Background:Children's eating habits are formed at an early age, making childhood a crucial period for introducing novel foods, such as pulse-based food products. Pulse Discovery Toolkit (PDTK) intervention was designed to increase familiarity with pulses and to eventually contribute to the consumption of pulse-based foods among preschool children in childcare centers (CCs). Objective:To determine PDTK's impact on knowledge, acceptability, and consumption of pulse-based foods among preschool children attending CCs, and to assess its feasibility and acceptability by early childhood educators (ECE) and cooks. The nutrient contents and food group servings of pulse-based intervention recipes in the PDTK were also compared with regular CC recipes. Methods:The PDTK intervention was delivered over a 3-month period in 2 CCs in Saskatoon (50 children, 8 staff). The intervention, which integrated taste exposure and nutrition education, consisted of 12 child-friendly weekly lessons, a food service guide for cooks, 15 recipes for pulse-based foods, 4 intervention recipes incorporated in the CC menu, and 4 parent newsletters. Mixed methods were used with pre- and postintervention knowledge tests, plate waste measurement, sensory evaluation, ECE and cook's perspective, and nutrient content comparison of the intervention and control foods from the regular childcare menu to evaluate the intervention's impact. Unlabelled:Improvements in correct identification of chickpeas (2/21 [10%] at preintervention to 7/21 [33%] at postintervention, P=.074), beans (8/21 [38%] to 11/21 [52%], P=.68), and peas (6/21 [27%] to 8/21 [38%], P=.61) were not statistically significant. Children consumed higher amounts of the regular recipes (293.54, SD 27.65; 178.46, SD 24.33) than the intervention recipes (211.56, SD 25.61; 108.83, SD 21.97) at both times, respectively. However, at the end of the intervention, significant differences were only observed in the amount of total food consumption (P=.049) and the protein content (P=.04) when consumption proportion was examined, with both being higher for the control recipes in comparison to the intervention recipes. The majority (92% and 72%) of the children rated the refried bean wrap and lentil smoothie, "yummy," respectively. Most of the intervention recipes have lower energy, fat, and sodium content compared with the regular CC recipes. Findings from ECE semistructured interviews and the lesson plan evaluations revealed that the ECEs reacted favorably to the curriculum. The cooks from the participating CCs did not report any barriers to cooking pulses in their facility. However, the need for modification to make the recipes easier to cook in CCs was noted in our study. Conclusions:With a few modifications to make some of the lessons more age-appropriate and some of the recipes easier to cook, it is feasible to implement the PDTK in CCs in order to promote regular consumption of pulses.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE:Conducted in 2024 at the time of the Government of Canada's announcement about a new National School Food Program (NSFP), this study explores parents' and educators' perspectives on food, funding, and preferred attributes of an NSFP. Using an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) lens, we consider how to create socially just School Food Programs (SFPs). METHODS:We conducted a mixed-methods study in publicly funded primary schools in two urban regions of Ontario, Canada. Parents/caregivers completed an online survey about family socio-demographics and views on SFPs with 267 valid responses. Twenty-seven parents participated in six focus groups and six primary school educators were interviewed. RESULTS:Equitable accessibility, cultural food, and including interest holders and community partners were organizing themes from qualitative findings that were compared to quantitative survey data. Equitable accessibility to SFPs was conceptualized as universally affordable but not necessarily universally free. Accessibility for students with dietary requirements was considered with concerns about logistical challenges. Consideration of cultural food in SFPs encompassed student representation, educational benefits, and challenges for incorporating it. Some parents advocated for the inclusion of key interest holders - students and parents - in planning and implementation along with broader community partners. CONCLUSIONS:Many participants envisioned SFPs that consider universal accessibility, cultural food diversity, and inclusive participation. Embedding EDIA in program design is key to socially just SFPs but questions remain about how to achieve this. We recommend that local level data are collected with interest holder consultation.

Background/Objectives: Foods and beverages consumed during school lunch periods contribute substantially to children's dietary intake; however, Canadian evidence of their nutritional contribution and quality remains limited. This study assessed nutrient content, nutrient density, and contributions to dietary recommendations among Saskatchewan elementary students. Methods: A descriptive quantitative study was conducted among 379 students aged 5-13. Dietary intake during school lunch periods was assessed using a photography-assisted plate waste method. Nutrient content was estimated using standard nutrient databases, nutrient density was evaluated using the Nutrient-Rich Food (NRF) 9.3 Index, and contributions to dietary recommendations were examined. Results: Median lunch energy was 411.4 kcal (IQR: 296.7), and the mean NRF 9.3 score was 292.6 (SD: 130.7). Compared with home-packed and mixed lunches, school-provided lunches contained less energy, carbohydrate, fat, and sugar, while protein was similar across lunch types. Overall, lunches contributed <25% of daily requirements for key nutrients, including fibre, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium. Older students had lower proportional nutrient contributions relative to their higher nutritional requirements. Nutrient density differed by lunch provenance, but not by age or reported gender, with school-provided lunches achieving the highest NRF 9.3 scores. Conclusions: Lunches contributed modestly to daily nutrient requirements, particularly among older students. In this sample, school-provided lunches were associated with higher nutrient density than home-packed lunches, although their absolute contributions to several nutrients remained limited. These findings provide baseline evidence on lunches consumed during school lunch periods among Saskatchewan elementary students and may inform future evaluations of school food systems and policies.

