Few P.E.I. schools following nutrition policies, auditor general finds

Only two of six cafeterias examined had appropriately healthy offerings. (CBC - image credit)
Only two of six cafeterias examined had appropriately healthy offerings. (CBC - image credit)

After a close examination of the food being offered at about a third of Prince Edward Island schools, Auditor General Darren Noonan found only two that were following the province's nutrition policies.

The findings were issued Friday in a report titled "Healthiness of Food in Schools."

Noonan's office examined the food offerings at 21 of the province's 56 English-language schools and two of its six French-language schools. Only one English school and one French school studied were found to be in compliance with the guidelines.

The auditor general found no problems with P.E.I.'s universal school lunch program, which offers meals prepared by third-party vendors that are delivered daily to each school on the Island. Those lunches are offered on a pay-what-you-can basis, at a suggested cost to families of $5.75 per meal.

The report said the five school cafeterias operated by the same group that runs the universal lunch program were also in compliance with provincial school food policies.

Schools need to do a better job of ensuring that nutritious food is available, says P.E.I. Auditor General Darren Noonan.
Schools need to do a better job of ensuring that nutritious food is available, says P.E.I. Auditor General Darren Noonan.

Schools need to do a better job of ensuring that nutritious food is available, says P.E.I. Auditor General Darren Noonan. (Stacey Janzer/CBC)

Beyond that though, most of the breakfast and snack programs, canteens, vending machines and school cafeterias operated by the schools themselves or other third-party vendors were found to be not in compliance with provincial health eating guidelines.

Those guidelines recommend schools offer healthy choices — including whole grains, fresh or frozen fruit or vegetables and milk — on a daily basis, while offering less healthy options like pepperoni pizza, chocolate bars or fried foods no more than twice a month.

The report included a photo of the menu at one unidentified P.E.I. school cafeteria that included pizza, fries, chicken nuggets and bacon cheeseburgers on the menu every day.

Among the school food programs found not to be in compliance with provincial guidelines were:

  • 4 of 6 schools offering cafeteria services.

  • 5 of 8 schools offering foods ordered from other food-service providers.

  • 12 of 20 breakfast programs.

  • 9 of 10 snack programs.

  • 8 of 10 vending machines and canteens.

Noonan also found the province's school food and nutrition policy is not based on the latest version of Canada's food guide.

The provincial policy was put in place in 2006 and last revised in 2011. Canada updated its food guide in 2019. Noonan recommended the provincial policy be updated in accordance with the new guide.

From the report from P.E.I.'s Auditor General Darren Noonan on school nutrition, a photo of a cafeteria menu from an unidentified Island school.
From the report from P.E.I.'s Auditor General Darren Noonan on school nutrition, a photo of a cafeteria menu from an unidentified Island school.

A photo of a cafeteria menu from an unidentified Island school featured in Noonan's report. (Office of the Auditor General of Prince Edward Island)

The report details shortcomings in how schools are monitored to ensure they are in compliance with the provincial policy. Neither the Public Schools Branch nor the French-language school board had a process for doing this.

Monitoring appears to be no better at the school level. Noonan's office checked with 23 schools and did not find any that had a process for monitoring compliance with the food policy.

In its response to the report, the Public Schools Branch said it would work with the P.E.I. Department of Education to begin consultations on food and beverage offerings.