Getting Manitoba on the Menu at Ècole Leila Community North School
This October, a Grade 6 Home Economics class at Ècole Leila had an opportunity to learn about the local, sustainable food system, and make pizza using local ingredients from Manitoba.
The kids learned how to make pizza using cheese, mushrooms, zucchini, green pepper and tomatoes that were grown and produced in Manitoba. Asifa Bokhari, the home economics teacher at Ecole Leila found local cheese, Bothwell cheese, at Price Choppers, and local produce from the Forks Market.
“Getting produce from the Forks market was easier because they had labels saying that the zucchini was local, the tomatoes were local. But it was difficult knowing which stores had local produce because it wasn’t always labelled at the store.”
Asifa appreciated the awareness that her students gained from learning about the local, sustainable food system. “I think we’ve given them awareness around food which is really important. They can now go to a grocery store with their families and know that Bothwell cheese and Loveday mushrooms are from Manitoba.”
Manitoba on the Menu has also made Asifa more aware of local foods that she can buy for her classroom. “It’s given me awareness too, I never looked at labels to see where things were produced. We don’t have that conversation about where our food is coming from. I think it will be a chain reaction when we have those conversations with colleagues and students. A lot of people I talk to don’t think about those details”
“Now I’m looking at everything and I get excited when I see brands from Manitoba. Being informed is awesome and exciting!”
Her classroom has also begun to purchase local bread and local flour and recently joined the national Farm 2 Cafeteria Canada, a campaign focused on promoting healthy, local and sustainable foods in the classroom.
Manitoba on the Menu
To learn more about the Manitoba on the Menu program and some of the other workplaces, cafeterias, schools and public places that we work with, check out our program page here.
Food Matters Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
