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The crunch of apples echoed through J. W. Langlois Catholic Elementary School Thursday as students took part in a nationwide effort to promote healthy eating.
The Great Big Crunch, an annual event held across Canada, brought the school together for a moment of “anti-silence” to crunch into apples in unison, highlighting the importance of nutritious school food programs.
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“It’s a fun event,” said Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board spokesman Stephen Fields. “It’s something that the kids really get into.”
About a quarter of children’s daily calories come from foods not recommended by Canada’s Food Guide, according to the Coalition for Healthy School Food.
The organization says that many students start their day without proper nutrition — a third of elementary students and two-thirds of high schoolers often skip a healthy breakfast.
“When you have an opportunity to promote healthy eating and nutrition for kids, that’s always a win,” Fields said. “It’s not only an opportunity to promote healthy eating, but our commitment to a universal school food program.”
The federal government allocated $1 billion in its 2024 budget to establish a National School Food Program, with a target of providing meals to 400,000 more kids per year, but the program has yet to take full effect.
“It would be very meaningful to see a national nutrition program,” Fields said. “I know the government announced funding for that but we’re still kind of waiting on details on that.”
On Thursday, members of the Windsor Express basketball team made a surprise visit to students, sharing nutritional tips and building excitement in the moments leading up to the big crunch .
“These guys are great role models for the kids to look up to,” Fields said. “When you have somebody there to speak to the importance of healthy eating and nutrition, it’s always really meaningful for the kids.”
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