Nova Scotia·NewA Nova Scotia non-profit organization focused on making healthy meals accessible for youth has released a cookbook based on the province’s new school lunch program that faced criticism from parents and students last year.The book follows changes to the province’s lunch program after complaints from parents and studentsJosh Hoffman · CBC News · Posted: Oct 20, 2025 9:47 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoNourish Nova Scotia released What’s for Lunch? on Oct. 19 in Halifax. The book is a collection of recipes for meals in the new Nova Scotia school lunch program. (Josh Hoffman/CBC)A Nova Scotia non-profit organization focused on making healthy meals accessible for youth has released a cookbook based on the province’s new school lunch program that faced criticism from parents and students last year. Nourish Nova Scotia held a launch event in Halifax on Sunday for What’s for Lunch?, which the organization hopes will help improve young people’s relationship with making and eating healthy foods. “It’s really wonderful for kids to understand the processes with which food is made,” said Jenny Osburn of Nourish Nova Scotia, who was co-lead on the project. The recipes, which include beef and bean tacos and chicken shawarma, were chosen based on students’ 10 favourite meals in the school lunch program, she said.Osburn said if students understand what goes into making the meals they’re eating at school, they’ll be able to provide better input as the program continues to grow. “They can start to understand like maybe what changes or swaps they’d like to make,” she said. ‘Always room for adjustments’The Nova Scotia government sought to make improvements to the lunch program after its first year following complaints from some parents and students. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development said it introduced new menu items and more sustainable packaging after listening to feedback. Parents filed hundreds of complaints to the province during the initial year of the program, according to documents CBC News obtained through an access to information request. Nourish Nova Scotia executive director Aimee Gasparetto said she’s happy with the changes the province made. Feedback the organization recently received from students through an initiative that had them take photos of the school meals and share their reactions proved very useful, Gasparetto said. “One thing we noticed was there was no ‘we don’t like any of that.’ There was no ‘we love all of it.’ It was very nuanced feedback,” she said. Nourish Nova Scotia held a book launch event as part of its inaugural Nourish Fest in downtown Halifax on Sunday. Many of the recipes in the cookbook were served to those in attendance. (Josh Hoffman/CBC News)The school lunch program expanded to middle and junior high schools this year after launching last fall in elementary schools. As the program extends to high schools next year, more consultation with students is needed, said Gasparetto.Nova Scotia Education Minister Brendan Maguire said he’s pleased with the changes that were made to the program but his government will continue to look at ways to improve it. “There’s always room for adjustments and the thing about this program is that we got to continue to listen to the children,” he said at the book launch on Sunday. The book costs $25. Nourish Nova Scotia has a sponsor initiative through which people can buy a copy for a family that can’t afford it. Osburn said the organization will also make a digital copy available for free to any family that requests it. Maguire said he would work with schools to make sure every student has access to the cookbook in the classroom or school library.MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORJosh Hoffman is a reporter for CBC Nova Scotia. Josh worked as a local radio reporter all over Canada before moving to Nova Scotia in 2018.
What’s for Lunch? New cookbook for youth is based on N.S. school lunch program menu
