After serving more than 3.6 million lunches this year, the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program is making targeted changes to improve meal quality, reduce waste and better match how lunches are prepared and delivered.
New lunches coming to all schools, starting January 16, include pork and vegetarian egg roll bowls, chicken fingers and a gluten-friendly cornbread that can replace other bread options.
"We're continuing to improve the school lunch program by listening to students and families and making practical changes that matter," said Brendan Maguire, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. "New menu options, meals designed for how they're prepared and delivered, and the move toward reusable containers will help more students enjoy nutritious lunches while harnessing Canadian innovation to reduce waste."
To help ensure consistent quality, menus are being tailored to whether lunches are prepared on-site or delivered to schools.
For schools with lunch delivery, meals that transport well, like barbecued chicken drumsticks and glazed meatloaf, will be added. Some existing meals have also been adjusted to have sides that transport better, like whole apples and oranges. New menu items in schools where lunches are made on-site include grilled cheese with tomato soup, and pork quesadillas.
The Province is partnering with Canadian company Friendlier to pilot reusable containers in 34 schools that serve about 26,000 lunches a week. The program will start at the end of February.
The company, with partners in more than 200 locations across Canada, will supply clean containers for lunches and collect used containers for professional cleaning. Containers can be reused up to 100 times and are recycled by Friendlier at the end of their lifecycle.
Quotes:
"We're proud to partner with Nova Scotia to strengthen school food programs that reach more than 104,000 students across 334 schools. These improvements and innovations show how the National School Food Program delivers real results by helping kids access nutritious meals every day and advancing the adoption of sustainable practices."
Anna Gainey, federal Secretary of State for Children and Youth
"Friendlier is proud to partner with the Province of Nova Scotia and Chartwells to pilot reusable packaging for the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program. By making reuse simple and accessible, Friendlier empowers students to eliminate daily packaging waste and build habits that last a lifetime. This initiative marks an important step toward scaling reuse across Nova Scotia."
Jacquie Hanton, co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Friendlier
Quick Facts:
- in the 2024-25 school year, the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program served more than 4.7 million lunches
- for the 2025-26 school year, the program expanded to all schools with middle and junior high school grades
- in 2025-26, the Province is investing about $80 million in the program
- through the Government of Canada's National School Food Program, Nova Scotia is receiving about $12.4 million over three years to enhance and expand school food programs
- Chartwells provides lunches to the 34 schools taking part in the reusable container pilot program
Additional Resources:
- Nova Scotia School Lunch Program: https://nslunch.ca/
- Friendlier: https://www.friendlier.com/
