State imposes new school limits on popular snack
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The start of a new school term in one state has been marked by a surprising change in the lunchbox landscape.
South Australia’s Department of Education has issued new guidelines that discouraged the inclusion of a beloved Australian snack, fairy bread, in children's lunch boxes or school canteens.
Fairy bread, a simple yet delightful combination of white bread, butter, and hundreds and thousands (also known as sprinkles), has long been a staple at children's parties and a favourite lunchbox inclusion.
However, the new 'Right Bite' guidelines introduced by the South Australian Department of Education categorised fairy bread as a 'Red Two' food item—a category that includes food that should never be sold or supplied in schools.
The 'Right Bite' guidelines divided food into four categories.
'Green' food items are the healthiest options, while 'Amber' food should be chosen carefully.
The 'Red' category is split into two: 'Red One', which can be served twice per term at school events, and 'Red Two', which should never be sold or supplied.
Food under the 'Red One' category includes butter, pies, sausage rolls, pasties, schnitzels, sausages, biscuits, chips, jam, and honey.
Food under the 'Red Two' category includes deep-fried meats, deep-fried chips or hash browns, coated muesli bars, ice creams with confectionery, soft drinks, and hundreds and thousands, such as fairy bread.
According to the newly released guidelines, the standards do not apply to preschools and children’s centres and food brought from home for personal consumption.
You can learn more about the 'Right Bite' initiative in the video below:
Video source: Youtube/Department for Education, South Australia.
This move follows a similar initiative by Western Australia’s Department of Health and Department of Education, which reconfigured its 'traffic lights' system for classifying food and drink in schools.
The system moved ham and other processed red meat from an earlier 'Amber' label to 'Red', limiting its sale in canteens.
The new guidelines have caused some confusion among canteen workers, many of whom are volunteers and parents themselves.
'They are a little confused, I think would be fair to say,' Megan Sauzier, the Chief of the WA School Canteen Association said.
'They need things that are easy to prepare, and when that (a ham-and-cheese sandwich) is served alongside a broad range of other healthy “Green” items, like fruits and vegetables and meals and pasta, then ham as an “Amber”, we see as being acceptable.'
Ms Sauzier expressed her pride over her state’s policy which promoted healthy eating in schools, but was also concerned that the new 'selected red' category could potentially lead to a regression in children's health.
Some items in the 'selected red' category included pastries, pies, and sausage rolls.
The reclassification of some food from 'Amber' to 'Red' was reportedly designed to align schools with Australian Dietary Guidelines, the Australian Curriculum, and a federal government health council guide to reduce children's exposure to unhealthy food and drink.
Members, what are your thoughts on the new guidelines? Let us know in the comments below.
South Australia’s Department of Education has issued new guidelines that discouraged the inclusion of a beloved Australian snack, fairy bread, in children's lunch boxes or school canteens.
Fairy bread, a simple yet delightful combination of white bread, butter, and hundreds and thousands (also known as sprinkles), has long been a staple at children's parties and a favourite lunchbox inclusion.
However, the new 'Right Bite' guidelines introduced by the South Australian Department of Education categorised fairy bread as a 'Red Two' food item—a category that includes food that should never be sold or supplied in schools.
Fairy bread was categorised under 'Red Two' of the 'Right Bite' guidelines in South Australia. Image source: Shutterstock.
The 'Right Bite' guidelines divided food into four categories.
'Green' food items are the healthiest options, while 'Amber' food should be chosen carefully.
The 'Red' category is split into two: 'Red One', which can be served twice per term at school events, and 'Red Two', which should never be sold or supplied.
Food under the 'Red One' category includes butter, pies, sausage rolls, pasties, schnitzels, sausages, biscuits, chips, jam, and honey.
Food under the 'Red Two' category includes deep-fried meats, deep-fried chips or hash browns, coated muesli bars, ice creams with confectionery, soft drinks, and hundreds and thousands, such as fairy bread.
According to the newly released guidelines, the standards do not apply to preschools and children’s centres and food brought from home for personal consumption.
You can learn more about the 'Right Bite' initiative in the video below:
Video source: Youtube/Department for Education, South Australia.
This move follows a similar initiative by Western Australia’s Department of Health and Department of Education, which reconfigured its 'traffic lights' system for classifying food and drink in schools.
The system moved ham and other processed red meat from an earlier 'Amber' label to 'Red', limiting its sale in canteens.
The new guidelines have caused some confusion among canteen workers, many of whom are volunteers and parents themselves.
'They are a little confused, I think would be fair to say,' Megan Sauzier, the Chief of the WA School Canteen Association said.
'They need things that are easy to prepare, and when that (a ham-and-cheese sandwich) is served alongside a broad range of other healthy “Green” items, like fruits and vegetables and meals and pasta, then ham as an “Amber”, we see as being acceptable.'
Ms Sauzier expressed her pride over her state’s policy which promoted healthy eating in schools, but was also concerned that the new 'selected red' category could potentially lead to a regression in children's health.
Some items in the 'selected red' category included pastries, pies, and sausage rolls.
The reclassification of some food from 'Amber' to 'Red' was reportedly designed to align schools with Australian Dietary Guidelines, the Australian Curriculum, and a federal government health council guide to reduce children's exposure to unhealthy food and drink.
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