Healthy Eating

Healthy eating has a long-lasting and positive impact on a child’s growth, development and health.

Foods eaten by your child at school contribute greatly to their daily nutrient intake. These foods considerably influence their eating habits, growth patterns, energy, concentration levels and ability to learn.

You have an important role to play in helping to ensure your child eats well and stays active.

Healthy school lunch ideas include:

• sandwiches or pita bread with cheese, lean meat or salad
• cheese slices, crackers with spread and fresh fruit
• washed and cut-up raw vegetables or fresh fruits
• frozen water or milk, particularly in hot weather

Highly processed, sugary, fatty and salty foods should only make up a very small part of your child’s diet. Foods to limit in school lunches include:

• processed meats such as salami and pressed chicken
• chips, sweet biscuits, muesli and breakfast bars
• fruit bars and fruit straps
• cordials, juices containing sugar and soft drinks

You must let your child’s school principal know if your child is allergic to particular foods.

Go for your life

Our Department actively participates in the Victorian Government's ‘Go for your life’ campaign to encourage children to eat healthily and lead active lives.

Schools are actively involved in the following initiatives:

• 'Go for your life' Healthy Start in Schools Grants – an initiative to promote healthy lifestyles and physical activity
• 'Go for your life' Healthy Canteen Kit – a kit developed to support students making healthy food choices at school and in life
• 'Go for your life' Kitchen Garden Project with Stephanie Alexander – a program that provides grants to schools to establish kitchen gardens
• 'Go for your life' Free Fruit Friday – a program where schools are funded to purchase fruit and vegetables on a weekly basis for their Prep - Year 2 students.

For more information, see: ‘Go for Your Life’ Education Initiatives