Food Choice Criteria

Your school can play an important role in helping your students to develop healthy eating habits.   By developing and implementing a Food and Nutrition Policy and improving the food choices available to children through the canteen/lunch order menu, your school can reinforce classroom nutrition and take a big step toward creating a healthier learning environment.

Your school can play an important role in helping students to develop healthy eating habits and reinforce classroom nutrition by:

• Developing and implementing a Food and Nutrition Policy
• Providing food choices consistent with the Food and Nutrition Guidelines.  For example:
• A selection of breads and cereals are offered.
• A selection of fruits and vegetables are offered (includes soups, sandwiches, salads).
• Low-fat milk and milk products are offered and promoted.
• Food and snacks which are low in fat, oil, sugar and salt are promoted.
• The consumption of fresh clean water and reduced-fat, plain or flavoured milk drinks are encouraged.
• Supporting these food choices with a comprehensive classroom nutrition programme.

The Food Choice Criteria

To achieve any of the four Heartbeat Awards, each school that provides a food service must meet all of the Food Choice Criteria . To advance from the Heartbeat Award to the Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards, schools must progressively increase the selection of foods available that meet the Food Choice Criteria , while reducing the availability of high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods.

The Food Choice Criteria require your school to:

• Implement a Food and Nutrition Policy
• Introduce healthy changes to the food service (see Food and Nutrition Guidelines.)
• Identify and implement procedures for Safe Food
• Ensure all food is prepared in a smokefree environment.

Schools that do not have a food service are also eligible to receive an award by putting in place a Food and Nutrition Policy and by initiating activities in their school that meet the Nutrition Education Criteria and Community Health Promotion Criteria .

Applying for an Award	Award Standards