CATEGORY (colour)

COMMENT

Everyday (green)

Fill the menu - these items are most suitable for school food services

Nutritional qualities:

• often high in nutrients and fibre;
• low in saturated fat and/or added sugars and/or salt;
• help to avoid an excess kilojoule intake

Examples: this category is based on the 5 food groups and includes

• breads, grains, rice, pasta, noodles, breakfast cereals
• vegetables
• fruits
• dairy foods - reduced or low-fat milks, yoghurts, cheeses
• lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes
• water

Recommendations: include most often as the main choices on canteen menu; make available every day canteen is open; strongly encourage and promote these foods and drinks; include as main choices at school events and activities involving foods and drinks

Select Carefully (amber)

Select carefully

Nutritional qualities:

• contain some valuable nutrients;
• moderate in saturated fat and/or added sugars and/or salt;
• contribute to excess kilojoules if consumed in large serve sizes

Examples: (subject to assessment against nutrient criteria for "Occasionally" category)

• full fat dairy foods - milks, yoghurt, cheeses
• processed meats
• commercially prepared hot foods
• margarines, oils, spreads, sauces, gravies
• snack food bars (eg. breakfast bars, cereal bars, fruit bars)
• cakes, cake-style muffins, sweet biscuits, slices
• savoury snack foods and biscuits
• low or reduced fat ice-creams, milk based ice confections, dairy desserts
• ice blocks, ice slushees based on 100% fruit juice
• 100 % fruit juices
• artificially sweetened drinks
• some breakfast cereals

Recommendations: do not let these items dominate the menu; avoid large serve sizes; reduce the number of these foods on the canteen menu; offer these foods only on certain days of the week or limit selling time; select healthier choices within this category; select choices that contain fruits and/or vegetables; serve with fruits and/or vegetables; do not promote vigorously at the expense of items from the Everyday category

Occasionally (red)

Least suitable - not recommended for school food services

Nutritional qualities:

• very low in nutritional value;
• high in saturated fat and/or added sugars and/or added salt;
• provide excess kilojoules

Examples: (based on the "extra foods" as defined in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, subject to assessment against nutrient criteria for "Occasionally" category)

• sugar-sweetened drinks (sports drinks, cordials, fruit-flavoured drinks)
• deep fried foods
• pastry-based or crumbed hot foods
• cakes, cake-style muffins, sweet biscuits, slices, bars, donuts, danishes, croissants
• savoury snack foods (crisps, chips, biscuits, etc)
• ice-creams, ice confections, dairy desserts (chocolate-coated and premium ice creams, icy-poles)
• cream, butter, copha, chocolate spreads, hundreds and thousands

Recommendations: should not be on the regular canteen menu; should be supplied on no more than 2 occasions per term; should not be regularly available in other areas of the school such as vending machines, regular fundraising, classroom rewards

Not At All

From 2007, high sugar content soft drinks (including energy drinks and flavoured mineral water with high sugar content) should not be supplied through school food services.

From 2007-2009, confectionery sales through school food services are to be phased out.

From 2009, no confectionery should be supplied through school food services.