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School Nutrition Guidelines Around Australia

Following a 2006 Coalition of Australian Governments' Meeting (COAG), Australia's state and territory governments have implemented nationally-consistent minimum school canteen guidelines based on ‘A National Healthy School Canteen Framework'. However a national food categorisation system is currently being developed by the National Healthy School Canteens Project. You can get involved in the public consultation process here.

The following policies are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents (developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council) and The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Not all of the guidelines are mandatory, however they have become ‘best practice' for all schools. Generally speaking, each document has been endorsed by the relevant state or territory's Catholic and independent school organisations.

Many polices have adopted a traffic light classification system in which foods are categorised as green, amber and red according to their nutritional value. Green foods are ‘everyday foods', such as fruit, vegetables, lean meats and grains. Amber foods provide some nutrients, but can be high in energy (such as a burger).  The red category differs from state to state but generally includes food and drinks that are high in fat, sugar and sodium (salt), as well as soft drinks. Some states allow red items at certain times during the school year, whereas others have banned some or all red foods.

Click an icon below to find out about your school nutrition guidelines:


ACT Australian Capital Territory

What policy applies?
Nourish – The Food in ACT Schools Guidelines (Nourish-The FACTS Guidelines), which outlines how food should be provided, promoted and handled within the school environment. It is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents and The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, without ruling what can or cannot be provided in the school. The guidelines are not mandatory.

How does the policy apply?
The guidelines stipulate that, “They can be applied to learning programs and environments for all school and preschool settings including canteens, out-of-school-hours care, holiday programs and related settings.

An accreditation system is available (read ‘How is it supported?’ section below), under which “the sale of confectionary, potato crisps and sweet cakes/slices in limited quantity is also allowed with some methods to limit availability also required. It not until the gold level (of accreditation) that these foods are removed from sale.”

The Catholic Education Office and Association of Independent Schools ACT were involved in the Tuckatalk in Schools Steering Group which oversaw the development of the guidelines.

How is it supported?
The DET has a School Canteen Accreditation program that has been mandated for implementation from 2009, based on the Nourish guidelines. However the guidelines will be reviewed in the near future due to the emerging national health school canteen guidelines, with a focus on the traffic light system.

The current program offers levels of accreditation from bronze to gold.

School and canteen staff can also receive training in running a healthy and profitable canteen from the ACT School Canteen Association. To find out more, click here.

Recommended reading:

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 New South Wales

What policy applies?
The Fresh Tastes @ School - NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy, effective as at term 1 2005. Food and drinks have been classified into a traffic light classification system, and all drinks in the red category are banned from sale from NSW school canteens and vending machines at all times, effective term 1 2007.

Who does it apply to?
The guidelines set down in the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy are mandatory in all NSW government school canteens. The guidelines also recommend that the red food restrictions apply to other food settings, including “counter sales, contractors, special events (fundraising), classroom rewards and the sale of food and drinks in vending machines.”

The Catholic Education Commission and the Association of Independent Schools NSW were involved in the NSW School Canteen Advisory Committee, which oversaw the development of the strategy and they both endorse the strategy for their sectors.

How is it supported?
The Fresh Tastes Tool Kit is available as a supplement to the school canteen strategy. The tool kit is designed to assist schools to “plan, promote, manage, implement and review a Fresh Tastes canteen in their school”. It includes the implementation of new menus, promotion, food preparation and recipes.

Recommended reading:

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NT Northern Territory

What policy applies?
The 2006 revised edition of the Northern Territory School Canteen Guidelines (1997) which is based on the Dietary guidelines for children and adolescents and The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. The guidelines are not mandatory.

Tummy Rumbles – Guidelines for Remote Area Canteens provides nutrition advice for remote and rural NT school canteens, and is based on The Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Guide to Healthy Eating.

In each document, high fat, sugar and salt food are considered ‘extra’ foods and it is recommended that they should not be provided in the school canteen, however there are no mandatory restrictions in place for any food or drink.

How does the policy apply?
The Northern Territory School Canteen Guidelines suggest that the canteen can influence other school food settings and the nutritional message should be “reinforced at all other points where food is supplied in the school (e.g. excursions, sports days, vending machines).”

Tummy Rumbles focuses on the needs of rural school NT school communities, with a focus on the health and nutrition of indigenous Australians in areas where access to food and/or finances may be limited. Many rural NT schools run breakfast programs or similar food subsidy programs, making the Tummy Rumbles guidelines important in the everyday nutrition of many rural NT students.

Representatives from NT Catholic and independent school associations had input into the planning of each document.

How is it supported?
The NT branch of the Heart Foundation provides support for school canteens as part of the Child Healthy Weight project, which runs information sessions about how to run a healthy and viable canteen. The Child Healthy Weight project can also arrange for local community nutritionists to work with NT schools to implement healthy changes.

Recommended reading:

Heart Foundation NT and Child Healthy Weight:
3rd Floor 21 Knuckey Street
Darwin NT 0800
Phone (08) 8981 1966

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QLD  Queensland

What policy applies?
The Smart Choices - Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools, in which food and drinks have been classified into a traffic light classification system, effective as at January 1 2007.

Red foods are permitted to be supplied on two designated occasions per term. Most soft drinks and high sugar drinks fall into the red category, however they are not banned from sale.

