Nutrition Committee: Expert Nourishing Support

A few years ago, Breakfast Club of Canada created the Nutrition Committee to help guide the decisions made by the organization and breakfast programs across the country about food and nutrition. At the moment, the committee is made up of four of our employees. We asked them to tell us a little more about who they are and what they do.

Who are the members of the Nutrition Committee?

The Nutrition Committee is part of the Programs team. All four members are nutrition experts who bring a host of other essential and complementary skills to the table.

Kirstin Berrington

Programs Coordinator, based in BC.

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in January 2023.

“I have a nutrition degree, and I’m a health educator and yoga instructor. While studying human nutritional sciences at university, I became interested in international nutrition. I received a scholarship to travel to India, where I conducted research and wrote my thesis on the diabetes epidemic. I approach my work from a global health perspective, and I have previous experience working for several non-profits as a nutrition education facilitator. I am now excited to focus my knowledge on supporting healthy food environments in schools across Canada.”

Lauriane Chamberland

Programs Coordinator, based in Quebec.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Université de Montréal, Member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in August 2023.

“As a member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec, I explore the world of nutrition with a particular interest in public health, food insecurity and international nutrition. During my academic journey, I took part in several internships, including two projects aimed at addressing malnutrition and food insecurity in Africa. These experiences not only expanded my knowledge but also deepened my commitment to addressing public health challenges in nutrition. As I embark on my career as a dietitian and programs coordinator, I am proud to be part of the Nutrition Committee. It’s an exciting opportunity to contribute to meaningful initiatives promoting nutrition and well-being within our Canadian school community.”

Catherine D’Amours

Senior Programs Advisor, in charge of the Nutrition Committee, based in Quebec.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition, Université de Montréal, Graduate Certificate in Management, Université du Québec à Montréal, Member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in January 2020.

“What drives me is the promotion of sustainable food practices and collective initiatives with a social impact. I take a systemic approach to nutrition, encompassing aspects such as mealtime settings, social interactions around food, traditions and food origins. Within the Nutrition Committee, my goal is to contribute to solidifying Breakfast Club of Canada’s position as a leader in the field of school nutrition. More specifically, I hope to create a space for sharing and learning with my fellow committee members so we can establish clear nutritional guidelines based on scientific data and best practices in the field.”

Taelyr Keeley

Programs Coordinator, based in BC.

International Development Degree, working on a Master’s in Sustainable Food Systems.

Joined the Nutrition Committee in January 2023.

“I am interested in all aspects of food justice, food sovereignty, sustainable food systems and human rights. I am a food justice advocate fighting for the right to good food. We can create a more activated, sustainable, equitable and dignified food system through the right to good food. I am also a member of the Vancouver Food Policy Council.”

The members have hands-on experience working closely with school communities to coordinate various initiatives. This gives them unique insight into school food programs and how they are run. Their collective knowledge spans numerous disciplines, including child and community nutrition, food justice, public health and nutrition education.

How does the committee operate?

The Nutrition Committee meets regularly to make ongoing progress on multiple fronts. Nutrition is a science where there are plenty of grey areas, so their professional opinions count for a lot. Their discussions can be very spirited and enlightening, which inevitably makes the resulting decisions and recommendations that much more meaningful and relevant. In addition to supporting the teams within BCC, the committee is delighted to work with other nutrition professionals and organizations.

What is the role of the Nutrition Committee?

They ensure consistency of the messages conveyed by Breakfast Club of Canada in terms of food and nutrition, thus cementing BCC’s position as a leader in the field. They also provide recommendations and offer their expertise and support for BCC’s nutrition-related activities, relying on recent and recognized scientific data, best practices in food and nutrition, and their own expertise.

Among the tasks entrusted to the Nutrition Committee are the following:

• Identifying needs with regard to nutrition-related resources and tools, and subsequently developing and updating materials for schools, partners and internal teams in line with these needs
• Creating nutrition-related content for newsletters sent to schools in the BCC network
• Working with other departments on various food and nutrition projects
• Assessing products and menus for the Quebec warehouse and community projects across Canada
• Sharing their nutrition-related knowledge with BCC coordinators through training and other channels.

How does the Nutrition Committee provide support to breakfast programs and program coordinators across Canada?

To start, they have produced a set of nutrition guidelines for coordinators and schools alike, which serve as the foundation for all actions and decisions undertaken in this regard.

The Nutrition Committee also works directly with breakfast program coordinators and school teams to develop a wealth of useful resources and activities (tools, recipes, blog posts, virtual open-house events, etc.). Providing nutrition training to program coordinators on a wide range of topics is another aspect of their duties.

What is the committee’s approach to nutrition?

The Nutrition Committee is committed to fostering the well-being of students across the country by providing a positive, nutritious and culturally diverse food experience at schools.

Their approach is rooted in the belief that balanced nutrition is vital to children’s academic achievement, physical health and overall well-being.