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What is Food for Us?

Food for Us is an 8 lesson program designed to help teach students in grades 2 and 3 to explore foods and where they come from. Developed by registered dietitians, Food for Us provides teachers with fun, easy to follow lesson plans that meet BC curriculum standards.  

Filled with opportunities for experiential learning, students have fun exploring a variety of foods and food groups while learning where their food comes. Food for Us exposes students to a variety of foods and teaches them how these foods get from the farm, forest, and water to their lunch boxes.

About the program.

Food for Us provides a guided exploration of a variety of foods and different food groupings along with age-appropriate information on where these foods come from and how to talk about food with your class. Taught over an 8 week period or throughout your whole school year, Food for Us includes a teacher guide, food pictures cards, and a class set of student activity books that can be ordered year after year at no cost. With curriculum integration and  extension activities, the program teaches students basic food and nutrition skills through interactive and fun lessons. 

Learning outcomes.

Food for Us is designed to fulfil outcomes in the Physical and Health Education curriculum.  In addition, many activities integrate into cross-curricular subject matters such as Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, Arts Education and Applied Design Skills and Technologies. 

After completing this program, it is expected that students will:

  • Identify a wide variety of foods and where they come from.
  • Demonstrate a willingness to participate in food exploration including looking, touching, smelling, preparing, and tasting.
  • Classify foods into the following three groupings:
    • Vegetables and fruits,
    • Breads, cereals and more
    • Beans, meat, milk and more
Food for Us Curriculum Connections

How to teach the program?

To teach the program and receive the materials, teacher participation in a free-workshop led by a BC Dairy registered dietitian is required.  All program materials are free of charge and can be ordered yearly at no additional cost.

About the workshop.

Participation in the workshop will provide teachers with:

  • Information on the Food for Us program materials and the philosophy behind the program 
  • Background information on food literacy and how to deliver effective, age-appropriate nutrition education for your students 
  • Equip them with strategies to support students with eating competence and developing positive feelings about food and eating 
  • Provide lesson plans and experiential activities to learn about food and where it comes from
  • Links to Canada’s Food Guide and BC Curriculum.

How to take a workshop?

  1. New! Learn at your own pace. Take our online, self-paced workshop at a time and pace that suits your busy schedule.
  2. In-person workshops are available for Pro-D days, by request only.
  3. Organize a zoom workshop with your colleagues, by request only. Minimum group size is 10 teachers.

Once you have completed one of these workshop options, you can order your Food Explorers materials through our BC Dairy Education Hub, free of charge!

Bring food into the classroom

Mini Food Grants

If you’re teaching Food for Us in your classroom, you are eligible for an annual Mini Food Grant. Funded by BC Dairy farmers, Mini Food Grants are intended to support teachers and help them purchase food for enhancing nutrition education efforts in the classroom.

Learn more