Lunchtime Procedures
- Students eat lunch in their classrooms
- Times vary, please contact the school
Lunch Supervision
The Calgary Board of Education provides students with the option to stay at school for lunch. Noon Supervision is offered to all students in Grades 1- 5 and in our full-day kindergarten programs for an annual fee. Supervision is provided by a team of 7 lunch supervisors. Please visit our Lunch Supervision page for more information.
Fun Lunches
The Fun Lunch program is organized by parent volunteers in support of the Eugene Coste Enrichment Society. Fun lunches occur one or two times monthly and are ordered through the Healthy Hunger website. Parents need to create a parent account through Healthy Hunger to view fun lunch schedules, order and pay for items. Fun lunches are typically available for students in Grades 1 to 5 as they are on-site for the entire day. However, if you have a child in Kindergarten who attends our on-site before and after school program (Calgary Child's Play), you may order a fun lunch for them (please be sure to add a note "Deliver to CCP" when placing your order).
Upcoming Fun Lunches are Scheduled
Parents, please be advised that if you wish to order and/or cancel a fun lunch for your child(ren), you will need to do so directly via the Healthy Hunger website. You will need to create a parent account at Healthy Hunger.
Reminder! Please double-check your Healthy Hunger account to confirm your orders to ensure that your child(ren) has a lunch for that day.
Allergies
We are Allergy Aware and students with allergies have the opportunity to eat at a separate table inside each lunchroom. Parents must indicate any special health concerns on the school registration for their child and are encouraged to ensure classroom teachers are also aware of health issues. 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.
References