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How the School Traffic Light System Works

How the School Traffic Light System Works

Healthy food is slowly gaining ground in schools

In an attempt to combat childhood obesity, school tuck shop guidelines that encouraged healthy eating habits were first rolled out in 2006. Schools have gradually eliminated many of the more serious junk food options on tuck shop menus. Some schools initially assumed that healthy selections would reduce profits, but this has turned out to be a false assumption. Kids have to eat after all.

The Traffic Light System that was implemented to identify good, acceptable and poor choices came under scrutiny after it was discovered that a number of “green” choices were not necessarily good foods. Schools were providing foods, containing additives and trans fats known to exacerbate obesity and cause behavioural problems, that were wrongly labelled as “green”.

Healthy food guidelines developed by the government included: wholemeal bread; fruit juices free of additives and preservatives; meats roasted on site to avoid preservative-packed deli meats; muffins and biscuits made from scratch; fresh fruits and finely chopped or shredded vegetables and non-flavoured milk.

Schools were also advised to use novelty packaging and to display healthy options at the front of the counter so that students would make good choices by default because they were easily accessible.

Another recommendation was to avoid using terms like, “healthy”, “low-fat”, “low-calorie” or “diet” on menus and to leave out words like “vegetable” and “salad” when describing menu items. Students should ultimately grow accustomed to healthy food and schools that have implemented the guidelines should feel proud.

How is your school faring?

For tips on waste free school lunches see: Nude Food Lunch Boxes.

Image: Nataliia Pyzhova/Shutterstock

Resources:

Going Bright Green in the School Canteen – Julie Eady – TheFoodCoach

Department of Education – Healthy Food and Drink

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