The following information aims to assist school communities with implementation of the Nutrition in schools policy.

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  • Why a Nutrition in schools policy? Isn’t it enough to be implementing the Healthy School Canteen Strategy?

    Schools play an important role in promoting good nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Schools with canteens have implemented the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy since 2005 along with a range of other activities and programs that promote healthy eating. The Nutrition in schools policy requires schools to extend the principles of the Strategy, by modelling and promoting healthy eating and good nutrition across all school activities, that relate to the provision of food and drink, not only through the school canteen.

    The Nutrition in schools policy consolidates all aspects of a whole school approach to modelling and promoting good nutrition sending consistent messages to support students when making healthy eating choices.

  • How do we know if the food and drink we provide to students complies with the Nutrition in schools policy?

    The NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy resources should be used to guide decision making about how the Nutrition in schools policy is implemented and applied to all school activities. Schools can refer to the Canteen Menu Planning Guide to determine the type and frequency of food and drink to be offered to students.

    Food and drink have been divided into three colour categories:

    • Green (are a good source of nutrition, contain less saturated fat and/or sugar and/or salt) should be encouraged and promoted across all school activities and programs that involve the provision of food and drink to students.
    • Amber (are moderate levels of saturated fat and/or sugar and salt) should be selected and used carefully, for example, in smaller serve sizes or combined with green healthy food and drink options.
    • Red (are high in saturated fat, added sugar and/or salt) must be modelled as occasional foods only. Each school community will look at the range of activities they have that offer food and drink to students and ensure that food and drink that fall into the red category are only offered on occasions and are not the dominate type of food and drink offered.

    When planning school events remember the food and drink provided should promote the importance of green foods and the use of red foods only as occasional foods.

  • How does the Nutrition in schools policy apply to additional social, cultural and special school events which may or may not involve the school canteen?

    Eg.

    • school socials
    • trivia nights
    • parent evenings
    • school fetes
    • sausage sizzles and cake days
    • open nights
    • transitions
    • multicultural days
    • sporting carnival, tournaments and gala days
    • cooking competitions
    • excursions, overnight excursions or excursion camps

    The policy applies to all activities that involve the provision of food and drink to students and to school events where students are present. Schools should aim for consistency with the Fresh Tastes @ School - NSW Healthy School Canteen strategy and discuss the importance of modelling healthy eating practices with their school community and plan these events considering community needs and views, as appropriate.

  • What about soft drinks?

    From Term 1, 2007 sugar sweetened drinks with more than 300KJ or 100mg of sodium were banned from school canteens and vending machines at all times. Consistency across all areas of food and drink provision to students is a key component of the Nutrition in schools policy. Sugar sweetened soft drinks lack nutritional value and should not be provided by schools to students.

  • How does the policy apply to fundraising?

    School communities are strongly encouraged to seek out healthy alternatives to AMBER or RED food items used for fundraising. It will be important to communicate to groups in your school community that organise fundraising drives and events of the need for these activities to promote and model healthy eating.

    For healthy fund raising ideas go to:


  • Our school doesn’t have a canteen OR only operates a canteen a few days during the week. Does the Nutrition in schools policy still apply?

    Yes, the policy applies to all NSW government schools and preschools. All schools should promote and model healthy eating and good nutrition in all school programs and activities relating to or involving food and drink. Furthermore, any provision of food and drink to students at school should be consistent with the Fresh Tastes @ School - NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy.

  • Does the Nutrition in schools policy apply to food given as rewards in class?

    The policy applies to all situations where food or drinks are made available or provided to students. Lollies, chocolate and sweets are considered RED foods and non food based rewards should be used instead. Food based rewards, that fall into the RED category should only be used occasionally.

    This also applies to visitors, guest speakers, voluntary tutors, parent helpers and organisation representatives who are visitors to the school. The expectation that food rewards are not used should be communicated explicitly to visitors.

    Classroom rewards that do not involve confectionary may include:

    • extra art activities
    • time using an educational computer game
    • play a game or puzzle
    • receive a sticker, pencil, rubber, etc
    • free play time
    • earn points towards a larger prize such as a book, sports equipment or movie voucher
    • pick a lucky dip prize
    • receive a mystery pack prize
    • receive a canteen voucher.

  • Does the Nutrition in schools policy apply to vending machines that are provided free to school by commercial providers?

    The policy applies to all situations where food or drinks are made available to students. The products in any vending machine in a school should be assessed using the Canteen Menu Planning Guide. Red food and drinks should not be available through school vending machines.

  • How can parents support the implementation of the Nutrition in schools policy?

    Parents and carers play an important role in supporting healthy eating and nutrition in schools. Nutrition messages should be consistent across all food settings and promote the benefits of a balanced and varied diet. Parents can support schools by:

    ·         encouraging children to develop a taste for healthy foods and drinks

    ·         supporting the healthy eating and good nutrition messages that are taught in the classroom

    ·         supplying healthy lunches and snacks to bring to school

    ·         providing children with opportunities to prepare healthy food for their lunch box so they have a sense of ownership of healthy choices as well as assisting them to develop health skills

    ·         role-modelling healthy eating patterns

    ·         encouraging children to select predominantly green foods items from the school canteen menu

    ·         regularly talking about the benefits of healthy food choices

    ·         providing feedback and ideas for healthy eating at school using existing communication channels, which may include parents and citizens' associations or the school executive

    ·         supporting healthy school fundraising and events

    ·         providing healthy food and drink options for class parties.