Northern Fruit & Vegetable Program

PDF version (206 KB)

*Items subject to change based on product availability and quality.
**If pears arrive too firm, please leave in box at room temperature until ripe.

• View commonly asked questions about school food programs and COVID-19 (238KB, PDF)
• Obtaining a safe food handling certificate is highly recommended for anyone who handles food. The more people who receive this certification, the less likely the food will handled improperly or unsafely. Some schools may be required to have at least one person who is certified under Regulation 493/17 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act (Government of Ontario). Your public health inspector will advise if this requirement applies to your school on their next visit/inspection.
• Upon receiving the vegetable and fruit shipment, ensure you do a product count, inspect the quality of the food and check the best before dates.
• If you think the food delivered might not be safe for consumption, do not serve it (for example, if a product has any foul odours or if a package seal is broken).
• Ensure the refrigerator temperature is at 4°C (40°F) or colder and remove all outer shipping packaging from trays or bags that contain refrigerated product. Place these products immediately in the refrigerator to maintain quality.
• Food items that don’t need to be refrigerated should be stored off the ground.
• All whole vegetables and fruit including those with a peel should be washed under clean cool running water.
• Ensure your school has adequate supplies on hand to properly store, prepare, and distribute the vegetables and fruit safely.
• Educate students to wash their hands properly (PDF, 127KB) before and after eating.
• Review best before dates and use FIFO (First In First Out) rotation for any long shelf products carried over from previous weeks.

• Avoid serving poor quality produce which may result in a negative experience and affect a child’s willingness to try that food in the future.
• Talk positively about vegetables and fruit, especially when offering these foods to the students, and even on days when the program is not offered.
• Children are more likely to eat two halves or four quarter pieces than one whole piece. If time and facilities allow, consider slicing whole items for an enticing snack.
• Children are more likely to eat a disliked vegetable or fruit when they see one of their friends, educators or family members eating it. Be a positive role model! For the more cautious eaters, consider keeping dips on hand to serve with vegetables (an appropriate serving size is about one tablespoon). Some students are more likely to eat vegetables if dips are served with them.
• Encourage students to try the food by taking a small bite, but don’t expect them to eat it right away. It may take 2, 3 or even 10 tries before a child gets used to the taste of a new item. Don’t give up if the child does not like it immediately.

In 2018:

• 91% of students reported that they like to eat fruit
• 68% of students reported that they like to eat vegetables
• 18% of students recorded consuming the recommended number of vegetables and fruit serving from Canada’s Food Guide
• 87% of students were very willing or willing to try new fruit and vegetables that they’d never tried before
• 89% of students enjoyed receiving fruit or vegetables in their classroom two times a week
• Students significantly preferred vegetables that were served in the program than vegetables that weren’t part of the program
• Exposure to fruits and vegetables as in the case of the program may help to increase likeability, acceptance and consumption

Healthy Eating Curriculum Resources

Physical Activity Curriculum Resources

If any concerns arise regarding the quality or condition of the vegetable and fruit shipment, please contact us by emailing nfvp@phsd.ca or calling 705.522.9200, ext. 719.

Please gather the following information when reporting a concern:

• brand/company name
• lot number or bar codes
• best before date on shipping or product packaging
• photo of the product (if possible)