Breakfast Club of Canada: A Commitment to Locally Sourced Food

For more than 30 years, Breakfast Club of Canada has delivered on a pledge to making sure children can start their school day with a nutritionally balanced meal. But did you know that providing healthy food is only part of what we do? These days, the role that local producers and processors play in our procurement processes in Quebec is more significant than ever in terms of supporting the local economy and filling breakfast plates with high-quality ingredients.

An important credential

The Club is proud to be recognized by the Aliments du Québec au menu program. The purpose of this program is to acknowledge organizations that prioritize food that is grown and produced in Quebec. For us, this recognition is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to providing children with a nutritious breakfast made with local ingredients.

Locally sourced, locally enjoyed

Since our humble beginnings in 1994, we have forged strong ties with producers, farmers, associations and businesses across Quebec’s agrifood industry. Collaboration has been the key to incorporating local, nutrient-packed and sustainably grown and produced food into our procurement chains. Across the province, Quebec products can be found on children’s plates every morning. These include:

• Apples from Quebec orchards, and locally grown carrots and grape tomatoes, all of which are rich in fibre and vitamins

• Whole wheat bread made from whole grain flour produced in Quebec, and oatmeal made from oats grown in Quebec fields

• Maple syrup, a treasured part of our culinary heritage

• Made-in-Quebec cheese, yogurt and milk, which are excellent sources of protein and calcium.

Each of these foods is an integral part of a delicious, nutritious breakfast as well as a concrete show of support for Quebec farmers and other local food producers.

Looking to the future

Our work is far from over! We are determined to make local purchases an even more central part of our procurement processes to benefit the community and have a positive impact on the environment. We are collaborating with stakeholders throughout the Quebec agrifood ecosystem to explore new opportunities and include even more local products in the breakfasts served to children across the province.

The criteria we use to select these products are clear: we focus on fresh, high-quality and kid-friendly ingredients that are easily available and have a high nutritional value.

Support for local partners to feed Quebec children, today and tomorrow

Opting for locally sourced food isn’t just a matter of freshness and quality. It’s a meaningful way of supporting the provincial economy and agrifood industry.

By using even more Quebec products in our breakfast menus, we will be:

• Supporting local farmers, producers and processors

• Encouraging shorter supply chains, which means a smaller carbon footprint and better traceability

• Providing a nutritionally diverse selection of foods to children and exposing them to a wide range of local flavours and textures.

At Breakfast Club of Canada, we feel strongly that feeding children well involves bringing them the best of what the province has to offer. Thanks to our food partners, we can continue making a difference in their lives, one breakfast at a time.

Together, we have the power to nourish their future.