NSW Public Schools fail to pass Healthy Canteen menu check

MORE than 400 of the state’s public school tuck shops are selling junk food to students despite a 2019 deadline to meet the government imposed Healthy School Canteen Strategy.

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EXCLUSIVE

MORE than 400 of the state’s public school tuck shops are selling junk food to students despite a 2019 deadline to meet the government imposed Healthy School Canteen Strategy.

Only 1329 of the state’s 1771 canteens in the state passed the canteen menu check by the 2019 deadline, Department of Education figures reveal.

Health authorities say the 441 canteens which failed to make the grade are now being given “training” so they can meet the benchmarks.

Under the policy, NSW public schools were required to transition to the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy over a three-year period by 2019.

Ryan Wall, 6, Emily Adcock, 6, Jude Chittinappilly, 6, Georgie Allen, 6, at St Kieran’s Catholic Public School which has a healthy canteen. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Monash University nutrition expert Associate Professor Simone Gibson said schools were dragging their feet because junk food was more profitable than healthy food.

“Junk food makes more money,” she said.

“Soft drinks, chips — they are cheap to produce and the taste of salt and sugar is really appealing to the human tastebud.”

“Some parents don’t have time to prepare their kids’ lunches, so they’re reliant on the canteen and then they’re reliant on their kids making the right choices.”

An Education Department spokesman said three quarters of NSW public schools had changed to healthier menus and they expected more to make the grade this year.

“Health and Education will continue to work with public schools that haven’t met the food and drink criteria, through the provision of training, resources and information,” the spokesman said.

Healthy Kids Association CEO David Pratt said schools which tried to switch over to healthy food overnight had struggled.

“In the early days, some schools tried to switch over quite quickly … if you’ve only sold junk food and the kids arrive the next day and you’re only selling healthy food, the kids are going to baulk at buying the healthy food,” he said.

He told The Daily Telegraph local health authorities were now focusing on helping primary school canteens pass the menu test and his organisation was working with secondary schools to bring them up to scratch.

“We proactively target schools that have not officially crossed the line to find out what the impediment is and what is holding them back from passing the menu check,” he said.

Principal of St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School in Manly Vale Michael Gallagher said their school met the guidelines because children who consumed healthy food focused more in class.

Principal of St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School in Manly Vale Michael Gallagher said healthy food was good for learning. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“We find children who are eating too much sugary food before school or get it at school tend to stick to that type of food and lose concentration and lack focus,” he said.

Mum of 6-year-old Ryan, Gemma Wall said she used the canteen when she was time-poor.

“I don’t stop them from having a treat, but I want them to have fresh food, healthy food at school,” she said.