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’ve learned many things about the kids my daughter goes to public school with. For example, more of the girls than the boys play hockey (a point of pride for this mother of a hockey-playing girl), the twins are genetically identical but physically dissimilar (I get a refresher at every classmate’s birthday party) and one kid is severely allergic to sesame (so we help keep him safe by avoiding seeded breads in packed lunches). What’s harder to figure out, though, is which of the 23 kids in Isobel’s class go to school hungry. Studies indicate that nearly one-third of Canadian elementary school students—which amounts to seven of Isobel’s friends—face the day without the benefit of a healthful breakfast; by high school, the proportion of kids missing breakfast jumps to 62 percent.
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It’s our way of announcing special stories, recipes and photos celebrating our 40th anniversary. You’ll find it in the pages of the magazine and online at canadianliving.com/CL40.
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These kids are at risk of falling behind in their studies, struggling with behavioural problems and even developing medical problems related to malnutrition. Shockingly, Canadian doctors are seeing cases of rickets again, many years after the weakened-bone condition was all but obliterated by the wide availability of milk and other food products fortified with vitamin D. So what can we do to help? Some schools in high-risk neighbourhoods run in-house nutrition programs, but these are expensive to operate and receive only partial funding from provincial and municipal governments. What’s more, there’s no assistance at the federal level, making Canada the only G8 country without a national nutrition program. That’s why charitable programs like Breakfast for Learning (BFL) are so important. Full disclosure: BFL was founded in 1992 by a group of Canadian Living editors; since then, it has provided more than 554 million healthful meals and snacks to Canadian schoolkids. BFL programs are made possible by corporate donors, as well as people like you and me. Give $25 to BFL and you’ll supply a school with nutritious fruit that kids can snack on throughout the day. If you can afford to donate $250, you’ll help provide snacks to an entire classroom for one week. For more info, and to continue this important Canadian Living tradition, visit breakfastforlearning.ca and click on Give a Gift That Nourishes.
EAT WELL, SPEND LESS With the cost of groceries on the rise, we could all use a few delicious low-cost recipes in our culinary arsenals. Ta-da! Starting on page 95, our Test Kitchen shares easy-to-make dishes that you can enjoy from 35 cents per serving.
Sandra E. Martin, multiplatform editorial director
FEED YOUR RELATIONSHIPS Our emotional lives need nurturing as critically as our bodies do, but it can be tough to carve out time for partners, friends, siblings and others we care about. That’s why we’ve curated a collection of inventive date-night ideas at canadianliving.com/datenight. Feel the love starting March 15.
CANADIANLIVING.COM | MARCH 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID WILE (MARTIN); RYAN BROOK (FOOD); ISTOCKPHOTO (COUPLE). HAIR AND MAKEUP, BUFFY SHIELDS/ TRESEMMÉ HAIR CARE/COVERGIRL/JUDYINC.COM. DRESS, TEDBAKER.COM. EARRINGS, RINGS, THOMASSABO.COM
Hunger Stops Here
