Nourish to Flourish: Supporting Healthy Growth Through Food at Kepler

By Megan Wallace, RD | Pediatric & Family Nutrition

Read more about Megan Wallace on our Daily Nutrition page.

Nutrition Month 2026

Each March, Nutrition Month in Canada shines a spotlight on the powerful role food plays in our lives. The Dietitians of Canada 2026 theme — Nourish to Flourish — highlights how nutrition supports not just physical health, but emotional well-being, social connection, learning, and lifelong development.¹

For children, this message is especially important. The early years are when eating habits, food confidence, and health foundations are built — and those experiences can shape well-being far into adulthood.²

At Kepler, nutrition isn’t just about meals and snacks. It’s part of how we support children to grow, explore, connect, and truly flourish.

What “Nourish to Flourish” Means for Young Children

The theme reminds us that food is more than fuel. Nutritious eating supports physical health, brain development, emotional resilience, and social connection.

How Kepler Brings This Philosophy to Life

Balanced, Thoughtful Menus

Our menus are carefully designed to include a balance of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, fibre, and a wide range of fruits and vegetables. A variety of nutritious foods helps provide the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants children need for growth and development.

Food as a Social Experience: Family-Style Dining at Childcare

Nutrition Month also emphasizes the social and cultural importance of food — eating together, sharing traditions, and connecting through meals.

At Kepler, family-style dining supports:

Conversation and social skills
Independence and self-regulation
Curiosity about new foods
Positive mealtime experiences

These moments help children develop lifelong healthy eating behaviours.³

Positive Feeding Environments

A key part of flourishing is how children experience food, not just what they eat.

Our feeding philosophy focuses on:

Pressure-free exposure to new foods
Respect for hunger and fullness cues
Encouragement without forcing
Modelling balanced eating

Research consistently shows that positive feeding environments help reduce picky eating and build confidence around food over time.⁴

Final Thoughts for Families

Nutrition Month is a great reminder that small, everyday food experiences add up. A balanced snack, a shared meal, a child helping cook — these simple moments help build lifelong health.

At Kepler, we’re proud to partner with families in helping children nourish their bodies, develop food confidence, and flourish in every stage of growth.

Recipe of the Month:

Quick Lemon Cucumber Yogurt Salad

Looking for an easy veggie side for lunch or dinner? This one is simple, fresh, creamy, and ready in 5 minutes.

Ingredients

1 large cucumber, chopped or sliced thin
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch salt + pepper
Optional: chopped dill or parsley

Instructions

Add the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a bowl and stir.
Toss in the cucumber and mix until coated.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Chill briefly if you have time — but it’s great right away too!

¹ Dietitians of Canada. (2026). Nutrition Month 2026: Nourish to flourish. https://www.dietitians.ca/Events/Nutrition-Month

² Health Canada. (2014). Nutrition for healthy term infants: Recommendations from birth to six months and six to 24 months. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca

³ Walton, K., et al. (2017). Family meals and dietary intake among Canadian children: Associations with parental nutrition risk. Appetite, 108, 287–294.

⁴ Ward, S., Bélanger, M., Donovan, D., & Carrier, N. (2015). Systematic review of the relationship between childcare educators’ practices and preschoolers’ eating behaviours. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 47(2), 105–113.