Having a healthier school canteen is now even easier, with free online menu assessments on FoodChecker!
FoodChecker (foodchecker.heas.health.vic.gov.au) is a Victorian Government website that helps you find out if the food and drinks you supply are in line with the healthy school canteen guidelines.
The Healthy Canteen Kit – School Canteens and Other School Food Services Policy classifies foods and drinks into three categories: Everyday (Green) or Select Carefully (Amber), or Occasionally (Red). Only Everyday and Select Carefully items are recommended for schools, and the canteen menu should have mostly Everyday items. Confectionery and high sugar content soft drinks should not be supplied through school food services at any time.
With FoodChecker you can assess your whole canteen menu and get instant feedback on each recipe and product, and recommendations for healthy changes. You can review your current menu, or use FoodChecker to plan the next one!
You can also use FoodChecker to classify individual recipes and products, or search the database containing thousands of foods and drinks to find healthier Everyday and Select Carefully options for your school.
You can use FoodChecker anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected device!
Anyone working in or with the school’s food service can use FoodChecker, including the canteen staff, school administration, and community health professionals that work with schools.
Even if a school doesn’t have a canteen, any business that supplies foods and drinks to Victorian schools as a tuck shop can use FoodChecker to classify and assess their products, or use it to develop new healthier Everyday and Select Carefully options that can be supplied to schools.
Get started today at foodchecker.heas.health.vic.gov.au
Having a healthy school canteen will also help your school work towards the Achievement Program’s Healthy Eating and Oral Health benchmarks.
FoodChecker is brought to you by the Healthy Eating Advisory Service (heas.health.vic.gov.au), which is delivered by Nutrition Australia Vic Division and the Victorian Government.
Facebook: @HealthyEatingAdvisoryService
Twitter: @HEAS_Vic
Instagram: heas_vic