With support from BC’s dairy farmers, our team of registered dietitians have been developing nutrition education resources since the 1970’s. Our focus is on food education and building positive experiences with food for young learners. We truly are committed to supporting the health of our communities with food and nutrition programs that span from early childhood education to secondary classrooms.
Research has shown that the more foods an individual is familiar with, the more varied one’s diet will be. Variety is key to good nutrition. Our team is dedicated to making sure kids are taught about food and nutrition in an age-appropriate way, are supported in learning how to explore a wide variety of foods and learn where their food comes from.
Because we know that hands-on experiences truly make a positive impact in how children learn about food and where food comes from, BC Dairy farmers offer annual Mini Food Grants to support teachers in bringing food into the classroom.
Impact of BC Dairy’s nutrition education programs during the 2023-2024 school year.
taught in over 50 cities
present in over 500 schools and early childhood centres
used by over 500 teachers and early childhood educators
reached over 12,300 students
280 grants worth over $30,000 to support learning in BC classrooms
Food literacy is a term that is increasingly being discussed in education and public health circles. Our team supports young learners on their journey to develop food literacy skills with programs and resources that explore:
Kindergarten to grade 12 curriculum in BC requires teachers to provide nutrition and health education for students in several cross-curricular competencies such as Physical and Health Education and Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies. Through pilot programs, surveys, and one-on-one conversations, teachers have expressed a need for grade-appropriate, curriculum linked health and nutrition content. Our work helps fill gaps for teachers in these areas and address challenges such as limited time, capacity to find resources, and limited training on age-appropriate strategies to teach topics in nutrition.
Our team of registered dietitians work with experts in education, with teachers across BC, and with fellow health professionals to support educators by providing food and nutrition education programming that is free, effective, fun, curriculum linked, and importantly, developmentally appropriate. Learn more about our commitment and approach to education!
BC Dairy’s nutrition education programs for the K-12 years make it easy to teach nutrition using BC’s new curriculum. Teachers everywhere in BC can participate in professional development sessions to get colourful materials and great ideas for making nutrition come alive in the classroom.
Educators—create or access your BC Dairy Education Hub account to reorder program materials, access additional resources and apply for Mini Food Grants.
Check out our free, ready-to-use nutrition education lesson plans for your classroom. We offer fun and interactive lesson plans for all grade levels.
