‘A game-changer’: One month of New Brunswick’s free breakfast program

Kat’s kitchen at Fredericton High School is part of the Feed NB program. (Photo credits: Hanin Bohram)

A month after New Brunswick made free breakfast available in every public school, students and organizers say the program is already helping families and improving focus in classrooms.

Sama Ouf, Grade 12 student at Fredericton High School, said she’s noticed a difference since the change.

“As someone who sees classmates skip meals because they can’t afford them, this program is definitely a game-changer,” said Ouf. “It means that students don’t have to start their day worrying about food. It’s about dignity as much as it is about learning.”

The province expanded its breakfast program in early September to include all 296 public schools. The move built on an earlier initiative that reached less than half that number. 

Officials said the goal was to reduce child hunger and make life more affordable for families.

Nearly one in four children in New Brunswick arrives at school hungry each day, according to Statistics Canada.

The non-profit Feed NB, which coordinates the program’s rollout, has taken on a massive logistical task to ensure schools get their supplies on time.

“We set up an online portal. Schools order, they have someone designated, so they just log in and can see the menu items that they order, what they need,” said Stéphane Sirois, Feed NB’s executive director. “It’s broken down into several zones in the province because we can’t deliver to 296 schools on the same day.”

Sirois said the new funding has made the program fairer for students across the province.

“Every school has the same foundation to work on … It’s a more equitable way of doing things,” he said.

Menus include staples like apples, milk, eggs, bread, cereal, and bagels, with ingredients sourced locally when possible. Schools now have access to consistent supplies and staff say students are arriving in class more alert and ready to learn.

Feed NB continues to monitor demand as participation grows. 

Sirois said the non-profit is working with the Department of Education to adjust delivery schedules as needed and to ensure all schools can maintain steady service.

For students like Ouf, the changes have been immediate.

“There was these times where I would come to school feeling really hungry, starving actually and I usually tend to forget to pack up lunch … since I'm running late in the mornings and so grabbing a snack and eating it in the morning feels really rewarding”  she said.

The provincial government has said it plans to explore a pay-what-you-can lunch program in 2026 once schools upgrade their kitchens, though details have yet to be finalized.

For now, educators and community organizers are focused on keeping breakfast consistent for every student.

Ouf said she hopes the momentum continues.

“Just seeing how helpful this program assists to students is very rewarding,” she said.