Eating local is a better alternative to a national food program, researcher says
School nutrition programs have suffered due to lack of volunteers and resources during the pandemic
Eating local is a better hedge against food insecurity than school nutrition programs — and it is a growing trend in the north during the pandemic.
That's the reaction of a Sudbury-based economic development specialist in response to a call for a national food program in schools. Christian Howald says school snack and meal programs are haphazard and not sustainable.
"What I think about fundraising to bring food to schools is just a band-aid to keep the kids in a broken system while they don't even know what home economics are," Howald said.
Statistics Canada shows the number of food insecure households has only worsened during COVID-19. School nutrition programs have suffered due to lack of volunteers and resources during the pandemic.
Howald says northerners are increasingly relying on local producers as the food distribution system became less stable during the pandemic, and hopes the momentum keeps going so more children, families and farmers build mutually beneficial relationships.
But the news that school nutrition programs are faltering during the pandemic, is prompting calls for a national food security program.
"This is not something that COVID has caused. It's something that was an issue before that we are now is actually being reinforced," said Sara Kirk, a professor of health promotion form Dalhousie University.
The answer, Kirk says, is a national plan or strategy. But a national strategy will take time.
Howald says local food security is already improving, as northerners turn to local food producers rather than depend on a shaky distribution system.
"All over the place, there's these new support local initiatives happening, so I just hope the families will stick to that that when things open again we're not going to drop local producers like a dirty rag."
Howald says teaching six-year-olds how to garden and raise eggs, and bringing back home economics classes will further strengthen food security — and hopefully make school programs unnecessary.