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At the end of 2003, the private company selling high fat
and sugar foods at Mentone Park Primary School's canteen withdrew
due to insufficient profits. This created an opportunity for
a group of enthusiastic parents and teachers, concerned about
students' eating habits, to establish a new healthy canteen.
After a year of gathering information, planning and defining
a clear policy for its operation, the "Kids' Café" at Mentone
Park Primary School began in November 2004. Its success is
due to an enthusiastic and energetic partnership between parents,
teachers and students. Their vision statement is two fold
- "to provide healthy, affordable food that is low in sugar,
free from preservatives and as close to nature as possible",
and to "help children understand the importance of healthy
food choices that can be both nutritious and delicious".
Continuous promotion to encourage students to eat healthily
has led to many exciting activities at the Kids' Café - the
latest being "Celebrity Chef". Students find healthy recipes
that contain the fruit of the month. The winning students
help in the Kids' Café at the end of the month and co-ordinate
taste testings of their recipe.
The Kids' Café website (you can access it by clicking on
"Kids' Café" at www.mentonepark.vic.edu.au)
encourages and promotes healthy eating. Students (and parents)
can use it to view the menu, find out about Celebrity Chef
(in the Activities section of the Kids' Café zone), locate
the fruit of the month, view recipes or find other healthy
websites. To boost funds, some popular items on the menu are
available to purchase in bulk from the school for use at home,
and can be ordered at the "Kids' Café" on Fridays or at the
school office any time.
Parent helpers perform a vital role in ensuring the Kids'
Café remains viable. To acknowledge and encourage their help,
all parents assisting are automatically entered into a monthly
draw for a Pamper Pack. The more they help, the greater chance
they have of winning and being pampered at the end of the
month!
The importance of promoting and instilling healthy eating
habits to enable students to achieve success in their work
and life, has driven motivated parents and teachers to create
the "Kids' Café" at their school canteen.
- Assistant Principal
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