Two schools in Queanbeyan are making the healthy choice the easy choice for students.
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Queanbeyan and Queanbeyan South have become 'Healthy School Canteens' by meeting the NSW Food and Drink Criteria for public schools.
The schools have been awarded a Healthy School Canteen Badge by the NSW School Canteen Menu Check Service, demonstrating that their canteen meets the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy, introduced in 2017.
The schools' canteen menus include more fresh and healthy food choices to provide students with the essential nutrients they need to learn and grow every day.
Public school canteens across NSW have been working towards achieving this strategic benchmark since 2017.
The strategy is a key initiative to support the Premier's Priority to reduce by five percentage points the overweight and obesity rates of children by 2025.
These two school canteens are run by the school and supported by dedicated P&C members and volunteers feeding children Monday to Friday.
'It is critical [canteens have] healthy choices to support students' wellbeing.'
- QPS principal Kym Hawes
Principal of Queanbeyan Public Kym Hawes said the service to students provided by the canteen was "such an important one. It is critical it has healthy choices to support students' wellbeing."
The P&C-run canteen at Queanbeyan South Public has been successfully running for many years.
"Tracy [Bamblett] the canteen operator has been dedicated to providing healthy choice to the students of our school throughout this time," said Queanbeyan South Public principal Adam Zanco.
"With the assistance of the Healthy Schools Canteen team, Tracy has been able to refine the offering to our families so that there is a sense of wellbeing about what is served.
"This is a wonderful recognition for all the hard work from the dedicated team. Congratulations!"
The schools were supported in their application by Jen Mozina, a health promotion officer at Southern NSW Local Health District.
"This is a great achievement by these schools. Their school communities should be very proud of the efforts to implement the changes necessary to achieve this recognition," Mrs Mozina said.
"It takes a lot of dedicated staff and volunteers to support a canteen, which is the heart of the school."
- For more information, see the website: healthyschoolcanteens.nsw.gov.au
