Lunch Supervision
The Calgary Board of Education provides students with the option to stay at school for lunch. Lunch Supervision is offered to all students in Grades 1- 6 and in our full-day kindergarten programs for an annual fee. For more information, please visit our Lunch Supervision page.
Allergies
Students are permitted to bring all foods for lunches or snacks. We do not have any foods that are banned (including nuts and peanuts.) Student safety is our utmost concern, and we do have several students with potentially life-threatening allergies. If your child has an allergy (mild, moderate or severe) please ensure you share this information with the office and the teacher, so that we are able to make an individual health plan for that student. Additionally, if there is a student with an anaphylactic allergy in your child's class, you will have received a letter from the school describing this allergy. If you receive such a letter, please be considerate about what foods you send to school with your child.
Additionally, we do not allow sharing of food between students, and do not allow parents to send or bring in food to share with the students. If a teacher plans a food-related learning activity, parents will receive a notice describing the activity and the ingredients being used. Parents can have their child opt out of these activities if they choose to do so.
For more information about this and other health concerns visit 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.
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