or snacks.

8.  Schools are encouraged to consider locally grown foods in making food service decisions.

9.  School staff members are encouraged to set an example by refraining from consuming foods and drinks with minimal nutritional value when students are present.

10. Schools are encouraged to plan for healthier snack and/or meal and beverage choices (including catered foods) when hosting meetings, staff meetings, or professional development.  

11.  For the purposes of reflection, schools are encouraged to create a written summary at or near the end of each year, outlining the school’s nutrition procedures, their initial school year goals, and an evaluation of the degree of success within each targeted area of improvement and/or maintenance.  Appendix C from Nourishing Minds is one possible evaluation tool.

12.  Schools are encouraged to establish a Nutrition Committee to facilitate the development and implementation of the above procedures.

13.  Employees of Horizon School Division shall not make beverages of highly questionable value or suitability, such as Energy Drink products, available to students in any Horizon schools.