Tools to Assist Buying Healthy Food through a Group Purchasing Organization

July 30, 2019

This blog post was written by Ellen Gregg, RD, MSc, a Public Health Nutritionist with Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services.

Research has shown that it can be difficult for smaller organizations to buy healthier food and beverages at an affordable price. One possible solution is for smaller organizations to join a group food purchasing arrangement. The advantages of group food purchasing include increased access to healthier food and beverage products and a price advantage compared to purchasing as an individual organization.

Two tools have been developed to help organizations navigate the group food purchasing process:

Buying Healthy Food through a Group Purchasing Organization – Frequently Asked Questions

As a follow up to the November 2018 webinar on group food purchasing, this Frequently Asked Questions document can help organizations get started on the process of a group food purchasing arrangement.

Packaged Food Database

The Packaged Foods Database is intended to assist purchasers to find products that meet their program’s needs.

The database contains lists of packaged food products available in Canada that meet the nutritional requirements for the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Food and Nutrition Policy P/PM 150, as well as nutrition guidelines for Ontario Student Nutrition Programs, child care settings and workplaces. There is also a universal product list that shows which packaged food products meet all of the criteria for all of these nutrition standards and guidelines.