Programs – 'Go for your life' Free Fruit Friday
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Guidelines
Dietary guidelines
It is recommended that young children consume at least 1 serve of fruit and 2 serves of vegetables every day. For optimal health, intake should be 2 and 5 serves respectively. It is expected that Free Fruit Friday will provide Prep - Year 2 students with 1 serve of either fruit or vegetables each week.
In accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia, children should be encouraged to:
- eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruit
- eat plenty of cereals, preferably wholegrain
- include lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
- include milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives (reduced-fat varieties should be encouraged for older children and adolescents)
- choose water as a drink.
The food provided within the school environment has a considerable influence on the development of children’s long term eating habits, food preferences and attitudes towards food. Free Fruit Friday will play an important role in creating a school culture of healthy eating and influencing good food choices for young students.
Free Fruit Friday guidelines
Whilst each school is unique, with its own resources and its own needs, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has developed guidelines to assist schools to implement Free Fruit Friday. The guidelines include key principles regarding fruit and vegetable selection, the purchasing and contractual process, and the food safety requirements for handling and distribution of produce.
See: Guidelines for Implementation of Free Fruit Friday (PDF - 31Kb).