Lunch Attendance Line at 403-777-6660 ext. 2
If your child is going to be absent for lunch please call our lunch attendance line.
Lunch Schedule
Div 1 Monday - Thursday 11:45-12:30 and Friday 11:45-12;15
Div 2 Monday - Thursday 12:30-1:15 and Friday 12:30-1:00
Lunch Supervision
All lunchroom users must register. Please visit our Lunch Supervision page for registration information. Drop-in service is available on Fridays for a $5.00 fee, payable on the day, in the office.
Fun Lunches
Fun lunches are scheduled monthly and give our students an opportunity to eat lunch, socialize with their friends at school and take part in special activities. For our upcoming fun lunches, please check our school calendar and please visit the Healthy Hunger website https://healthyhunger.ca/ to place your order(s).
The fun lunch program is one of the many fundraisers organized by our School Council. Funds from this program go to technology investments, unique programs for the Physical Education department, instruments and programs for Music and much, much more.
Food Allergies
Simons Valley School is an “Allergy Aware” School. Please let us know if your child has food allergies and requires support. For more information on how to deal with allergies, please see our Illness and Medical page.
Severe allergies are a reality for a significant number of our students. We have students with allergies to peanuts, nuts, milk, eggs, various fruits and a variety of other items. For many of these students, these are life threatening. In order to ensure the safety and well-being of these students carry their epi-pen in a fanny pack on them at all times. All students are encouraged to wash their hands before eating, to keep their eating spaces clean, to promptly return waste food to their lunch kits, and above all else, to never share or offer food to others.
Simons Valley School is considered a ‘peanut aware’ school. If your child does bring a lunch with peanut butter in it, they will sit at our ‘peanut aware table’ for reasons of safety.
Snacks and lunches should be easy for children to manage. Hot water and microwaves are not accessible for students.
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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