Lunch Supervision
A supervised lunchroom period is available to all students in Kindergarten to Grade 6. Students bring their own lunch. Please ensure eating utensils are included with your child’s lunch as we do not provide these. There is no access to a refrigerator, microwave or boiling water. When weather is inclement, lunchroom supervisors organize indoor activities. Students are supervised during the entire lunch period.
- Drop-in fee is $5.00 per day
Please visit our Lunch Supervision page for information.
Lunch Periods
We have a separate lunch period for classes, and a combined recess period. Lunch periods are as follows:
- 12:30 - 12:50 pm Lunch (Hallway 2: Rooms 1, 2 and 3, Grade 4 - 6 and L & L)
- 12:50 - 1:13 pm Recess
- 1:15 - 1:35 pm (Hallway 1: Rooms 6, 7, 8 and 9, K - Grade 4)
Nutritional Programs
Vista Heights School offers a free nutritious breakfast and lunch program daily (Friday no lunch / early dismissal) for all students who need it.
Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK)
Volunteers at BB4CK prepare and deliver nutritious lunches for students at Vista Heights each week. These lunches include vegetables or fruit, a sandwich and snack. A variety of sandwiches are provided, which allows our school to accommodate for the cultural needs of individual families.
Calgary Meals on Wheels Hot Soup
Calgary Meals on Wheels delivers hot soup for all students who are registered in the Hot Soup Program every Tuesday and Thursday. Families must complete and submit a permission form, providing consent for their child to receive soup.
Soups provided include: chicken noodle, chicken rice, beef noodle and beef rice. Halal and vegetarian soups are not offered. As the Hot Soup Program is provided to Vista Heights, free of cost, there is no consistent menu. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that we are meeting the cultural needs of individual families.
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