Parents of school-aged children have plenty on their plates as they transition back to school routines. For most Canadian families, beyond concerns about school supplies or new experiences, it also means another year of packing lunches—an essential daily task that can feel overwhelming. Children need reliable access to healthy food at school to fuel learning, growth and nutrition needs .
Despite the widely recognized importance of feeding children well on school days, many—including mothers we interviewed for a research study—underestimate the complexity, time, effort and significance of this seemingly mundane daily work . In Canada , where fewer than 10% of kids regularly eat school-provided meals, parents, especially mothers , are left to juggle school lunches , often under major pressure. Social factors affecting health My work with The Public Health and Urban Nutrition research group at University of British Columbia is concerned with understanding the complex social and contextual factors that shape the health of individuals, communities and the environment.
Our team works with community partners, including public health staff and school districts , to understand and improve school food programs. In a recent study I collaborated on with the late sociologist Sinikka Elliott , master's student Seri Niimi-Burch interviewed 14 mothers from a suburban British Columbia school district where a new lunch program was available for purchase, although most students still brou.