Informed by my time working for the Ontario Student Nutrition Program, my research examines school-based food and local food ‘farm-to-school’ programs. Specifically, my work explores the possibility of these programs to expand the scope and sustainability of local/regional food production via scaled-up programming and sales to elementary and high school-based breakfast, snack and lunch programs.

Nationally, I examine school food models across the country, and the broader movement that is calling for a National School Food Program as Canada is the only G7 country without such a program.

Collectively, my research aims to capture the social and economic return on investment of school food programs to move the dial on health and well-being in Canada while supporting the Canadian economy.