Bringing nutrition education to life in the classroom.
Every year, BC Dairy farmers fund Mini Food Grants to support teachers using BC Dairy food and nutrition education programs in their classrooms. BC Dairy awards teachers with Mini Food Grants of $150 to purchase food for enhancing nutrition education efforts in the classroom. It’s wonderful to see how teachers find simple, yet creative, ways to inspire students to develop healthier eating habits.
Mini Food Grant eligibility.
Who can apply for a Mini Food Grant?
BC teachers can apply if they have taken a workshop and are teaching the Food Explorers (kindergarten-grade 1), Food for Us (Grades 2-3), Passport to Healthy Living transition lesson plans (Grades 4-7), or BC at the Table (Grades 7-12) programs during the school year.
Do I need to order BC Dairy nutrition materials to be eligible?
Yes, except for BC at the Table and Passport to Healthy Living, all BC Dairy food and nutrition education programs have hard copy materials that aid in the learning process for your students. All materials can be ordered through your online ordering account. If you are unsure if you have an account, or are unsure how to access it, please contact nutrition@bcdairy.ca and we will be happy to help!
“It never ceases to amaze me how many children have never tried different kinds of berries [or] yogurt, …or [have] asked for seconds when we made fruit parfaits and zucchini crisps … The children and I have had a great year of food exploring.”
– KINDERGARTEN CLASS TEACHER, HARRY HOOGE ELEMENTARY IN MAPLE RIDGE
How to Apply for a Mini Food Grant
Apply for the grant by creating or logging into your online account and clicking on the “Forms” tab at the top of the page. Applications are open each year during the month of October. Each classroom will be eligible for one grant per school-year.
What do I need to include in my application?
For each of the programs you must share what foods you plan to bring into the classroom to enhance the lessons from the program All three food categories (Fruits and Vegetables, Grain Products, Protein Foods) along with a dairy product must be included in order to be eligible for the grant.
You must also agree to speak and teach about food in a neutral way that was discussed in the workshop led by BC Dairy registered dietitians and is present in your teacher guides. Remember to avoid food rewards and offer opportunities to taste without pressure. If you want a refresher on the principles for teaching about food and nutrition in the classroom check out the Teach Food First resource by Healthy Schools BC. You can also consult your teacher guide for more information on these principles and for age appropriate activities for exploring foods. If you have any questions feel free to contact us to learn more!
Frequently asked questions.
Can the food be used to help feed hungry children at my school?
Unfortunately, this grant is modest and is intended for educational purposes. It is in no way intended for, or capable of, addressing food security concerns.
How have other teachers used their grants?
Teachers from across BC share their stories with us every year. Here’s a taste.
What happens if my application is not successful?
If your application was complete but you were not successful, we will send you an email explaining why and you will have another opportunity to apply for funding.
For any questions or if you didn’t hear back, please feel free to get in touch with us at nutrition@bcdairy.ca
Who funds Mini Food Grants?
The dairy farmers of BC.
BC’s dairy farmers believe in the importance of supporting food and nutrition education to help BC students learn where food comes from, how to eat well, and develop a positive relationship with food. Each year BC’s dairy farmers provide grants to teachers with the understanding of the importance of hands-on experiential learning and the unique impact of these education experiences for BC’s children.
Apply for a Mini Food Grant this October!
Apply for a grant by creating or logging into your online account and clicking on the “Forms” tab at the top of the page. Applications are open each year during the month of October. Each classroom will be eligible for one grant per school-year.
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