Our school does not have a cafeteria facility. Students are welcome to:
- stay at school during the lunch break
- eat lunch in the hallways on benches, in the Learning Commons, or outside
- access local businesses at lunch
As part of a healthy school culture we promote eating habits that are nutritional. As such, we encourage students to bring a healthy lunch from home, and only eat at McDonald’s and 7/11 as a treat every now and then.
Food & Beverages
The CBE and SJAM School support access to healthy, nutritional food choices for students. As a student it is your responsibility to select and model healthy food and beverage choices. All students bringing food and beverages into the school must meet the followings expectations:
- Energy drinks (e.g. Monster, Red Bull etc.) and non-alcoholic beer and wine are not allowed on school property and will be immediately confiscated and disposed of.
- All student beverages entering the school must be less than 2 litres and have a re-sealable twist top that can be firmly closed and stored safely in your locker.
- Students are not permitted to bring ice cream cones, milkshakes, sundaes, hot drinks, Slurpee’s, fountain drinks etc. into the school.
“SJAM EATS”
We are very fortunate to partner with “Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids” to offer SJAM EATS, which provides free healthy lunches for students who would otherwise go hungry. SJAM EATS is located in Student Services and is open Monday to Thursday from 12:30 pm -12:45 pm. Remember: if you have food at home, do pack yourself a lunch. The food supply that we receive is limited and explicitly targeted for students and families in need.
Fun Lunches
SJAM parents are coordinating Healthy Hunger lunches for students. Parents must order online the Friday before the delivery. WEDNESDAY Delivery dates include:
January 10: Coco Brooks
January 17: Jugo Juice
January 24: Coco Brooks
January 31: Jugo Juice
February 7: Coco Brooks
February 21: Spolumbos
February 28: Jugo Juice
March 8: Coco Brooks
March 13: Spolumbos
March 20: Coco Brooks
April 3: Coco Brooks
April 10: Jugo Juice
April 17: Spolumbos
May 1: Coco Brooks
May 8: Spolumbos
May 15: Coco Brooks
May 29: Jugo Juice
June 5: Coco Brooks
June 12: Spolumbos
June 19: Coco Broooks
If you have questions, please reach out to sjam.council@gmail.com.
Allergies
As a number of our students have severe allergies to nuts, including peanuts, we are an Allergy Aware school. We ask for your support in protecting students with allergies by not sending foods containing tree nuts or peanuts to school. For more information about this and other health concerns see our Illness & Medical page.
Lunch Supervision
Students are welcome to eat lunch at school. Students spend the first half of lunch inside with the second half outside. Unfortunately, we do not have a Cafeteria. However, School Council is organizing hot lunches for the 2024-25 school year on certain days. Fundraising for the Quebec Trip will also offer hot food choices for students.
For the first semester, Grade 7 students are expected to remain on campus over the lunch break. Students are strongly discouraged from spending their entire lunch break in retail stores close to the school.
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