If you are looking for some easy tips on ways to make your recipes for home or canteens and tuckshops healthier – look no further than Food Smart Schools. 

We would love to hear your great recipe modification tips. Please email us at info@foodsmartschools.org

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Healthy snacks play an important role in helping children and adolescents meet their nutritional requirements for growth and development and to keep their energy levels up throughout the day. It is difficult for growing children and adolescents to meet their nutritional needs in just 3 meals a day, so in addition to their 3 meals, aim to also include 2-3 snacks daily...  

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Packing your child’s lunchbox in a safe manner is important to keep the food enjoyable and safe to eat.  Bacteria that cause food poisoning grow in warm conditions between 5°C and 60°C. This is known as the Temperature Danger Zone. It is important to keep the food out of this zone by keeping it cool and securely packed...

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The Smart Choices Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy calls for schools to look at all areas of food supply and food promotion within the school environment including the tuckshop, the classroom, school events, and school fundraisers. As a result many schools are now taking a different approach and running fundraisers that promote health or support healthy eating and are in the best health interests of students, families and the community. This has involved a shift away from traditional fundraisers based on unhealthy food choices such as pie drives, sausage sizzles or chocolates drives, to raise funds for the school...

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Utilising effective marketing and promotion strategies is a great way to sell menu items and increase your profits. Marketing and promoting food increases awareness of products and will create a demand amongst students for certain menu items...

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Boondall State School has been working with Nutrition Australia QLD to assist with the development of their fantastic initiative…..the ‘Friday Fresh Menu’.  This is a great program which sees a different style of menu offered each Friday compared to the rest of the week.

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Changes don’t have to happen overnight. It might be more practical at your school to allow a whole term, semester of even a school year to carry out any menu changes you identify. Use this canteen and tuckshop action plan templates to help you realise and achieve your planned changes.

Food Smart Schools offers individualised menu reviews, complete with a detailed written report including specific suggestions relevant to your tuckshop or canteen. 

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Changes don’t have to happen overnight. It might be more practical at your school to allow a whole term, semester of even a school year to carry out any menu changes you identify. Use this canteen and tuckshop action plan templates to help you document and implement your planned changes.

Food Smart Schools offers individualised menu reviews, complete with a detailed written report including specific suggestions relevant to your tuckshop or canteen.   

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Reviewing and planning your canteen or tuckshop menu can be sometimes be difficult and time consuming and we know how busy convenors are, so this resource is designed as a quick menu review activity that you can do yourself!  It’s a great tool to help you assess your current, and make exciting plans for your future menu.

This checklist will guide you through four sections to assess how healthy the school menu is, promotional strategies for the menu and some “best practice” ideas. 

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Information on caffeine and energy drinks and why they should be limited for children...

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Creating a school environment that supports good health is about more than just what happens in the tuckshop/ canteen.  Teachers play an important role in encouraging positive health behaviour.....

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