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As families across Ontario prepare for back-to-school season, a new initiative is aiming to make lunchtime more inclusive for students.
Love Your Lunch Day, taking place on September 19th, encourages teachers and parents to start conversations about food inequality and cultural differences. The goal is to create a school environment that values and celebrates every student, no matter what’s in their lunchbox.
According to a survey commissioned by Sistema, 1 in 4 Canadian children have experienced lunchbox shaming—being mocked or embarrassed by their peers for the food they bring to school. Kindergarten teacher Melissa Markus says this can have a lasting impact on students’ confidence and well-being.
Educators like Markus are encouraging schools to take part in Love Your Lunch Day by speaking up against lunchbox shaming and supporting a culture of acceptance and understanding among students.
Markus explains how these conversations can help children understand and appreciate the diversity in their classmates’ meals, while also addressing issues of food inequality.
Sistema, which leads the initiative, hopes the day will empower children to feel confident in their choices and reduce the shame or embarrassment that can come from lunchtime teasing.
