Nova Scotia·NewNova Scotia’s expanded school lunch program includes a revamped menu and streamlined ordering. It now serves all elementary, middle and junior high schools in the province.Program launched for elementary schools last fall, now includes middle and junior high schoolsCBC News · Posted: Sep 14, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoThe province has introduced roughly 10 new full menu items including, clockwise from left, chicken nuggets with wedges, turkey burger with sweet potato, and chicken souvlaki with rice. (Government of Nova Scotia)Nova Scotia’s expanded school lunch program includes a revamped menu and streamlined ordering this school year.It’s now offered in all elementary, middle and junior high schools in the province after launching last fall in 250 elementary schools.This year the program is serving 334 schools and approximately 104,000 students.Aimee Gasparetto, executive director of Nourish Nova Scotia, an organization that has worked with the province on the program, told CBC Radio’s Information Morning Nova Scotia high schools will be part of a future phase.Gasparetto said feedback from the program’s initial rollout heavily influenced this year’s changes.The province has introduced roughly 10 new full menu items this fall, with potentially 10 more to come later.”Those menu items are things like chicken nuggets and roasted potato wedges, chili, veggie burgers,” Gasparetto said. “So things that were really developed based on feedback from students and from the school community.”All of the meals align with the standards of Nova Scotia’s school food and nutrition policy, she said. All are made from scratch and are not pre-packaged, processed foods.The lunch program, supported by $80 million in government funding this year, is universally accessible with a pay-what-you-can model and confidential payment information.While it provides equitable access to nutritious food at school and may take some pressure off family food budgets, Gasparetto noted it does not solve household food insecurity.”Food insecurity is an income issue,” she said. “The intention of this program [is] in easing economic and time constraints on families.”Looking ahead, Gasparetto hopes the program will be a catalyst for building positive food cultures within schools.This includes continued menu development and exploration of opportunities for food literacy education and strengthened community partnerships, she said.”There’s so much room to grow in those areas.”MORE TOP STORIESWith files from Information Morning Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia’s revamped school lunch menu rolls out to over 100,000 students
