Donation puts eggs on school menus in Manitoba

Manitoba’s egg farmers have stepped up to the plate by generously donating 10,000 coupons, each good for a free dozen eggs, to schools across the province through the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba.

Thanks to the Egg Farmers Give Back program, a collaborative effort of Manitoba Egg Farmers (MEF) and Egg Farmers of Canada, 120,000 eggs will nourish hungry children throughout Manitoba, including in Brandon at King George, New Era, Riverview, and Betty Gibson Schools.

There’s a growing need in communities across the province for nutritious, wholesome food, said Catherine Kroeker-Klassen, chair of MEF, in a press release sent out on March 4, and MEF is committed to giving children a healthy start. Eggs are an affordable, easy-to-prepare protein that can set students up for a successful day of learning, she added.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to support this very worthwhile program. Students with full bellies are ready to learn, create and grow,” Kroeker-Klassen said in the release. Access to eggs at no cost is pivotal for Manitoba schools in sustaining meal programs and ensuring children receive high-protein meals throughout their school day, MEF says.

The goal of the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba is to provide the best support possible to schools to ensure they have the tools they need to provide nutritious menus that meet the needs of their students, said Clara Birnie, a registered dietitian with the council.

“There are many barriers that make running meal programs difficult, but the donation from Manitoba Egg Farmers helps schools tremendously. We are flooded with positive comments from schools every year, telling us how much the egg coupons help their programs and how students are cooking with eggs and enjoying them in a variety of ways,” Birnie said.

With the donated eggs, one school in Manitoba is able to offer a few hot breakfasts throughout the year, a teacher from a participating school told MEF. They said that without the eggs, the program would be limited to snacks. The students love the hot breakfast program, and it’s only possible due to the donation from MEF.