Photo credits: Foodspring

Ingredients

MAIN INGREDIENTS

2½ cups (625 ml) shredded zucchini, lightly packed

3 cups (750 ml) whole wheat flour

2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) baking soda

½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt

2 large eggs

½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil

½ cup (125 ml) brown sugar

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR SWEET VERSION

2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon

2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract

1 cup (250 ml) mixed sunflower and pumpkin seeds

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR SAVORY VERSION

2 cups (500 ml) shredded cheese (250 g) of choice (e.g., cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Cut the ends of the zucchini, slice lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Grate.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. For the sweet version, add the cinnamon.
4. In a second bowl, mix the eggs, vegetable oil and brown sugar. For the sweet version, add the vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and fold in the shredded zucchini.
5. For the savory version, stir in the cheese. For the sweet version, mix in the seed blend.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Let cool on a wire rack, then slice into 15 equal portions.

Tip: Reserve some zucchini, seeds or cheese to sprinkle on top of the bread for added texture and presentation. Loaf can be frozen for later use.

Nutrition team’s advice: This zucchini bread is a source of whole grains. Pair it with a fruit or vegetable and a source of protein to create a balanced breakfast.

Recipe inspiration: https://dairyfarmersofcanada.ca/en/canadian-goodness/recipes/garden-zucchini-cheese-bread-jalapeno-honey-butter

Photo credits: Anfal Shamsudeen sur Unsplash

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

2 cups (500 ml) whole wheat flour

2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder

1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt

½ tbsp (7.5 ml) ground cinnamon

½ cup (125 ml) pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (optional)

WET INGREDIENTS

3 ripe bananas

2 large eggs

⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil

⅓ cup (80 ml) maple syrup

¼ cup (60 ml) plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.
3. In a second bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Add and mix in all the wet ingredients.
4. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Let cool slightly, slice and serve.

Tip: Reserve some of the seeds to sprinkle on top of the bread for a crunchy texture. Loaf can be frozen for later use.

Nutrition team’s advice: This banana bread is a source of whole grains. Pair it with a fruit or vegetable and a source of protein to create a complete breakfast.

Recipe inspiration: https://stephaniecote.ca/pain-aux-bananes-parfait/

Ingredients  

2 cans (19 oz / 540 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed  

2/3 cup (160 ml) cocoa powder 

2/3 cup (160 ml) milk or unsweetened plant-based beverage 

½ cup (125 ml) maple syrup  

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract 

Directions  

1. Combine the chickpeas, cocoa, milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.  

Tip: Can be served as a dip with fruit or as a spread with whole grain bread or crackers. Be creative!  

Nutrition team’s advice: This hummus is a source of protein. Pair it with a fruit and a source of whole grains to create a balanced breakfast.  

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Gingerbread muffins bring a cozy, holiday-inspired flavour to school breakfast programs year round. With warm spices like cinnamon, ginger and molasses, they offer a nutritious and comforting start to the day. Try the recipe below to add a festive touch to your morning menu! 

Serves: 12 muffins 

Ingredients: 

• 1½ cups (375 ml) whole wheat flour 

• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda 

• 1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon 

• 1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger 

• ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) ground allspice or cloves 

• ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt 

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup 

• ¼ cup (60 ml) blackstrap molasses 

• 1 egg, at room temperature 

• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract 

• ⅓ cup (80 ml) plain Greek yogurt 

• ½ cup (120 ml) milk or plant-based beverage 

• ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin tin with liners and spray the inside lightly with nonstick spray. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Set aside. 

In another bowl, whisk the maple syrup, molasses, egg, vanilla, yogurt, milk and vegetable oil until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  

Divide batter evenly into the muffin liners, filling halfway.  

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/healthy-gingerbread-muffins-video/

In Bienfait, SK, Weldon School is home to a remarkable group of young bakers. The Baking Club is made up of a handful of students from Grades 4 to 8. This energetic crew comes together every couple of weeks to whip up delectable dishes for their fellow classmates. 

An important part of the Baking Club is their dedication to contributing to the school breakfast program. They regularly bake items that can be served to their peers, ensuring a hearty and enjoyable start to the day. 

Some of the favourite menu items are pancake bites, homemade granola for yogurt parfaits and enticing fruit kabobs. 

Guiding these aspiring chefs is the devoted Baking Club teacher, Melanie Brandow, who teaches essential kitchen skills that will accompany these students throughout their lives. From prepping to following the recipe to cleaning up  – including washing, drying and putting away dishes – these young bakers master it all.  

The true highlight for Baking Club members is when they serve breakfast to their fellow classmates once a month. It’s a moment of pride and joy, as they share their baked goods with their peers. Their dedication to the Baking Club not only nurtures their culinary talents but also fosters a strong sense of community among the students at Weldon School. 

(Student bakers Kylee McKnight, Bryton Stovin, Devyn Hermann and Arianna Hodgson)  

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The Spaniards discovered the potato in the middle of the 16th century, thanks to the Incas, and brought it back with them to Europe on board their ships. Today, potatoes are everywhere in the world, and cooking without this tuber — especially around the holiday season — is unthinkable! Potatoes are a great option for school breakfast programs and can be used in many ways. Has your program added latkes to your menu rotation? 

Latkes are a simple and delicious dish served around the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Latkes became a Hanukkah staple as the nutritious and easy-to-grow potato conquered Europe. Their popularity spread to North America with the immigration of Eastern European Jewish families.

