About This Cookbook

What’s For Lunch? is a special family cookbook made by Nourish Nova Scotia with support from the Province of Nova Scotia. It’s filled with favourite recipes, fun stories, and colourful artwork, all inspired by school food programs across the province.

At Nourish Nova Scotia, we believe food isn’t just about eating—it’s about learning, sharing, and discovering new things together. When kids get involved in cooking, they build confidence, make connections, and celebrate where their food comes from. Over the years, we’ve supported healthy school food through breakfast programs, gardens, cooking activities, and recipe sharing.

When the made-from-scratch Nova Scotia School Lunch Program menu launched, we saw an amazing opportunity to keep that energy going–and when we heard that families wanted to cook school meals at home, we thought: Let’s turn those delicious favourites into a cookbook!

Cooking together at home is a fun way to try new things, learn cool skills, and enjoy tasty meals as a family. So, we collected the most-loved school recipes—like Handmade Pizza, Chicken Noodle Stir Fry, and Picnic Plates–and added some great breakfast and snack ideas too. All the recipes in this cookbook follow Nova Scotia’s School Food and Nutrition Policy, ensuring they’re balanced, wholesome, and kid-approved.

Throughout the book, you’ll also find special features like Nutrition Bites with simple healthy tips, Local Food Features that introduce Nova Scotians who grow and produce our food, and School Food Heroes who help bring great meals to students across the province. We hope this cookbook brings joy to your kitchen and inspires you to explore, taste, and share delicious food together.

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Join us in making the What’s for Lunch? Cookbook available to all. Find out more here.