Welcome to Teach Food First: An Educator’s Toolkit for Exploring Canada’s Food Guide with K-8 students.
This toolkit was developed by the Ministry of Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control in partnership with public health dietitians, BC teachers, and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.
It is exciting to see so many educators interested in teaching about food, nutrition and Canada’s food guide in the classroom! We also recognize that finding relevant resources and navigating the often complex world of food and nutrition can be challenging. We hope that this toolkit makes it easier (and more enjoyable!) for educators to explore this subject area with students.
“Teach food first” focuses on using a food exploration approach to nutrition education that has been linked with long-term, positive eating attitudes and behaviors. This toolkit supports educators with best-practice approaches, resources, and lessons that:
- Connect with Canada’s food guide and British Columbia Curriculum
- Are grade-specific and age-appropriate
- Consider equity and cultural inclusivity
Watch this short video to learn more about teach food first and what it means to develop a positive relationship with food.
Pour en apprendre plus sur Teach Food First et ce que ça veut dire de développer une relation positive avec la nourriture, regardez cette courte vidéo
Tips and strategies to cultivate positive food experiences for students. Jump to PART 1 to see more.
Links to ready-to-use lesson plan activities and resources to help students explore Canada’s food guide messages in a meaningful and engaging way. Jump to PART 2 to see more.
Answers to common questions from educators about Canada’s food guide, related teaching tips and additional resources. Jump to PART 3 to see more.
About Canada’s food guide: Canada’s food guide is an online suite of tools created by Health Canada. The food guide provides the general Canadian population with dietary recommendations to promote healthy eating and overall nutritional well-being. It is also used to guide provincial nutrition policy, programs and resources, and menu planning and food selection in schools, daycares, hospitals and long-term care facilities.