Crackdown on fatty and unhealthy snacks in state schools a farce

John Masanauskas

Herald Sun, May 26, 2010

A CRACKDOWN on fatty and unhealthy snacks in state school canteens has been exposed as a farce.

Students are regularly being offered meat pies, dim sims, chips, cakes, biscuits and ice creams in breach of Education Department guidelines, according to a Herald Sun survey of dozens of Victorian schools.

Most schools pay lip service to the State Government's Healthy Canteen policy that uses the green/amber/red traffic light system to sort food according to nutritional value.

Red items such as pies and chips are not recommended for schools and shouldn't be on menus more than twice a term.

But the survey of 50 government schools in Melbourne and regional areas shows that almost all canteens have at least some of the dodgy fast food on sale every day.

Dietitians Association of Australia spokeswoman Melanie McGrice said yesterday she would be concerned if canteens were offering treat foods daily.

"The more that schools can do to help to improve the foods that are available in canteens the better," she said.

But Ms McGrice said extending the current ban on confectionery in schools could be counterproductive.

"Often when there are bans the children and schools can still get around them, such as students going to local shops at lunchtime - which can have its dangers."

Parents Victoria spokeswoman Sharron Healy said parents were split over the issue of junk food in schools in a recent online forum.

"A slight majority said it shouldn't be, but a lot of parents are saying 'Don't dictate what I can feed my child and if I want them to have a pie or doughnut I will do that'," she said.

Ms Healy, who is also on the Government's canteens advisory service, said Parents Victoria's policy was that schools should offer nutritious snacks and not treats.

Berwick Lodge Primary School principal Henry Grossek said there was a compromise between offering healthy options and keeping canteens profitable.

"If you look at what we had five years ago to where we are now, the menu is far greener than it was back then," he said.

Meadowglen PS principal Loretta Piazza said strictly following the guidelines by limiting red food items to twice a term was tough.

"If you're going to follow it then you have to be prepared to take the consequences. And that will be reduced funds for the canteen or kids bringing food from home that they really want and have convinced their parents to allow them," she said.

An Education Department spokeswoman said Victoria was ahead of the pack in promoting healthy eating in young children with its Healthy Canteen policy.

"School canteens once offered a smorgasbord of junk food, whereas today, most are serving up a big selection of healthy choices," she said.