Blog Elements - Breakfast Club of Canada

Boucherville, Quebec, March 1, 2024 — As Nutrition Month gets underway, Breakfast Club of Canada would like to stress the importance of providing access to complete, nutritionally balanced food at school. Throughout the month, BCC will be sharing the keys to the success of the menus featured in breakfast programs and the educational support given to the school teams that run them.

Breakfast programs: Lessons in healthy eating

Given the current state of the economy, families are relying more and more on school communities for support in teaching their children about nutrition. Breakfast programs are an opportunity to introduce students to new foods and encourage them to recognize their own hunger and fullness cues. By giving them the tools to control what goes into their bodies, we are empowering them to become their best selves. Having a breakfast program in a school community is a great way to get more vegetables and fruits into children’s diets, and help them discover locally produced foods.

Nutrition guidelines: Information and inspiration

Breakfast Club of Canada is proud to have a Nutrition Committee, the members of which have developed a complete set of nutrition guidelines to guide breakfast programs in providing wholesome, nourishing morning meals. During Nutrition Month, the Club hopes to share its expertise with as many people as possible and raise awareness about why eating healthy is so essential for growing children.

BCC’s nutrition guidelines here.

BCC recipes here.

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For more information about Breakfast Club of Canada or to arrange an interview:

Hermanie Desrosiers, communications@breakfastclubcanada.org

A few years ago, Breakfast Club of Canada created the Nutrition Committee to help guide the decisions made by the organization and breakfast programs across the country about food and nutrition. At the moment, the committee is made up of four of our employees. We asked them to tell us a little more about who they are and what they do.

Who are the members of the Nutrition Committee?

The Nutrition Committee is part of the Programs team. All four members are nutrition experts who bring a host of other essential and complementary skills to the table.

Kirstin Berrington

Programs Coordinator, based in BC.

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in January 2023.

“I have a nutrition degree, and I’m a health educator and yoga instructor. While studying human nutritional sciences at university, I became interested in international nutrition. I received a scholarship to travel to India, where I conducted research and wrote my thesis on the diabetes epidemic. I approach my work from a global health perspective, and I have previous experience working for several non-profits as a nutrition education facilitator. I am now excited to focus my knowledge on supporting healthy food environments in schools across Canada.”

Lauriane Chamberland

Programs Coordinator, based in Quebec.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Université de Montréal, Member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in August 2023.

“As a member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec, I explore the world of nutrition with a particular interest in public health, food insecurity and international nutrition. During my academic journey, I took part in several internships, including two projects aimed at addressing malnutrition and food insecurity in Africa. These experiences not only expanded my knowledge but also deepened my commitment to addressing public health challenges in nutrition. As I embark on my career as a dietitian and programs coordinator, I am proud to be part of the Nutrition Committee. It’s an exciting opportunity to contribute to meaningful initiatives promoting nutrition and well-being within our Canadian school community.”

Catherine D’Amours

Senior Programs Advisor, in charge of the Nutrition Committee, based in Quebec.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Université de Montréal, Graduate Certificate in Management, Université du Québec à Montréal, Member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in January 2020.

“What drives me is the promotion of sustainable food practices and collective initiatives with a social impact. I take a systemic approach to nutrition, encompassing aspects such as mealtime settings, social interactions around food, traditions and food origins. Within the Nutrition Committee, my goal is to contribute to solidifying Breakfast Club of Canada’s position as a leader in the field of school nutrition. More specifically, I hope to create a space for sharing and learning with my fellow committee members so we can establish clear nutritional guidelines based on scientific data and best practices in the field.”

Taelyr Keeley

Programs Coordinator, based in BC.

International Development Degree, working on a Master’s in Sustainable Food Systems.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in January 2023.

“I am interested in all aspects of food justice, food sovereignty, sustainable food systems and human rights. I am a food justice advocate fighting for the right to good food. We can create a more activated, sustainable, equitable and dignified food system through the right to good food. I am also a member of the Vancouver Food Policy Council.”

The members have hands-on experience working closely with school communities to coordinate various initiatives. This gives them unique insight into school food programs and how they are run. Their collective knowledge spans numerous disciplines, including child and community nutrition, food justice, public health and nutrition education.

How does the committee operate?

The Nutrition Committee meets regularly to make ongoing progress on multiple fronts. Nutrition is a science where there are plenty of grey areas, so their professional opinions count for a lot. Their discussions can be very spirited and enlightening, which inevitably makes the resulting decisions and recommendations that much more meaningful and relevant. In addition to supporting the teams within BCC, the committee is delighted to work with other nutrition professionals and organizations.

What is the role of the Nutrition Committee?

They ensure consistency of the messages conveyed by Breakfast Club of Canada in terms of food and nutrition, thus cementing BCC’s position as a leader in the field. They also provide recommendations and offer their expertise and support for BCC’s nutrition-related activities, relying on recent and recognized scientific data, best practices in food and nutrition, and their own expertise.

Among the tasks entrusted to the Nutrition Committee are the following:

Identifying needs with regard to nutrition-related resources and tools, and subsequently developing and updating materials for schools, partners and internal teams in line with these needs
Creating nutrition-related content for newsletters sent to schools in the BCC network
Working with other departments on various food and nutrition projects
Assessing products and menus for the Quebec warehouse and community projects across Canada
Sharing their nutrition-related knowledge with BCC coordinators through training and other channels.

How does the Nutrition Committee provide support to breakfast programs and program coordinators across Canada?

To start, they have produced a set of nutrition guidelines for coordinators and schools alike, which serve as the foundation for all actions and decisions undertaken in this regard.

The Nutrition Committee also works directly with breakfast program coordinators and school teams to develop a wealth of useful resources and activities (tools, recipes, blog posts, virtual open-house events, etc.). Providing nutrition training to program coordinators on a wide range of topics is another aspect of their duties.

What is the committee’s approach to nutrition?

The Nutrition Committee is committed to fostering the well-being of students across the country by providing a positive, nutritious and culturally diverse food experience at schools.

Their approach is rooted in the belief that balanced nutrition is vital to children’s academic achievement, physical health and overall well-being.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Nutrition Month 2024 Breakfast Club of Canada: Committed to feeding young bodies and minds in schools and communities across the country

Nutrition Committee: Expert Nourishing Support

Nutrition Month 2024 Breakfast Club of Canada: Committed to feeding young bodies and minds in schools and communities across the country

Nutrition Committee: Expert Nourishing Support

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Nutrition Month 2024 Breakfast Club of Canada: Committed to feeding young bodies and minds in schools and communities across the country

Breakfast programs: Lessons in healthy eating

Nutrition guidelines: Information and inspiration

Nutrition Committee: Expert Nourishing Support

Who are the members of the Nutrition Committee?

Kirstin Berrington

Lauriane Chamberland

Catherine D’Amours

Taelyr Keeley

How does the committee operate?

What is the role of the Nutrition Committee?

How does the Nutrition Committee provide support to breakfast programs and program coordinators across Canada?

What is the committee’s approach to nutrition?

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