Lunch Supervision
All lunchroom students must register for the lunch supervision program. Register through MyCBE or in the School office. More information on our Lunch Supervision page.
Lunch supervision is offered for bus-eligible riding students, bus-eligible non-riding students and for bus-ineligible students. All must register and pay a fee for lunch supervision. Students may not attend the lunch supervision program unless they are regular lunchroom students or have registered and paid the drop in fee of $5 at the school office. Students participating in noon activities are to be supervised by the sponsoring staff unless the student is already entitled to eat in the lunchroom.
Fun Lunch
Our school uses Healthy Hunger for our fun lunch ordering. If you have not registered with Healthy Hunger before, it’s very easy. By registering, you’ll get a reminder email before each fun lunch and an easy online payment option.
- Go to www.healthyhunger.ca
- Register for a parent account
- Select Citadel Park School
- Select your child’s teacher
We would like to make sure that no child is left out of fun lunch due to financial reasons. If you would like your child to receive a donated fun lunch, please email Ms Edwards at cledwards@cbe.ab.ca. All requests remain anonymous. If you have any questions regarding fun lunch, please contact our Fun Lunch Coordinator at funlunchcitadel@gmail.com.
On Fun Lunch days, all students eat for the first part of the lunchtime hour and then go outside to play once they have finished their lunch. All children are able to stay at school without paying the $5 drop in fee on fun lunch days, even if they do not purchase a lunch.
Allergies
Please note that Citadel Park is an allergy-aware school and as such, we request that parents send nut-free items for a student’s lunch or snack. See more on 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