What if my child buys lunch from the school canteen?

In the past, some food and drink choices from school canteens have had little nutritional value but have appealed to the appetites of children. In recent years, greater focus has been placed on providing healthier food and drink choices for children to ensure they receive nutritional canteen food.

The Federal Government is offering grants of $1,500 to help schools kick-start their healthy canteens, as part of its $15 million Healthy School Communities program. The program also provides schools with advice, sample menus and ideas on promoting healthy eating amongst students.

A recent survey by NSW Health found 77 per cent of canteen managers in NSW schools reported they had introduced healthier products into the canteen within the last year and nearly half had removed products from sale for health reasons.

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