Using FoodChecker for Healthy Choices

Health services Workplaces & Tertiary education Sport & recreation Food industry
person using a laptop and another person holding a booklet in front of shelves of drinks

Get a free and instant report of the food and drinks you supply with our online assessment tool, FoodChecker!

Use FoodChecker to assess menus, vending machines, recipes and products according to the Victorian Government’s Healthy Choices guidelines for:

  • workplaces (catering)
  • sport and recreation facilities
  • tertiary institutions
  • hospital and health services*

When you use FoodChecker you will receive instant feedback on screen, plus a PDF report to download and save. It contains feedback on the foods and drinks you supply, and tailored recommendations for healthier changes to meet the Healthy Choices guidelines.

You can do an assessment anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected device!

Assess menus and vending machines

You can use FoodChecker to assess retail food outlet or catering menus, and vending machines.

Your PDF report will include:

  • a classification for every food and drink item you entered (GREEN, AMBER or RED)
  • recommendations for healthier alternatives
  • the overall percentage of GREEN, AMBER or RED items in your menu or vending machine
  • recommendations to decrease the amount of RED options and increase the amount of GREEN items
  • advice on promoting your healthier options

When you make changes to your menu or vending machine you can reassess these online. You can also use FoodChecker to plan future menus or vending machines that meet the Healthy Choices guidelines.

Assessing your menu or vending machines is an important step towards promoting healthy eating for your staff, customers and visitors. It also helps your organisation work towards the Healthy Eating benchmarks of the Achievement Program.

Find healthier products

Search the database of over 3000 packaged food and drinks items, to find healthier GREEN and AMBER foods and drinks for retail outlets, catering and vending machines.

All products have been classified according to the Victorian Government’s Healthy Choices guidelines.

Assess products

You can use FoodChecker to find out if the branded food and drink products you supply are classified GREEN, AMBER or RED according to the Victorian Government’s Healthy Choices guidelines.

Select from thousands of items already in our database or assess a new item by entering details from the label and save it to your account.

Your report will include each product’s classification, with feedback and suggestions for healthier options (if relevant).

Assess recipes

You can use FoodChecker to find out if your recipes are classified GREEN, AMBER or RED according to the Victorian Government’s Healthy Choices guidelines.

Your results will include the recipe classification, plus recommendations on how to make it healthier, such as modifying ingredients.

You can enter your own recipe or use the ‘Common recipes’ feature to select from hundreds of standard recipes that you can modify to match your own. You can also save recipes to use in future.

 

* Please note: this does not apply to hospital inpatient menus or patient food services.

^ Public health services need to report against the Healthy choices: policy directive for public health services. A new flow has been created in FoodChecker to reflect this. For more information click here.

For more information please phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nutritionaustralia.org.au

Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this document show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. This document may contain images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In this document, ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Koori/Koorie’ is retained when part of the title of a report, program or quotation. Copyright © State of Victoria 2016

Written and reviewed by dietitians and nutritionists at Nutrition Australia, with support from the Victorian Government.

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