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.
Snacks at School
We encourage healthy food choices and recommend that students drink water while at school. We encourage students to bring a water bottle (labeled with their name) each day and to take the bottle home each evening for washing. We also encourage students to make healthy snack and lunch choices and discourage them from bringing candy and high sugar foods to school. We provide a snack break in the morning so please think about how you will help your child understand what is for lunch and what would be a good snack.
Utensils
Please remember to send the proper eating utensils to school with your child’s lunch and/or snacks.
Allergy Awareness
The Calgary Board of Education does not ban nuts or any other food. We can’t say that any of our environments are “nut free.” At the CBE, we work with parents to discourage them from sending their children to school with foods that might be potentially anaphylactic for other students.
See our Illness & Medical page for more allergy information.
Healthy Hunger Lunches
We are in the process of establishing new coordinators. Please check back for upcoming lunches and menus.
When ordering, please follow these steps:
- Go to Healthy Hunger
- Set up a free parent account (make sure to select your child’s correct teacher name)
- Proceed to the ordering calendar where the menus are listed
- Place your order
- Pay on line
Briar Hill Healthy Hunger lunches are offered every Wednesday (with the exception of the weeks that our school has a previously arranged Pizza Lunch). Menus are closed 5 days prior to the lunch taking place.
- Order cut off date is the Friday (midnight) prior to a lunch taking place.
Interested in Volunteering to help with one of these lunches? Click the 'interested in volunteering for this lunch' box in the order form and the coordinator will reach out to you. Volunteers are required to be at the school by 11:45 and are done by 12:15. Interested volunteers must also have a valid police clearance with the CBE.
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.
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