Healthy eating
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, 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:
|
| 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 Anaphylaxis and allergy management) 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:
- promote healthy eating, as well as healthy food and drink choices, at school and across the wider school community
- implement the NSW Healthy School Canteens Strategy (refer to Healthy school canteens) and encourage school canteens to complete a free Menu Check every 3 years
- make healthy food and drink options available in school canteens as described by The Food and Drink Criteria
- ensure sugar sweetened drinks are not sold in school canteens.
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
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.