What is a Fresh Tastes canteen?
A Fresh Tastes canteen meets the key requirements of the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy. It seeks to ensure that foods of minimal nutritional value are offered infrequently and that more nutritious foods and drinks are readily available and promoted in school canteens. The overarching goal of the strategy is to ensure that all schools provide a canteen service that is consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents. Foods and drinks that lack nutritional value or are high in saturated fat &/or added sugar &/or salt are termed “Red” foods and may only be sold on no more than 2 designated “Occasional” food days per term.

When were schools expected to implement this?
By 2005 all school canteens were expected to have implemented this strategy. The strategy has been endorsed by Government, Catholic and Independent schools.

How do canteens continue to make a profit now that red foods are limited to twice per term?
The most important factors in students choice are taste, appearance and value for money. The good news is that there are many tasty, appealing, healthier food choices available. The Healthy Kids School Canteen Association has a list of products suitable for sale in the canteen. Techniques to help sales of healthy foods include marketing and promotion of new items, presenting foods attractively and at eye level, price food to sell and phase in the changes.

What support is available?

• “Fresh Tastes @ school” Resource booklets Canteen Menu Planning Guide, Tool Kit and Fresh Ideas folder and DVD were sent to all schools NSW in 2005-2006. Check with your library if they are not already in your canteen. They can also be downloaded from the web.

• Local Canteen Networks

• Healthy Kids School Canteen Association www.schoolcanteens.org.au

Fresh Tastes @ School Booster program for high schools

There is additional support available to high school canteens under the Fresh Tastes @ School Booster program. This support includes;

• A comprehensive diagnostic of the school canteen,including:
  - Canteen management
  - Canteen menu
  - Canteen policy
  - Classroom links
  - Promotion of healthy foods
  - Food safety and hygiene

• Consultation with parents, staff, students and volunteers in each participating school to determine the level of satisfaction, and identify issues and opportunities in relation to the school canteen.

• An individualised action plan developed for each school to ensure the minimum standards of the Strategy will be achieved.

• Ongoing professional, personalised assistance to implement the strategy.

• Personalised training for canteen staff, volunteers and teachers.

• Provision of support tools and resources.

• Encouraging linkage with a canteen network

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