August 13th, 2018
Boomerang Lunches
A boomerang lunch is a program where students are asked to bring all the garbage home from their lunches. This includes all packaging and food waste. Since many schools aren’t set up to sort organic matter or even recycle as fully as we can at home, the garbage can be disposed of in a more environmentally friendly manner.
Many schools in the county have adopted a Boomerang Lunch policy. Janet Metcalfe Public School will be adopting this policy. All waste from your child’s snacks/lunches will be returned home in their lunch bags. This includes all packaging, uneaten food and leftovers. Please prepare by looking into reusable alternatives to plastic baggies and over packaged lunch items including juice boxes.
What to do:
- Use reusable containers to pack snack and lunch items
- Use a lunch bag with a wipe clean interior
- Talk with your child about bringing home any food or garbage left over from his or her lunch
Benefits
A Boomerang lunch provides you with first-hand knowledge of the eating habits and preferences of your child. By carrying home the leftovers- you can see what’s been eaten or not. Teachers see a huge amount of uneaten food go into the garbage day after day. This is not only wasteful but expensive. We know this is asking families to re-think food preparations and student actions but our hope is that informative discussions will take place and habits will change. Packing a waste-free lunch not only helps the environment, it can also result in healthier more nutritious snack/lunches. Many pre-packaged foods contain significant amounts of salt, preservatives, sugar and fat.
Your cooperation with this program is greatly appreciated!
The following article gives more detail into the benefits of the Boomerang Lunch program.
https://www.greenmomscollective.ca/what-is-boomerang-lunch-programs/