Boisdale Consolidated School has joined Vic Kids Eat Well, an exciting state-wide movement to boost tasty and nutritious food and drink options to help kids learn, play and be active.
Belinda Marshall, Boisdale Consolidated School’s Principal said the school formed a canteen subcommittee with a focus on providing good, wholesome, affordable food and promoting healthy options to students. They were joined by a canteen manager, with a similar mindset, and together they improved the school’s canteen under the Vic Kids Eat Well initiative’s simple steps.
“Boisdale Consolidated School adopted Vic Kids Eat Well as our school community wanted a refreshed canteen that supported the health and wellbeing of our students. Staff and families wanted our students to enjoy nourishing canteen options,” Mrs Marshall said.
“Our canteen subcommittee has led the project from the start and I'm really proud of the way our school has transformed our food environment to now include items like veggie-loaded rice paper rolls. The feedback from students and staff has been fantastic,” she said.
The canteen subcommittee said: “Being surrounded by beef, dairy and veggie farms, the students have a natural understanding of where food comes from. We’ve just reinforced the idea that real food tastes amazing and is something to get excited about!”
“Our canteen now only serves what parents want their kids to eat. Fresh fruits and vegetables, salads and meats, baked goods made from scratch, hidden veg pastries, rice paper rolls and home cooked weekly specials send wonderful aromas around the school. Taps and water bubblers are freely available and sugary drinks are off the menu,” the committee said.
Dimity Gannon, Head of Healthy Places at Cancer Council Victoria, said Vic Kids Eat Well supports community organisations, like schools and sports clubs, to make bite-size changes to fuel kids with nutritious and tasty foods and drinks.
“I extend my congratulations to the entire Boisdale Consolidated School community for joining the Vic Kids Eat Well movement and providing kids with the healthy start they deserve,” Ms Gannon said.
Schools, sports clubs and Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) can join Vic Kids Eat Well for free. They’ll receive personalised support from a health promoter to make healthy and delicious swaps and will be able to celebrate wins along the way with vouchers and rewards.
Vic Kids Eat Well is supported by the Victorian Government and delivered by Cancer Council Victoria’s Achievement Program, in partnership with Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Advisory Service.
Learn more or join for free at vickidseatwell@cancervic.org.au or 1300 185 725.