Canberra public school canteens make the switch to healthy food

The canteen Mrs Bessey manages in the Melba primary school is one of them. A huge cultural shift and substantial investment in new kitchen equipment has helped the tuck shop swap profitable heat-and-serve meals for more wholesome, homemade dishes.

Sausage rolls and chicken nuggets are still on offer - but they're made from scratch. Students are invited to pick a special meal once a fortnight that works in with their class work. Year 6 leaders work behind the counter.

Mrs Bessey doesn't hesitate when asked the benefits of what was an inarguably difficult change.

"Kids spend the majority of their day at school and it doesn't make sense to give them all these messages about healthy eating and then have a canteen that doesn't back those messages up," she said.

Nutrition Australia ACT's audit also found the number of healthy choices - "green" items - rose from 32 per cent to 49 per cent in one year. Red items dropped 20 per cent to just 2 per cent of food and drinks sold in canteens.

Nutrition Australia ACT program manager Leanne Elliston admitted the shift had been "hard work".

"Initially there was resistance to change in moving away from the less healthy options, which admittedly were quite profitable," she said.

"It took time for us to get that big picture across to schools in general as well as the canteen managers.

"If we're going to make a difference to our children's health and what they consume during school hours then we have to put in some effort and provide those healthier options."

While the recent audit has been positive, there's plenty left to do. The Nutrition Support Service, which Nutrition Australia ACT works under, is funded until June next year.

"We actually don't know what's going to happen after that and it is our worry and concern that if we do not continue that education support for school canteens we could easily go backwards," Ms Elliston said.

"It's such a transient workforce and there's so many suppliers out there that are knocking on the canteen doors to try and sell their products - and they are very tempting and they could bring in a lot of profit but they're not always healthy choices."

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https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/act/canberra-public-school-canteens-make-the-switch-to-healthy-food-20170924-gynq11.html

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