Manitoba Healthy Food in Schools: Supporting positive school nutrition environments. Welcome to the Manitoba Healthy Food in Schools website! This website is designed to offer you resources to: promote healthy eating, create a comprehensive school nutrition environment, and guide you through the food and nutrition challenges you may encounter. Research shows students who eat well have improved concentration, academic performance, attendance, self-esteem, behaviour and lifelong health habits.


Comprehensive School Health Comprehensive School Health

Healthy Schools and Manitoba Healthy Food in Schools is rooted in comprehensive school health (CSH), a framework for supporting improvements in students educational outcomes, while addressing school health in a planned, integrated and holistic way.  CSH is not limited to the classroom – it addresses the whole school environment with actions in four interrelated pillars:

  • social and physical environment
  • teaching and learning
  • partnerships and services
  • healthy school policy

Check out the Moving Forward with School Nutrition Guidelines - School Food Environment Checklist to identify areas your school can improve to create a positive school nutrition environment. 


School Nutrition Guidelines and Policies

School Nutrition Guidelines and PoliciesMoving Forward with School Nutrition Guidelines are designed to assist schools as they make plans to improve school nutrition environments in Manitoba one step at a time.  They are divided into six areas of focus where schools often provide food for students. Set one-two achievable goals for your school each year.  

Click here to learn more.



Healthy Choice Fundraising

Fundraising for student programs is a reality today, yet we have a responsibility to ensure healthy eating and active living messages and practices are consistent.
Healthy nutrition teachings are contradicted when foods such as chocolate bars, candies and donuts are sold through school fundraisers.

Check out some of these Healthy Choice Fundraisers.



Manitoba School Nutrition Survey

Evaluation is an important component to the Manitoba Healthy Food in Schools initiative. The Manitoba School Nutrition Surveys were designed to obtain information about present school food-service facilities and arrangements, the types of foods sold in schools, and food-related policies and guidelines currently in place in Manitoba schools.

Click here to read the full reports.


Manitoba School Nutrition Surveys

Teaching nutrition doesn’t have to be an “add on”.  Integrated lesson plans can ensure teaching nutrition also achieves outcomes in a variety of subject areas, e.g. Language Arts, Math, and Science. 

For reliable nutrition information and curriculum supports click here.


Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Programs

Ensuring that children have access to healthy food choices is an important part of a supportive and healthy eating environment in schools.  Students need to eat breakfast and regular meals to feel energized and ready to learn. 

For more about school nutrition programs and grants available in Manitoba click here.


Canteens, Cafeterias, and Vending Machines

Manitoba schools have the opportunity to provide nutritious food options for sale to staff and students – to make the healthy choice the easy choice. 

Click here for tips, recipes, menu ideas and how to incorporate local food into your school canteen, cafeteria or vending machines

Factsheets, Newsletter Inserts, and Information for Families

School Newsletters, Websites and Social Media are important communication tools for parents.  Reinforce the importance of eating well and providing examples such as lunch ideas or recipes.  Post a copy of your school nutrition policy and provide a link to manitoba.ca/healthyschools/foodinschools

Click here to find great ready to use factsheets, newsletter inserts and reliable nutrition information to share with families!