Over the course of 2025, the Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l'alimentation (CFS/RCÉA) Management Team has been working on two important projects: a new podcast, Digesting Food Studies / Concentré d’études sur l’alimentation (DFS/CÉSA), that draws on journal articles and issues, and a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy aimed at addressing the effects of this transformational technology and offering guidance on its use throughout the editorial process.

As Canada is implementing a new national school food program with a long-term vision of every child having access to nutritious food in school, understanding student eating perspectives and food choices in universal programs is paramount. The purpose of this study was to understand how students in two low-income and culturally diverse elementary schools in Saskatoon, Canada, perceived and participated in a 2-year, universal school lunch pilot. This study was part of a larger case study of the Good Food for Learning program. Eleven focus groups with 65 students in grades 5-8 and participatory observation in the schools were conducted. Data analysis followed a reflexive thematic analysis approach Braun V, Clarke V. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qual Res Sport, Exer Health 2019;11:589-97. doi:10.1080/2159676 × .2019.1628806, Braun V, Clarke V. Can I use TA? Should I use TA? Should I not use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and other pattern-based qualitative analytic approaches. Counselling Psychother Res 2020;21:37-47. doi:10.1002/capr.12360) using NVivo 12 Plus. Student perspectives centered around being well-fed at lunch. Students saw participation in the pilot as a matter of personal choice: student decision to participate was encouraged by the pilot's flexible and free design; availability of well-liked food; and the perceived healthiness of the food. Offering culturally diverse and inclusive food was important to students. Mitigating future barriers to student participation in universal lunch programs will require attention to student choice, agency, and diversity, and offering diverse portion sizes, adequate meal lengths, and student-centered infrastructure. School lunch programs that are universal, health promoting, tasty, and free, and offer flexibility and choice to students, may be a socially desirable way to improve student nutrition and wellbeing.

Introduction: School food program (SFP) delivery that uses a sustainable food systems approach has the potential to provide comprehensive health and nutrition benefits for students and communities. SFPs may be best supported through engagement with multiple sectors and partners, including agriculture, health, and education. This study aims to understand the readiness and priorities of partner organizations from across the food system to work towards sustainable SFP development in Saskatchewan (SK). Methods: A cross-sectional outreach and engagement survey was conducted across food system sectors and partners in February 2024 to inform the development of a SFP knowledge mobilization and partnership plan in SK. The survey was distributed to 321 pre-identified organizational partners across 10 food system sectors currently involved in, or with the potential to support, SFPs. Results: The survey had a 31% response rate (n=97/311). Overall, organizations prioritized improving childhood/youth nutrition, health and wellness andproviding nutrition and food-related education for students and staff.. Support for sustainable food systems more broadly, including environmental sustainability and supporting local jobs, food production, cultures, and traditions, were the least selected answers. Funding was also a gap with more than half of organizations(59%) currently supporting SFPs citing lack of funding as a challenge. Moving forward, 60% of organizations want to be informed about SFPs in SK, and 45% want to collaborate and lead towards improvement. Conclusion: The survey highlights the state of partnership support, priorities, and contributions to SK SFPs and helps build a case for increased SFP knowledge sharing, collaboration, funding, and advocacy. Improving the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of SFPs in SK requires additional funding, political leadership, continued engagement with food system organizations for multi-sector collaboration, and strengthening and harmonizing food systems policies and practices. A province-wide, universal, and sustainable SFP, managed in partnership, that respects local cultures, geographies, and concerns, and leaves the specific operations of each program within the control of adequately resourced local governing structures is a desirable step forward.

The Good Food for Learning Population Health Intervention Research Project piloted a universal school lunch program in select Saskatoon elementary schools. Digital photography-assisted weighing (DPAW) was used to conduct plate waste audits to determine student food consumption. DPAW is a novel method, thought to be too labour-intensive to be used in schools. The purpose of the study was to determine the practicalities of using DPAW plate waste audits in elementary schools from research assistants' (RAs') viewpoint. Semi-structured, 30-45-minute virtual interviews were conducted with former RAs and research supervisors involved in data collection during the 2021 and 2023 phases of the Good Food for Learning Project. Ultimately, 11 of 16 prospective participants were interviewed. A hybrid approach of deductive and inductive data coding was used for thematic analysis. We found that although most of the RAs wanted to improve in-person training and coordination with school staff, most reported that they would recommend this method to other researchers carrying out studies under similar settings. This study shows that RAs support the feasibility of DPAW plate waste audits in elementary schools, though some challenges need to be addressed to improve implementation.

