If there are changes to your child’s regular lunch routine, please call the office prior to 11:00 AM at 403-817-3408.
Our students go outside for a movement break during their lunch hour. They are welcome to take a snack outside with them at that time, if it happens to be prior to them eating their lunch in the classroom. Students eat their lunch in the classroom with their lunchroom supervisors.
Please note that microwaves, hot water, and cutlery are not provided.
As the lunch period is a part of the school day, the same behaviour is expected of the children as outlined in the CBE Code of Conduct. The consequence of not following the expectations outlined by the lunch program supervisors will be a phone call to parents, temporary suspension, or permanent removal from the program.
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 more information.
Nut Safe Environment
Some students in our school have serious allergies to products containing nuts. We would appreciate your support in eliminating nut products from foods sent to school. Students are asked not to "swap" or "share" snacks. Because of potential for allergic reactions, it is essential the classroom teacher coordinate any food brought to share.
Fun Lunches
Grade 1-6 students may order hot lunches through the Healthy Hunger website for the dates below. You can sign your child up at https://www.healthyhunger.ca
*** Please note that even if you ordered last year, you must re-register your child as teachers and grades have changed. Ensure when registering your child to choose Elbow Park School.
This program is voluntary, but the children love it and it is a school fundraiser. All proceeds cover the cost of fun lunches for the staff. Any remaining proceeds go to the Elbow Park Parent Society to provide various artists in residence and activities for our children.
You can order and pay for meals online using Visa, Mastercard, or Interact Debit. Online ordering will close 5 days prior to each Fun Lunch date. To avoid disappointment, you will see that you can pre-order as many lunches in advance as you would like. Please keep your receipts with your order and payment details until the Fun Lunch date has passed, as this is your means of follow-up with Healthy Hunger should any glitches with orders occur.
All orders and payments must be made online and no money will be collected at the school.
We have tried to offer a variety of food options that the children will enjoy and where vendors could offer nut free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and dairy free options.
For Fun Lunches to be a success, we require 1 - 2 volunteers per classroom. One week prior to the fun lunch, the room parent will send out an email volunteer request. The volunteer commitment is only for 50 minutes. You arrive at the school for 12:15 and assist organizing and distributing the food to the classrooms. Children return to the classrooms at 12:40 to eat. Adults supervise the classroom until 1:05. Adults will also help to sort the composting, recycling and garbage from lunch.
Thank you in advance for your help. We could not do these special days if we did not have such a great parent community!
If you have any questions, suggestions or ideas for Fun Lunches next year, please contact:
Melanie Darbyshire orelbowparkschoolcouncil@gmail.com
Vendors we have used are:
- Boston Pizza
- Mr. Sub
- McDonald's
- CoCo Brook's Pizza
- A&W
- Top Dog
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