How does the policy apply?
The strategy is mandatory in all QLD government primary and secondary state schools from January 1 2007. The strategy applies to all school food environments, including tuckshops, vending machines, excursions, camps, fundraising, classroom rewards, school events, sports days and curriculum activities.

Independent Schools Queensland and The Parents and Friends Association of Catholic Schools in QLD had input into the strategy plan, and strongly encourage the Queensland schools in their sectors to adopt the Smart Choices strategy.

How is it supported?
TAFE Qld has developed a training course Operating a Healthy School Tuckshop or Canteen, which teaches participants the skills and knowledge necessary to operate a healthy school tuckshop consistent with Smart Choices. Participants will gain an understanding of healthy menu planning and sound management practices in school tuckshops or canteens.

Recommended reading:

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SA  South Australia

What policy applies?
The Eat Well SA Schools and Preschools Healthy Eating Guidelines, provide a guide for food provision, handling and curriculum in SA schools, and is based on the Dietary guidelines for children and adolescents and The Australian guide to healthy eating.

Right Bite is the next phase in implementing the above guidelines, having categorised food and drink with a traffic light classification system. Under Right Bite, red food and drinks (including soft drinks and artificially sweetened drinks) are only allowed to be provided on two occasions per term, but not from the canteen.

The Right Bite guidelines are mandatory in all SA government schools from January 2008.

How does the policy apply?
The strategy applies to all children and students who attend South Australian government preschools and schools.

How is it supported?
The Healthy Eating Guidelines Implementation Tool has been devised to assist schools in creating a whole of school healthy eating policy, including tools to assess the school's current situation, from the curriculum, to food supplies, food safety and working with families and the health industry.

The Department of Education and Children's Services has run workshops for school and canteen workers in how to administer a healthy canteen under the Healthy Eating Guidelines and Right Bite guide, and may continue to do so in the future.

Recommended reading:

The Education Department hotline freecall 1800 088 158.

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TAS Tasmania

What policy applies?
The Tasmanian School Canteen Handbook is a guide to establishing and maintaining a healthy school canteen. It is not a policy, but it forms the basis for the Cool Canteen Accreditation program (Cool CAP, administered by the Tasmanian School Canteen Association).

Within the guidelines is a traffic light food labelling system, with the recommendation that red foods and drinks be removed from the menu.

How does the policy apply?
The handbook provides recommendations on how schools can develop school policy for food and nutrition, incorporating all school settings (such as within the classroom), however it is mostly devoted to the implementation of a healthy and financially viable canteen.

How is it supported?
The CoolCAP accreditation awards a participating canteen with a Bronze, Silver or Gold accreditation, according to their level of compliance, incorporating food safety standards.

As part of the accreditation, school canteens submit their menu to Cool CAP, where dieticians will assess and rate the menu by green, amber and red standards. The menu must not have more red products that green and amber combined.

Given that the guidelines are not policy, any Catholic, independent or government school can receive Cool CAP accreditation.

Recommended reading:

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VIC  Victoria

What policy applies?
The ‘Go for your life' Healthy Canteen Kit – School Canteens and Other School Food Services Policy. Food and drinks have been classified into a traffic light classification system, and all drinks in the red category are banned from sale in school canteens and vending machines at any time, from term 1 2007.

The sale of confectionery through school food services will be phased out from 2007–2009. From 2009, no confectionery should be supplied through school food services.

How does the policy apply?
The policy applies to all Victorian state primary and secondary schools, in ‘regular food provision’ environments, such as vending machines, school canteens, breakfast clubs, etc. The policy is also encouraged for other school environments, such as school events, classroom rewards, fundraising, etc.

The Catholic Education Office strongly encourages Victorian Catholic schools to adopt the policy, however The Association of Independent Schools of Victoria has not provided any specific endorsement of the policy.

How is it supported?
The Kids - 'Go for your life' program for primary schools and early childhood services awards schools and services that meet key criteria in nutrition and activity across the whole school environment.

As part of the program, Nutrition Australia Victorian Division administers the 'Go for your life' Healthy Canteens Advisory Service which provides free support and training in food provision for all Victorian primary schools. The advisory service is available to anyone involved in food provision in Victorian primary schools.

Recommended reading:

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WA  Western Australia

What policy applies?
The Healthy Food and Drink policy, which regulates the provision of food and drink in WA state primary and secondary schools by a traffic light system, effective from January 1 2007.

Unlike most state policies, any food and drinks that fall into the red category are banned from sale at all times, including soft drinks and artificially sweetened drinks.

How does the policy apply?
The policy is mandatory for all WA state primary and secondary schools, in all areas where the principal is directly responsible for the supply of food and drinks, for example, school canteens, classroom rewards, school camps and excursions.

The Catholic Education Commission endorses their own food policy, which is similar, but with flexibility about the provision of red foods and drinks. The Association of Independent Schools of WA supports the Healthy Food and Drink policy.

How is it supported?
The WA School Canteen Association runs a canteen accreditation program called StarCAP. The initiative is currently on hold as the accreditation guidelines are modified to incorporate the Healthy Food and Drink policy.

To achieve accreditation, schools provide data on their canteen sales figures, rather than general food availability. Participating canteens can receive a three, four or five star rating, valid for 12 months at a time.

StarCAP accreditation is open to all WA government and independent schools that are financial members of the WA School Canteen Association.

Recommended reading:

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