St Mary’s Primary School and the Western NSW Local Health District (LHD) teamed up for their first meeting of the year to re-establish and assist the school canteen in a bid to deliver healthier food choices for school children.

The aim of the Dubbo District Canteen Network is to provide school canteen managers with the opportunity to network and exchange ideas and information to help them improve the operation of their canteen.

St Mary’s canteen manager Colin Willis said kids should replace meat pies with wholegrain sandwiches.

“We’re introducing more vegetarian meals on our menu, as well as a lot more fruit and vegetables,” he said.

He said the aim was to expand a child’s healthy eating habits.

“If there is a fruit salad on display, nine times out of 10 a child wouldn’t look at it unless there was a dollop of yoghurt on top and they would change their mind.”

He explained there were drawbacks to healthy eating in schools, particularly when most canteens were run by parents and community (P&C) groups.

“The P&C groups are there to make money for other things in the school, with no incentive to change up the canteen menu.

“That’s why every school needs a canteen manager who can run it like a business.”

The education of parents, he said, was also important, as they could be made aware of their role in encouraging their kids to eat healthy.

“We want to put the word out there to all schools... the onus is on the school canteens to provide a variety of food to the kids because that is what the kids like,” he said.

Western NSW LHD health promotion officer Emma Fitzgerald said the new menu was like the traffic light system.

“Red means things like chocolate, lollies and hot chips, which kids are allowed twice a term,” she said.

Amber foods had moderate amounts of salt, she said, and green foods would dominate the menu.

“That would include nutritionally sound foods and more fruit and vegetables,” she said.

The Dubbo District Canteen Network initiative was in place to provide students with a range of healthier food and drinks in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Adolescents and Children.