Healthy eating procedures

Direction and guidance on providing environments that support and model healthy eating options for students and school communities. These procedures support students, staff and visitors to make healthier choices by promoting, and increasing access to, affordable and nutritious food and drinks.

Audience

NSW public schools, public preschools, parents and carers, and school communities.

Version Date Description of changes Approved by
V01.0.0 21/06/2024 Under the 2023 policy and procedure review program, a new policy document with consolidated instructions previously provided in Nutrition in Schools policy, Healthy school canteens webpage and the Food and drink criteria webpage. Executive Director, Inclusion and Wellbeing


About the policy

Healthy eating and good nutrition are promoted in the school community, and in all school activities and programs that involve food and drinks.

These procedures relate to the Student health and wellbeing policy.

Term Definition
Anaphylaxis A severe and sometimes sudden allergic reaction to an allergen. Anaphylaxis is potentially life threatening and always requires an emergency response.
Healthy eating Involves consuming a wide variety of nutritious foods from the 5 food groups every day and drinking plenty of water. Healthy eating provides children and adolescents with the range of nutrients they need for optimal growth and development, and the energy they need for play and physical activity. Limit the intake of occasional foods including those that contain high levels of saturated fat, added salt and added sugars to ensure good nutritional choices.
Healthy food

Foods and drinks made from foods in the 5 food groups:

  • grains (for example, bread, rice, pasta, cereal)
  • vegetables
  • fruit
  • milk, yoghurt, cheese, dairy alternatives (for example, calcium-fortified soy milk)
  • lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds and legumes/beans.
Occasional food and drinks Foods high in saturated fat, sugars and/or salt and often have little nutritional value. Examples include cakes, sweet muffins, sweet biscuits, pies, sausage rolls, processed meats, packaged or commercial pizza, salty snacks and diet drinks.

Principals:

  • oversee the implementation of school practices that are consistent with healthy eating and are responsive to local needs, including cultural diversity
  • monitor food and nutrition education as part of the personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE) key learning area, which is mandatory for all students from Kindergarten to Year 10
  • promote healthy food and drink options for all school activities
  • ensure that school activities involving the provision of food and drink address the requirements for anaphylaxis and allergy management (refer to refer to Anaphylaxis and allergy management procedures) to minimise the risk of exposure to allergens.

Teachers:

  • promote healthy eating practices and good nutrition wherever possible.

Directors, Educational Leadership:

  • monitor the local implementation of these procedures.

What needs to be done

1. Promote access to healthy foods and drinks

Schools:

2. Monitor healthy eating practices

Principals must review healthy eating practices annually as a part of the whole school planning and reporting cycle.

Record-keeping requirements

  • Schools need to keep the Menu Check certificate as it is valid for 3 years.

Supporting tools, resources and related information

Policy contact

Leader, Student Health and Safety
Student.Health@det.nsw.edu.au

The Executive Director, Inclusion and Wellbeing monitors the implementation of this procedure, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.

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