If your school just launched an online lunch program and you're staring at the signup page wondering where to start, this is for you. The whole process takes about five minutes.
1. Create Your Parent Account
Head to your school's lunch ordering page and create an account with your email. If your school uses LunchUp, you can add multiple children under the same account, so you only need to log in once.
Tip: Use the same email your school has on file to ensure a smooth setup.
2. Add Your Child's Profile
Once registered, add your child's name, grade, and classroom. This is how meals get labeled and delivered to the right class.
3. Browse the Weekly Menu
Check out what's available for the week. Menus are set by the restaurant partnered with your school, and all meals are peanut- and tree nut-free. If your child has other allergies, you can register them in their profile - the system will warn you before you order something that contains a flagged allergen.
For more tips on choosing allergy-safe meals for your child, read our post on How to Keep Your Child's School Lunch Allergy-Safe Every Day.
4. Select Meals and Add to Cart
Pick the meals your child wants and add them to your cart. You can order for a single day or the whole month at once - whatever works for your schedule.
5. Proceed to Checkout and Pay
Review your order and pay by credit card. If your school also accepts e-transfer, you can send the amount to the school's designated email - LunchUp will add it as account credit, and you use that balance to check out.
You'll get a confirmation email right away, so you have a record of exactly what you ordered.
6. Receive Confirmation and Reminders
Your confirmation email shows what you ordered, for which dates, and for which child. On delivery day, the restaurant labels each meal box with your child's name and class, so it goes straight to the right classroom.
7. Cancel or Change If Plans Change
Kid home sick? You can cancel an order up until 6 PM the day before delivery. The refund goes back as account credit, which you can use on the next order. No need to call the school or email anyone - it's all self-serve.
If you're a busy parent juggling multiple kids' schedules, check out 5 ways to save time with online lunch ordering for more shortcuts.
That's it. Once you've done it once, repeat orders take about 30 seconds. And on hot lunch day, your kid gets a warm meal with their name on the box.
LunchUp is the platform behind the lunch programs at schools across Canada. If your school isn't using it yet, let your PAC know.
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