The Good Food for Learning universal school lunch program is a two-year population health intervention research study in two elementary schools in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to implement and evaluate a promising model for school food programs (SFPs) in Canada. A survey was administered to understand parent/caregivers’ perceptions of the free, universal school lunch program, participation, and willingness to pay for a future school lunch program (n = 113). A healthy and cost-free lunch were the top two benefits recognized by parents/caregivers. The survey estimated student participation in the program at 77%. For future program planning, universal and cost-free were favoured program aspects to continue. In addition, 68% of parents/caregivers demonstrated a willingness to pay $2.00 per child per lunch. Understanding parental/caregiver expectations and attitudes towards SFPs can inform the planning, decision-making, and sustainability for future models and a national school food policy in Canada.

In this editorial, the Management Team of Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l’alimentation (CFS/RCÉA) looks back across the history of the journal and towards its future. They collectively reflect on the journal’s ethos, its range of publications, and what the future might hold in an effort to promote rigorous scholarship done differently.

This study aims to determine (1) food security (FS) status of Syrian refugees who arrived in Canada under the Government’s 2015 initiative, and (2) whether the province of residence and type of refugee resettlement program are associated with refugees’ FS. In a cross-sectional design, 282 Syrian refugee households resettled in Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan were recruited. The status of FS was determined using the validated Household Food Security Survey Module used by Statistics Canada. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine sociodemographic and geographic predictors of food insecurity (FI). Overall, the rate of household food insecurity (HFI) was high (77.0

This study investigated the early impact of a community-based food intervention, the Good Food Junction (GFJ), a full-service grocery store (September 2012 – January 2016) in a former food desert in Saskatoon, Canada. The hypothesis tested was that frequent shopping at the GFJ improved food security and selected health-related outcomes among shoppers, and the impact was moderated by socioeconomic factors. Longitudinal data were collected from 156 GFJ shoppers, on three occasions: 12-, 18-, and 24-months post-opening. Participants were grouped into three categories based on the frequency of shopping at the GFJ: low, moderate, and high. A generalized estimating equations approach was used for model building; moderating effects were tested. Participants were predominantly female, Indigenous, low-income, and had high school or some post-secondary education. The GFJ use was associated with household food security (OR for high and moderate frequency shoppers reporting less than a high school education were 1.81 and 1.06, respectively), and mental health (OR for high and moderate frequency shoppers reporting high income were 2.82 and 0.87, respectively) exhibiting a dose-response relationship, and indicated that these outcomes were significantly moderated by participants’ socioeconomic factors. Shopping at the GFJ had a positive effect on food security and mental health, but to varying levels for those with low incomes, with less than high school or high school or better levels of education.

Purpose: The Canadian federal government has expressed an intention to work with provinces and territories to develop a national school food program (SFP). This study aimed to explore caregivers’ perception of attributes important to include in a future SFP. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted. Fifteen elementary schools from high, medium, or low median income neighbourhoods in Saskatoon were invited to participate. School principals sent a survey link to students’ caregivers. The 37-item survey included an item with 15 statements asking caregivers to rate the importance of various components of a SFP. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were conducted. Results: A total of 510 caregivers completed the survey (response rate of 52%). The factor analysis indicated four key components of a future SFP: (1) learning opportunities on growing and preparing food, (2) offering healthy food following Canada’s Food Guide, (3) affordability of the meals offered, and (4) cultural adaptability of the meal program. Over 90% of caregivers thought providing healthy meals and ample time to eat meals to be very important. Conclusion: Our results indicate caregivers support multicomponent meal programs that, along with providing nutritious food, help children build healthy habits and sustainable food systems. These findings will help dietitians understand caregivers’ perspectives to inform the design of a national SFP.

In 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread school closures and a consequent pause in school food programs (SFP), stakeholder groups soon found alternate methods for delivering meals and snacks to students. This paper examines the breadth of school food programming in Canada during the pandemic. SFPs collectively offered meals (breakfast was most frequent), food boxes, and gift cards and average weekly distributions were over 10,000 meals. In most cases, the programs provided enough food/coupons to feed multiple or all household members. Almost half the programs received funding from provincial/territorial governments and around two-thirds received charitable contributions.

Afghan refugees are one of the most vulnerable migrant groups in terms of food insecurity status around the world. We aimed to investigate the association between Afghan protracted refugees' food insecurity and its socio– economic determinants in Mashhad, Iran. In a cross– sectional design, information was gathered through face– to– face interviews with 299 Afghan main income earners or his/her representative in Golshar district, Mashhad, Iran. In a quantitative approach, the association of socio– economic factors with food insecurity was assessed. The results showed that less than 1% of all the households were food secure, 69.2% of those with children and 47.5% of those with no child faced severe food insecurity. Class of households' income, residency status and personal dwelling were significantly associated with severe food insecurity of Afghan refugees. Determining effective socio– economic factors to formulate appropriate policies and practices is not only necessary but also inevitable to assure sustainable food security for refugees.