Healthy Eating at HWDSB Just Got Healthier!
HWDSB’s Nutrition Policy begins September, 2010 and is based on the Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and the Ministry of Education’s nutrition guidelines.
About the Policy
The Nutrition Policy guides schools towards offering healthy food choices. The policy promotes healthy eating based on the recommendations from Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and helps students to make nutritious food and beverage choices.
Food and beverages brought from home, purchased during field trips off school property, sold in schools at non-school or Board events, or sold for fundraising activities that occur off school property are exempt from the Nutrition Policy.
Resources:
When does the policy not apply?
The policy does not apply to food and beverages that are:
- Brought from home or off school property
- Purchased during field trips off school property
- Sold in schools at non-school events (e.g. sold by a group that is using a classroom for a non-school-related event)
- Sold for fundraising activities that occur off school property
- Sold in staff rooms
Intended Outcomes
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) schools and worksites foster healthy nutrition environments and implement food practices to support the wellness of students and staff in line with the current edition of Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide.
All schools and worksites comply with provincial legislation relating to nutrition, such as Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) 150 (School Food and Beverage Policy), Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) 135 (Healthy Foods and Beverages in Elementary School Vending Machines), the Healthy Food for Healthy Schools Act and any other pertinent legislation.
School Nutrition Action Committee
Schools will be forming a School Nutrition Action Committee (SNAC). A SNAC’s focus is to encourage healthy eating. HWDSB will also form a central Nutrition Action Steering Committee and work with Public Health’s Healthy Eating Action Teams (HEAT).
Special Event Days
Each school has 10 special event days within a school year. On these days, food and beverages can be sold or served outside the nutritional guidelines found in Appendix A of the Nutrition Policy. School principals bring suggested special event days to the school council and SNAC for their consideration.
Nutrition in the Classroom
When food is to be used as part of an in-class celebration or party, all foods and beverages served must meet the nutrition policy guidelines.
Educational events organized by school staff will serve foods that meet HWDSB’s Nutrition Policy. Such events include Meet the Teacher nights, open houses, and graduations.
Food will not be used as an individual reward for behaviour in the classroom.
Fundraising
Fundraising initiatives may include the sale of food exempt from the guidelines four times per school year and two times per semester. This fundraising will take place outside of school property.
Food Sold in HWDSB Cafeterias
HWDSB will follow the Nutrition Policy’s Sell/Serve Most and Sell/Serve Less program. Foods in the Sell/Serve Most category will be comprised of the healthiest food choices.
At least 80% of all foods offered on school property and at school or board events will be in the Sell/Serve Most category. The Sell/Serve Less category will make up no more than 20% of all food choices.
Foods that contain few or no essential nutrients and/or contain high amounts of fat, sugar, and/or sodium will not be served. This includes beverages of the same nature.
