Nine students in Grade 7 & 8 are taking part in an enrichment unit entitled “Sustainability 101”. It is linked to our school theme of caring for the creation God has given to us. One of the assignments, based on some learning about eating local food and considering the effects of our food choices upon the environment and our global neighbours, was to write out what would make a “sustainable school lunch.”
Here are some of the suggestions they gave, along with reasons for their choices:
Fruit choices What makes it sustainable
| Ontario apple | Less transportation; grown locally; no packaging needed to bring to school |
| Bartlett pear | Organic; no harmful chemicals used in growing it |
| Kiwi | No packaging and can throw peel in composter |
Snack choices
| Homemade carmel corn | Home-made, so it doesn’t have any packaging |
| Dare cookies or Bear Paw | Dare company is located in Kitchener |
| Yogurt | Made in Toronto; made of Canadian milk |
| Animal crackers (not single-serve package) | Made in Ontario; package it in a reusable plastic container |
Drinks
| Apple juice | Choose that made from locally grown apples |
| Water | From the tap; made by God and carried in a reusable bottle |
Main Meal
| Chicken sandwich | Chicken raised locally, so it would not need to be shipped far |
| Pita sandwich | Made with 100% Canadian wheat; toppings can be grown in your own garden |
| Fried egg on tortilla | Egg from a local farm; tortilla from local bakery |