Supporting a healthy menu in the classroom
Promoting healthy eating in the classroom can support optimal physical growth and development.
Why is healthy eating important?
Healthy students are better learners
Students that eat a nutritious diet have:
- better mental health
- enhanced cognitive skills like concentration
- improved memory and learning
- improved academic performance
Helping students eat a wide range of nutritious foods can also lead to:
- fewer days away from school
- fewer behavioural issues
- higher test scores
Curriculum that supports wellbeing
A whole-school approach to healthy eating includes:
- heathy eating and nutrition messaging as part of the curriculum
- considering healthy fundraising
- planning healthy food options for special events
- ensuring nutritious options are available where the school provides food e.g. canteen or other
Involving children in conversations about healthy eating in a positive way can also help them engage more meaningfully with healthy foods and build positive food habits.
Resources to support a whole-school approach are available for:
For further information on curriculum that supports wellbeing and adopting a whole-school approach to healthy eating visit:
Why get students involved in supporting a healthy canteen?
- It can help students to have a healthier relationship with food.
- Canteen menu changes will have greater acceptance and sustainability.
- You will be contributing to a whole-school approach to healthy eating at your school.
- Students will help to support the work being done by canteen staff.
Classroom activity ideas
Get the creative juices flowing
Get the students thinking outside the box by setting mini competitions.
You could get students to:
- come up with a healthy snack or meal recipe to trial
- design promotional posters to advertise the canteen and its healthy items
- create cool and fun names for new menu items (e.g. The Hulk Burger)
- you could even get the students to help name and decorate the canteen, like Marlborough Primary School did!
Grow, grow, grow
If your school has a kitchen garden program consider linking it to the canteen. Use the ingredients you grow and recipes you cook to test possible new canteen menu items.
You could also help to supply the canteen with herbs or easy to grow vegetables (you might even save a little money).
See Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation for support to deliver pleasurable food education through kitchen gardens.
Get the students involved with the canteen
- Students could volunteer in the canteen, supporting the school, learning some great life skills and gaining retail experience.
- Get your school’s student representative council or students’ voice group to support the canteen and take charge of ensuring the menu is loved and healthy. This could include helping to plan theme days.
- Get the students involved with creating promotional videos about the canteen and/or updates about changes to the canteen menu. This will help the school community get excited about the canteen! You could post these on the school’s social media (e.g. Facebook, website).
References
- American College of Sports Medicine, American School Health Association, GENYOUth Foundation, National Dairy Council, The Wellness Impact: Enhancing Academic Through Healthy School Environment, March 2013.
- Victorian Student Health and Wellbeing Survey. The Department of Education and Training, 2018, https://www.vic.gov.au/victorian-student-health-and-wellbeing-survey
- Australian Health Survey 2011-12. Australian Bureau of Statistics.
- Jacka FN, et al. Associations between diet quality and depressed mood in adolescents: results from the Australian Healthy Neighbourhoods Study. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2010 May;44(5):435-42. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20397785
- Burrows, T., Goldman, S., Pursey, K., Lim, R. (2017) Is there an association between dietary intake and academic achievement: a systematic review. J Hum Nutr Diet. 30, 117– 140 doi: 10.1111/jhn.12407. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jhn.12407
For more information please phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nnf.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 National Nutrition Foundation, with support from the Victorian Government.
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The Healthy Eating Advisory Service acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we operate. We pay our respects to them, their culture and their Elders past and present.
The Healthy Eating Advisory Service is delivered by experienced nutritionists and dietitians at National Nutrition Foundation, with support from the Victorian Government.
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