Edmonton doctor urges parents to tackle lunchbox shaming

Back to school is around the corner and this year one Edmonton doctor says it’s the time to talk to your kids about the reality of lunchbox shaming.

“That’s when other people in the classroom make fun of their lunches because it may smell different, it may look different, or it just may be something that other people in the classroom haven’t seen before,” said Dr. Stephanie Liu, assistant clinical professor at the University of Alberta.

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Liu says homemade meals often reflect someone’s culture, tradition, or socio-economic status, and having that mocked can have lasting consequences.

According to a study commissioned by Sistema Canada, one in every four Canadi