Students in every Government secondary school on the Central Coast are now receiving healthier food and drink options from school canteens.

For the first time, all sixteen Government secondary schools on the Coast have been assessed as meeting standards outlined in the NSW Healthy School Canteens Strategy (the Strategy).

Since the Strategy was introduced in 2017, all NSW Government primary, secondary and central schools with a canteen have been required to have their menu assessed against food and drink criteria.

The Strategy aims to foster a culture of healthy eating in schools by promoting and increasing student access to healthier foods and drinks, while decreasing access to less healthy options. It seeks to address statistics that more than 1 in 5 (23%) of children aged 5–16 are above a healthy weight range.[1]

The Central Coast Local Health District is proud to have all of the Government secondary schools on the Coast with a canteen meeting the Strategy, along with 94 per cent of the Government primary schools also meeting standards.

“It’s fantastic to see all of our Government secondary school canteens offering high standards of nutrition that can help set children on a pathway to a healthy lifestyle,” Health Promotion Officer, Chad Partridge said.

Schools in the region are supported to help meet healthy food and drink criteria by Central Coast Local Health District’s Health Promotion and Nutrition Services.

“The canteen managers have gone to great lengths to ensure their menus meet the criteria set out in the Strategy, and it’s particularly pleasing when we are able to see the support we offer has helped them along the way.”

Under the Strategy, all NSW Government schools are currently required to re-submit their menus for assessment against the criteria every two years. Independent and catholic schools are encouraged to participate.

“Canteens meeting the Strategy are proud to display their certificate of achievement demonstrating their commitment to the health and wellbeing of students,” Mr Partridge said.

“We are currently working with a handful of Catholic and independent schools on the Coast, and would love to support more of these schools to meet the Strategy.”

 

References

[1] 2019 NSW Population Health Survey