Wangaratta Kangaroos Junior Football Club has long been committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of its players, families and wider community. Recently, the club took this even further by transforming its canteen through the Vic Kids Eat Well movement.
Club Secretary Mrs Rheanne Solimo said the changes have been embraced by both players and families.
“At our club, we believe our role goes beyond the game. We want to create a healthy and supportive environment for everyone who comes through our doors,” she said.
“The response has been incredibly positive. People have really appreciated the wider variety of nutritious food options available that also suit different dietary needs.”
The canteen refresh
With guidance from the Vic Kids Eat Well program, the club made a series of simple but impactful changes to their canteen.
Canteen Manager Shae McCoy introduced healthier cooking methods and new menu items that quickly became favourites.
“We’ve kept popular options but added more nutritious ingredients,” Mrs Solimo said.
“Our chicken schnitzel rolls with salad are now air-fried instead of deep-fried, which means less oil and saturated fat while still tasting great.”
The club also added nourishing, hearty meals to the menu, including:
Chicken and vegetable soup and minestrone soup served with wholemeal bread
Pulled roast beef rolls and bowls with fresh coleslaw
A wider range of snacks with fewer additives
“Our chicken schnitzel rolls and pulled roast beef options actually sell out every week. We've even had requests to put rolls on hold for players post-game! Our community has also been very thankful for the veggie soups on freezing cold days," Mrs Solimo said.
Providing nutritious options
The club also made small environmental changes to support young players and spectators:
Free water is now available for everyone
Water and soda water were moved to eye level in the fridge
“These were simple swaps, but they’ve made a big difference,” Mrs Solimo said.
“When kids see their teammates enjoying water at training and at games, it becomes the norm,” she said.
Positive results
The refreshed canteen has been a huge success with the community. The canteen continues to be a vibrant part of game day. Players say they look forward to home games because of the great food variety. Families appreciate the colourful, filling options too.
“Young players know they can refuel with something nutritious after games or training, and that helps them feel good while they’re playing and recovering,” Mrs Solimo said.
Looking ahead
The club is proud of the changes they’ve made and is committed to continuing their Vic Kids Eat Well journey.
“This is just the beginning for us,” Mrs Solimo said.
“By making these changes, we’re providing colourful and nutritious options now and helping build lifelong health for our young players,” she said.
Overall, Kangaroos Junior Football Club has shown that with small, practical changes as part of Vic Kids Eat Well, community sport settings can create positive food environments that players and families enjoy.