Canberra’s school canteens just earned themselves the label of the most unhealthy in the country.

A recent analysis by Monash University, under the guidance of the advocacy group The Parents’ Jury, found that of the 19 school canteen menus that were analysed in the ACT, only 5% of them complied with the National Healthy School Canteen Guidelines. Over half of the canteens had chocolate or confectionary available, over 90% offer a pastry product and 40% offered soft drink.

19 schools represents only 22% of ACT schools, and as far as research is concerned this is a pretty small sample size. It doesn’t mean the research is invalid but it’s difficult to make concluding statements. In saying that, it is somewhat concerning that out of 19 schools only 1 of those complied with the nutritional guidelines. This means that there are 18 schools in the ACT that aren’t offering our children the best nutrition available according to the guidelines.

I’m not usually a feisty person, but I’m appalled by these results and by the amount of ridiculous debate around the issue. There should be no argument about the content of school canteens. There is NO place at all for chocolate, confectionary, chips, biscuits or lollies in a school canteen and this is why.

One

Nutritionally speaking there is sufficient evidence to back up healthy eating claims, such as regular consumption of fresh vegetables, legumes and fruits, lean meats and low fat dairy products. We know that its a high salt, high saturated fat and high sugar diet that is affecting the health of our children and the last Australian survey of children’s diets shows there is much room for improvement.

Healthy eating MUST be promoted and encouraged at every opportunity during a child’s day.

Two

Children attend school 5 out of 7 days a week and consume at least two meals (a snack and lunch) while they’re there. This is about 1/3 of their total food intake for the day, making the food they eat at school a significant part of their total diet. Eating at the school canteen may not be a regular occurrence for all children, but for some it is frequent part of their lives. This means that ‘junk’ type foods that are low in nutrients and high in fat, salt and/or sugar are featuring too often in some children’s diets.

I believe in BALANCE and I believe in TREATS. However, treat your kids with dessert on a Friday night or a special picnic in the park on the weekend. There is no need for children to have treats at school, especially when there are children eating ‘treats’ from the canteen too often.

Three

Children have a preference for salty, fatty and sweet tasting foods. This statement is generalising, but will sum up 90% of children…I’m sure there are some of you with children who are exceptions to this rule.

But for most children, when salty, fatty or sweet foods are available, they will choose these foods every time. If ‘junk’ type foods are not available, then children won’t eat them. Children will choose healthy options if there are only healthy options available. These food preferences mean that the responsibility of making healthy choices is too much for a child. Yes, they need to learn this responsibility but this is something that comes from children growing up in health promoting environments, having good parental models and clear nutrition education.

If the school canteen works through parents ordering their kids meals in advance, then the same logic applies. If only healthy food is available then healthy food will be chosen.

If there is initial opposition to changing the food of a canteen, school principles and canteen managers need to be patient. The CSIRO suggests that children need to try and taste certain foods up to 10 or more times before they will accept it. A new culture needs to be developed that fosters healthy habits and culture takes time to change.

In summary…

I believe that ‘junk’ type foods have no place on the menus of school canteens. The diets of Australian children need improvement and healthy eating must be supported, promoted and encouraged at every opportunity. Almost 1/3 of a child’s total food intake is eaten at school and for lots of kids this means regular trips to the school canteen. Kids shouldn’t have the responsibility to make healthy choices, they show preference for salty, fatty, sweet tasting foods and will choose these over healthy options. This is also true for adolescents.

SOME COMMON ARGUMENTS

This is just another example of a ‘nanny state’ government, we should have choice.

Yes, we do have the right for choice. However, children don’t have the wisdom, knowledge or capability to choose well for themselves. This is something that comes as part of growth and development. Caregivers, apart from parents and guardians, such as schools, have a responsibility to ensure that children have the best possible nutrition available. If people want to feed their kids chips, chocolate and lollies they can, whenever they like, outside school hours. There’s no law against that. If parents don’t like the fact that only healthy food is served at the school canteen, well they can put something else in the kids’ lunch boxes.

If school canteens are too restrictive, kids will eat worse food in their lunch boxes.

Every parent has a responsibility for the health, wellbeing and safety of their child. There’s not a huge amount that the government or schools can do about that except promote healthy habits and invest in education.

I was asked to comment on a recent report on the childhood obesity situation in Canberra with journalists asking the question, “why are our are children so obese?”. I’d need to write a 3000 word essay to answer that question and even then my answer would be considered somewhat brief. It’s a highly complex situation. However, I’d like to postulate that Australian families are under pressure and there are three main barriers to healthy eating that I believe play a significant role in the levels of obesity in our children.

These barriers are: a lack of time to prepare healthy meals, the perceived high expense of healthy food and a lack of cooking and food preparation skills.

Most parents don’t feed their children poorly because they’re bad parents. They feed their children certain foods out of convenience. Time-poor, tight-budgeted Australian families want quick, easy, inexpensive foods that is something they know their child will eat. End of story. School canteens actually have a huge opportunity to help Aussie families and children eat better if their menus are strictly healthy food choices.

Surely a small amount of treat food is OK on canteen menus

Yes, it’s fine for our children to have the occasional takeaway food or sweet treat but I’m inclined to think that the meaning of ‘occasional’ may have got a little distorted. They don’t need to be eating these types of foods multiple times per week at the school canteen.

I aim to give my kids around 1-2 treats per week. This would be a doughnut out at the shops or ice cream for dessert one night. Their grandparents also feed them enough ‘treat’ foods when they’re with them so they don’t often get them with me.

The fact that kids will almost always choose the ‘treat’ foods is also the other reason why they should not be available. Out of sight, out of mind.

Canteens don’t have the funding for healthy food

Healthy food doesn’t have to be more expensive. Some smart planning and creativity is required but a healthy, sustainable canteen is very realistic if schools, parents and canteen managers are willing to make some changes and are committed to healthier foods on their menus.

Want to know more? Check out the Guidelines for healthy foods and drinks supplied in school canteens from the Department of Health and Ageing.

How does YOUR school canteen stack up? Diabolical or some good healthy choices?