Countries are increasingly investing in school food systems to improve child nutrition, health equity, and educational outcomes1. Canada recently introduced a national school food policy, marking a significant shift toward a coordinated school food system aimed at improving child nutrition, health equity, and educational outcomes2 and provides an opportunity to examine implementation challenges and lessons that may inform jurisdictions such as Australia, where school food provision remains fragmented. As countries including Australia3 continue to explore approaches to strengthening school food provision, understanding the facilitators and barriers to implementation is increasingly important. The Feeding Kids, Nourishing Minds (FKNM) initiative mapped Canada's school food environment and examined how physical, economic, sociocultural, and policy factors shape children's access to nutritious food at school.
FKNM employed a multi-method, equity-focused design comprising systematic and rapid reviews, prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and national surveys. School staff, students, caregivers, program coordinators, and policymakers from diverse Canadian contexts participated. Co-designed tools and participatory methods prioritized the perspectives of equity-deserving populations. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data underwent inductive thematic analysis using NVivo to identify implementation challenges, enabling factors, and policy implications.
Most school food programs (63%) reported serving healthy food options daily, with emphasis on fruits, whole grains, dairy, and eggs. However, vegetables were offered less frequently than fruits, plant-based protein foods were underrepresented, and many programs continued to rely on ultra-processed and pre-packaged foods, contributing to sodium and free sugar intakes exceeding recommended levels. Programs demonstrated flexibility in accommodating diverse dietary needs and reducing food waste, yet implementation was constrained by limited infrastructure, funding, staffing capacity, and inconsistent nutrition guidance. Students described school food programs as extending beyond nutrition by supporting food security, emotional wellbeing, social inclusion, and cultural connection. Community partnerships, local food procurement, and culturally responsive programming emerged as key implementation enablers.
Canada's experience demonstrates that national school food policy alone is insufficient without sustained investment in implementation infrastructure, workforce capacity, nutrition standards, and community partnerships. These findings have direct relevance for Australia, where school food provision remains fragmented across jurisdictions despite growing interest in addressing food insecurity, educational equity, and healthy food environments. Lessons from Canada's implementation experience may help inform the development of coordinated, equitable, and sustainable school food policies that are responsive to local communities while supporting children's nutrition, wellbeing, and learning.