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. Please visit our Lunch Supervision page for information.
Lunchtime Hours
- 11:58 AM - 12:43 PM
Nutrition Break
There is a nutrition break every day. Students are welcome to bring a nutritional snack to school.
Reminder:
Please ensure you or your child is packing lunch and snacks.
We keep a limited supply of emergency snacks at the office. These are available for vulnerable students that are identified as food insecure on a reoccurring basis.
This program is not intended to be,
- An Emergency Pantry or School Pantry support on the occasion when students have forgotten their lunch or snack.
Fun Lunches
All Fun Lunch Opportunities must be placed via Healthy Hunger for families to purchase a lunch for their child(ren). We will have a bi-weekly Fun Lunch every Wednesday. Reminder that if you order a fun lunch and your child is away or sick, please call us before 11:30am to let us know if you can pick up the item by the end of the school day. If we have not heard from a family by 11:30am, we will donate the lunch to a child in need. As per AHS Protocol, we cannot keep any items overnight. Healthy Hunger is unable to issue refunds. If your child misses the day of the lunch or snack, please consider your payment a donation to School Council.
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