Teaching about food and nutrition

• Build food skills and curiosity about food. Describe food using the senses. Explore where food comes from, how it gets to our plates, and the different ways it can be prepared and eaten.
• Apply a trauma-informed approach. Offer neutral exposure to food, without pressure. Pressure includes persuading or rewarding student to choose or avoid certain foods “to be healthy”. Students have diverse experiences and home contexts that will impact their food access, preferences, culture, supports, and nutritional needs.
• Talk about all food neutrally. Avoid labeling foods as “good or bad”, “healthy or unhealthy” or “sometimes or everyday” foods. These labels do not help students accept foods and can lead to feelings of guilt or shame.
• Hold off on teaching about nutrition until middle or high school. Abstract concepts such as nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, etc.) are difficult for young learners to understand or apply.
• Talk about food as more than fuel or nutrients. Explore how food provides pleasure and connects to the self, family, history, culture, nature, community and food systems.
• Use the concept of “variety” to teach about food in an inclusive way. There are many different ways to eat that can give us what we need to grow, learn and play.
• Aim to be a positive role model. Show students that you enjoy a variety of foods. Consider how your school can create a supportive food and eating environment.
• Avoid calorie counting activities, food tracking assignments, or talking about weight loss diets. These activities can be unsafe for students and do not support positive eating attitudes and behaviors.
• Support listening and trusting our bodies to eat what we need. Canada’s food guide no longer recommends numbers of serving of food groups. It promotes mindful eating and enjoying a variety of food.
• Promote critical inquiry. Support students to spot diet fads, find reliable sources of nutrition information, critically think about food marketing, and make connections between food and social justice issues.

Learn more

Learn more about the Teach Food First Guiding Principles for practices and age-appropriate food and nutrition guidelines.

Northern Health Population Health dietitian can offer tailored workshops for educators, schools, and school districts on a variety of topics including food literacy, nutrition education and body image. For more information email: PopHthNutrition@Northernhealth.ca

Virtual nutrition education workshops for BC K-12 teachers are also offered by Registered Dietitians at BC Dairy Association (BCDA). Educators who have completed a workshop can apply for a mini food grant to purchase food for their classroom.

• Hands on Food (grades 4-7) - Public Health Association of BC
• Teach Food First (grades K-8) - Healthy Schools BC
• What am I? Food literacy activity (grades K-3) (PDF) - Northern Health and Vancouver Coastal Health

See Feed BC in kindergarten to grade 12 schools for a list of local food literacy resources including BC food posters, slideshows, activities and curriculum resources.

• All about food allergy (grades 4-6) - Food Allergy Canada 

For more information about food allergy prevention and management at school see the school food environments page.

• Teach Food First: Foundational Knowledge document (PDF) - Healthy Schools BC
• Teach Food First: Traditional Foods lessons - Healthy Schools BC

Consider connecting to your school district’s Indigenous Education team for support applying the BC’s First Peoples' Principles of Learning and First Nations Perspective on Health and Wellness in your classroom.

• Being Me, Being Us: Creating a school community where every body belongs (grades 4-7) - Healthy Schools BC
• Beyond images (grades 4-8) - National Eating Disorder Information Center (NEDIC)
• Digital resource library - Ditching diet culture at school

See Embody BC's resources for teachers to learn more about promoting positive image for children and youth.