Foodservices: School Canteens Play a Role in Teaching Food Intake Balance

Younger people need to learn to eat a balanced food intake from the five food groups. The five food groups consist of fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, and breads & cereals.  Canteens play an important role in the development of a younger person’s food habits. It is important that canteens take a balanced view of the food supply when developing their menu. Why is this important? Younger people need to be able to identify what foods provide in terms of nutrition, as they will be responsible for their own food supply and intake later in life.

It is equally important that younger people learn foods that are traditionally seen as unhealthy, such as pies and flavoured milk, can still be part of a balanced food intake when consumed in moderation. The guidelines around traffic light and everyday/occasional food systems, provide a format to help school canteens deliver a positive nutritional message. It also helps younger people to understand where foods sit in terms of nutrition and what to eat occasionally.

Arming younger people with these nutrition skills is important for life-long wellbeing. Teaching younger people to balance their food intake will also provide a solid foundation for healthy eating habits into the future.

For more information on school canteen food guidelines watch our ‘Nutrition in School Canteens’ webinar or talk to us at Church Resources about our wide range of high-quality foodservice solutions such as dairy and bread for your school. As a member, take advantage of our aggregated purchasing power and free benchmarking service to ensure your school is maximising foodservice savings and efficiencies.

Blog written by Dr Karen Abbey – Procurement Australasia Foodservice Ambassador