Where to include students: Latkes are made from shredded potatoes and onions. Our recipe uses a food processor, but you can always have students try shredding potatoes with a grater. If you have older students (and enough support!), students can also try cooking the latkes in the pan. 

Latkes Recipe

You can dive deeper into the history of Latkes, here.

Muir Lake School in Stony Plain, Alberta, is one of 22 schools within Parkland School Division. They know from experience that healthy students are better learners, which is why they use a comprehensive approach to foster student well-being. This approach includes promoting universal access to food, and it takes a whole school and community to make it happen! 

When Breakfast Club of Canada coordinator Carmen Siu visited Muir Lake School, she was thrilled to learn how many volunteers are involved in the success of the breakfast program. Initially spearheaded in 2022–2023 by Jodi Marcinew, the school’s head secretary, the program quickly gained traction. Jodi did it all in those first days, but it became clear almost immediately that additional support was required to reach even more students. To meet this need, Jodi rallied volunteers through the school newsletter. What started as a small endeavour rapidly grew into a community effort, with parents finding fulfilment in contributing before work, and students bonding over shared mornings. 

The program is structured around a breakfast captain, student volunteer coordinator and parent volunteer coordinator, who ensure that everything operates smoothly and sustainably. They have simplified menus, embraced online scheduling and created a parent WhatsApp group for communication. With these tools in place, the program is flourishing, offering consistency and ease of participation. 

Student involvement is also key. Muir Lake ensures a steady presence of student volunteers through careful planning. Both they and the parents who help are acknowledged for their efforts on a regular basis. Treat days, reference letters and certificates are just some of the ways used to keep almost 30 students engaged and reinforce the value of their contributions. 

Beyond providing nourishment, Muir Lake’s breakfast program fosters a sense of community. Each morning, students gather to share food, laughter and friendship, setting a positive tone for the day ahead. Perseverance and community support has made this program an integral part of the school community and a place where everyone feels welcome.  

Great job and thank you for welcoming us into your school! 

Want more ideas on how to engage students in your program? Check out our Student Volunteers Toolkit!

A nutritious breakfast is crucial for the overall well-being of students, and breakfast programs are a great opportunity to encourage vegetable consumption. One innovative breakfast coordinator took that idea to the next level, with a game that engages the senses. An approach like this not only encourages students to try new vegetables, but it also makes the process an enjoyable one.   

Realizing the need to make a large donation of spinach more appealing to students, the breakfast coordinator at Ruth Betts Community School in Flin Flon, Manitoba, devised a unique game. They baked a batch of bright green spinach muffins and sealed them in paper bags before handing them out to students. Instead of simply serving the muffins, they turned the experience into an interactive and exciting activity. 

With their eyes closed, students were given the opportunity to explore the muffins using their other senses. They touched, smelled and tasted the muffins, and were told to guess what they were made of. Finally, when they opened their eyes to see the colour, they were asked to figure out what made the muffins turn green. Their sleuthing eventually revealed that it was spinach, a discovery that was met with surprise and enthusiasm. Many students who might have been hesitant to try spinach before were excitedly enjoying it as part of their breakfast. 

The positive feedback from students confirmed the success of the spinach muffin game. Not only did they have fun, but they also found a new appreciation for a nutrient-rich vegetable.  

Activities like these have the potential to foster lifelong healthy eating habits. By associating vegetables with positive experiences, students are more likely to choose them willingly in the future. This approach goes beyond simply getting children to eat their vegetables; it instils a positive attitude toward nutritious foods. 

Discover our delicious spinach morning muffins recipe here: https://www.breakfastclubcanada.org/schools-corner/blog/spinach-morning-muffins

Start your day off right with these spinach muffins, perfect for a nutritious and tasty breakfast. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by their subtle sweetness and vibrant colour. 

Serves: 12 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 35 mins  

Ingredients  

DRY INGREDIENTS  

2 cups (500 ml) whole-wheat flour  

¼ cup (60 ml) brown sugar 

½ tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon  

2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder  

½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda  

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt 

WET INGREDIENTS  

¾ cup (180 ml) milk or plant-based beverage of your choice 

½ cup (125 ml) applesauce  

1 large banana  

6 oz (170 g) baby spinach (about 5 cups/1.25 L) 

¼ cup (60 ml) vanilla Greek yogurt  

2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil  

1 large egg  

1½ tsp (7.5 ml) vanilla extract  

Directions  

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C), and oil a muffin pan. 
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 
3. Blend the wet ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.
4. Pour into the dry ingredient bowl, and fold together gently until just combined. 
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the top of the muffins are firm to the touch. 
6. Cool most or all of the way before serving.

Here’s a delicious Indian beverage for you to enjoy. Simply blend mango chunks, plain yogurt and a pinch of cardamom for a creamy and fragrant drink, perfect for a hot summer day. 

Ingredients 

• 1½ c. (375 ml) mango cubes (fresh mango, peeled and chopped or frozen mango cubes) or 1 c. (250 ml) canned mango pulp  

• 1 c. (250 ml) plain yogurt  

• 1 pinch of cardamom powder  

• ½ c. (125 ml) cold milk or water to adjust consistency  

• Saffron and pistachios for garnish (optional)  

Preparation 

1. Add mango, yogurt and cardamom to a blender, and blend until smooth. 

1. Adjust the consistency to your taste by adding milk or water. 

1. Pour into serving glasses, and garnish with saffron and/or pistachios if desired.