Addressing Food Insecurity in Canada: A Step Towards a Fairer Future

In a country as affluent as Canada, it is still a surprise that food insecurity remains a significant issue, particularly among children. Despite being one of the wealthiest nations globally, many families struggle to provide regular, nutritious meals for their children. This issue not only affects immediate health but also has long-term consequences on educational outcomes and overall well-being. Recognizing this critical link between nutrition and education, the federal government introduced a National School Food Program as part of Budget 2024.

Ruthie Burd, Founder and President of The Lunch Lady

In light of the new program, Foodbuy spoke with Ruthie Burd, Founder and President of The Lunch Lady, to learn more about what the foodservice industry has witnessed while addressing food insecurity. In 1993, the absence of cafeterias in Canadian elementary schools provided Burd an opportunity to assist busy parents by offering a convenient online alternative to packing school lunches. The Lunch Lady has grown through franchising, evolving into a community food provider delivering meals to schools, childcares, camps, seniors, and the greater community. Today, the company’s dedicated franchise partners meet the needs of their own communities in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia.

Burd explains how the federal program will benefit those in need. “Ideally, with a National School Food Policy, aligned provincial school food guidelines and menu standards, local school boards and districts will be able to ensure consistent access to healthy food for all children nationwide.” This didn’t happen overnight and was at least 10 years in the making. Many organizations, large and small, public and private including the Coalition for Healthy School Food, advocated relentlessly for change.

A large piece of the missing puzzle is still education and understanding why a National School Food program is so important. This issue is not just about poverty reduction or calories. Studies report that many children are not receiving adequate nutrition from their daily food intake and consuming too many empty calories and not enough fruits and vegetables, low fat proteins and whole grains. Advocating for healthy food options and understanding nutritional value can start in the home but also needs to be reiterated and supported at school. “There seems to be a lack of understanding about the role school lunch plays and how it fuels learning”, comments Burd.

With an investment of $1 billion spread over five years, the National School Food Program aims to expand meal provisions to an additional 400,000 children annually, supplementing existing school food initiatives across the country. This initiative is poised to alleviate the financial strain on families by potentially saving up to $800 per year in grocery bills for households with two children participating in the program.

Throughout Burd’s experience, she has noted several various reasons why some families have not opted-in these programs as they exist today. She has observed that families may not want to feel like they’re accepting charity and children don’t want to be recognized at school for being on a subsidized program. Additionally, there may be dietary restrictions, whether it be for health or religious reasons. In some cases, it’s as simple as the children just don’t like the food being served.

The new program aims to remove stigmatization and provide all children with the opportunity to participate following a “pay what you can” model. Collaborating with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners, the National School Food Program emphasizes accessibility, flexibility, inclusivity, and sustainability. Introducing the program is a positive step, but Burd believes that tackling food insecurity and introducing a sustainable Universal School Food program requires ongoing collaboration.

In 2018, Burd launched The Lunch Lady Foundation to trial and test new ways of supporting school food environments and then learn from the data. She wanted to use her 30 years of experience serving families who could afford her service to innovate and create programs that would be more equitable.

Burd concludes by saying that food at school is a great place to start but there is more to do.”  Providing food for weekends and summer holidays is still a need, and we can learn from the best models out there. In some communities, for example, there are weekend backpack programs. This is where food producers, especially those who make shelf stable products may be able to partner with community organizations to expand these types of programs.

The Lunch Lady is currently working with school districts to delivery Universal Meal Programs where provinces are providing funding in advance of federal funding and fully appreciates this is a huge undertaking.

Foodbuy is pleased to support Members that give back to our communities like The Lunch Lady as well as work with leading suppliers in our industry. Foodbuy is proud to partner with KraftHeinz, Burnbrae, Maple Leaf, and McCain whose generosity in supporting the battle against food insecurity has and continues to make a difference.