Lunchtime Routines
Designated areas for eating for Grades 7 to 9 include:
- Cafeteria / lunch lounge on the main floor School courtyard
- Hallway benches
- Teacher classrooms (by invitation).
Eating on the stairwells and landings is not permitted as it is a safety hazard. Careful supervision from meal supervisors and teachers, in classrooms, lunchroom, hallways and outdoors at lunchtime is a high priority.
Food Choices & Amenities
Students are strongly encouraged to bring a healthy lunch. Purchasing unhealthy food and beverage options from the various locales surrounding the school is discouraged for the Grade 7-9 students who choose to leave the campus at lunch. Snacks are available from the vending machines in front of the main office. You may access the vending machine before or after school, during nutrition break and lunch. You may not access the vending machine in between classes.
Numerous microwaves are provided throughout the school for exclusive student use.
Healthy Hunger - Fun Lunch
A monthly online ordering system is available to students, called Healthy Hunger. Fun Lunch dates can be found on the website calendar. Parents sign up and order meals which are delivered to the school and distributed by homerooms. To ensure that your student will get a meal, you must place your order by 11:59 p.m. on the Saturday that comes before the day of the event. Orders will not be placed after the cut off. To break it down:
- Identify the “Fun Lunch” event.
- Find the Saturday immediately preceding that date.
- Place your lunch order by 11:59 p.m. on that Saturday.
Allergies
As a number of our students have severe allergies to nuts, including peanuts, we are an Allergy Aware school. We ask for your support in protecting students with allergies by not sending foods containing tree nuts or peanuts to school. For more information about this and other health concerns see our Illness & Medical page.
Home-Packed Lunch Tips for Parents
Lunch is an important part of your child’s day at school. Here are some tips to help you provide a lunch that is safe and nutritious with less waste.
Food Safety
- Keep cold food cold by using an insulated lunch bag and 1-2 ice packs.
- Keep hot food hot by using an insulated container. Preheat your container with boiling water before adding hot food. Microwave ovens are not available for elementary students.
- Pack non-perishables, such as granola bars and whole fruit, that can be kept at room temperature.
- Most CBE schools are nut-aware, please check with your child’s teacher for more information on nut allergies and other allergies in your child’s classroom.
Help Reduce Waste
- Bring a reusable water bottle.
- Pack just enough for a child to eat during lunch.
- Many schools participate in “boomerang lunches” (pack in/pack out), where all leftover items are returned home.
Tip: Pack a sealable bag or container labeled ‘garbage’ for uneaten food or open containers to avoid mess in the lunch bag.
In 2024, ten CBE schools participated in a waste audit conducted by Green Calgary. Here are a few suggestions from the audit to help minimize waste produced by packed lunches:
- Send less selections of food. Younger children have difficulty deciding what to eat when there is a lot of choice and sometimes end up not eating.
- When possible, use reusable containers for foods such as crackers and cut up fruits or vegetables.
Other Tips
- Make sure your child can open all packages by themselves.
- Involve your child in packing their lunch. Children involved in food preparation may be more likely to try new foods and eat what is packed, minimizing food waste.
- Aim to include a food from each food group – lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables should be eaten daily (as per Canada’s Food Guide 2019).
- Some items, such as sandwiches, can be made ahead and frozen to save time. Note that some fillings such as fresh vegetables do not freeze well.
- Designate a shelf in the fridge/pantry at home for lunch items. This may help make packing lunches quicker and encourage independence for children packing their own lunches.
References