Creating and modifying recipes

As a tuck shop operator or school food provider , you may want to create healthy recipes from scratch. Or you may want to modify an existing recipe. Find out how to create recipes that are cost-effective, delicious and heart healthy.

This page guides tuck shop operators and school food providers through simple steps for creating and modifying recipes. From using healthier bases and cooking techniques to adjusting portion sizes and substituting ingredients, you’ll find practical tips to make every dish a healthy success.

Whether you’re developing a new recipe from scratch or improving an old favourite, small changes can make a big difference to taste, cost, and nutrition. By choosing the right ingredients and cooking methods, you can create meals that are delicious, affordable, and support heart health.

Creating a healthy recipe from scratch

Creating a healthy recipe from the beginning is relatively easy, if you start with healthy ingredients.

Our visual food guide can help you choose which foods to use more often and which to use less.

Follow these key steps to develop meals and snacks that are both heathy and delicious.

Step 1 Start with a healthy base

Use the core ingredient list to choose healthier ingredients to make healthy meals and snacks.

For a main meal item, aim to create complete a balanced meal that includes plenty of vegetables, wholegrain and a source of protein such as:

• legumes
• fish
• eggs
• poultry
• lean meat.

These components provide the essential nutrients needed for energy, growth and overall wellbeing.

Use our recipe checklists to help ensure your meals and snacks are wholesome and nourishing.

Checklist for bread-based items

Checklist for hot meals

Checklist for sweet baked items

Step 2 Use healthy cooking methods

Choose healthy cooking methods to minimise the use of saturated fat, salt and sugar in your recipes. Discover these healthy cooking tips on preparing meals and snacks that are both nutritious and delicious.

Step 3. Provide age-appropriate portions

Serving sizes have increased over the years leading to unintentional overeating. Refer to the Ministry of Health’s guidance for recommended serving sizes, particularly for food that should be eaten less often, such as sweet baked goods and processed meat and fish products.

More ideas for producing healthier foods

You can following these links to find some other healthy food ideas.

• Choose the right cheese (PDF)
• Topping Ideas for baking (PDF)
• Mix and Match: healthy meal and snack (PDF)
• Canteen recipes

Modifying existing recipes

When modifying a recipe, ask the following questions:

1. What ingredients make this recipe high in fat, sugar and salt?

Ingredients such as butter, cream, coconut cream, sausage, bacon, salami, salt, sugar, syrup and chocolate are high in fat, salt and/or sugar.

2. Is it possible to eliminate, reduce or substitute?

For each of the ingredients you identify, work out the most appropriate action. These food preparation tips provide simple substitutions to enhance the nutrition of your meals and snacks.

3. Could the nutritional value of the recipe be enhanced?

Identify nutrient-rich ingredients that can be added, for example, add vegetables, fruit, beans or legumes.

4. Are there any steps in the selection, preparation or cooking that could be changed?

Consider the ingredients you select, the preparation and the cooking process and consider where you could make healthy changes. For example:

• Selection - buying reduced-fat coconut cream for curries.
• Preparation – cutting off all visible fat of meat.
• Cooking – bake hot chips/wedges rather than deep frying.

Recipe makeovers

Have a look at our recipe makeover sheets. They show you how we have adapted a few common recipes to make them healthier, tastier, cost neutral or in some cases cheaper.

Select a PDF below

• Burgers
• Butter chicken
• Muffins
• Pizza
• Spaghetti carbonara 

School food recipes

How to create a healthy menu