Guidelines for Bagged Lunches

Date Policy and Procedures Established: January 7, 2025

YMCA Before and After School Programs offer a variety of nutritious morning and afternoon snacks prepared by a caterer. Our snack menus follow the Canada’s food guide Healthy eating recommendations. The current and following week’s menus are posted for your information. 

Children enrolled in school are required to bring a bagged lunch daily if they participate in a YMCA lunch program, and or on non-school days, PA Days, Winter and March Breaks and Full Day Summer Programs. When food is sent from home it is an expectation that that these guidelines are followed:

Parent Responsibilities: 

• Meals and snacks meet the Canada’s Food Guide: Healthy Eating Recommendations. 
• All food and beverages must be provided in a lunch bag with ice pack and must be labelled with the child’s name.
• Foods that contain nuts or may have come in contact with nuts are not provided.
• Be aware of the known allergens of children at the YMCA.

Staff Responsibilities: 

• Monitor food sent from home for adherence to Government of Canada food guidelines, and provide sample menu guidelines to families.
• Monitor food sent from home to ensure no food contains nuts or known allergens.
• Clean and disinfect all surfaces before and after children eat.
• Ensure children have washed their hands or used hand sanitizer before eating.
• Wash hands before serving food or feeding children.
• If a child does not have food, staff will provide meals and snacks.
• If food is sent from home and contains nuts or known allergens, staff will provide meal and snacks.
• Monitor children so that they do not share food.
• Supervise closely any children with life-threatening allergies (e.g. sit beside child).
• Provide sample meal and snack resources upon request.