Criteria

FoodChecker assess foods and drinks according to the state government guidelines below.

• Victoria
• South Australia
• Queensland

Victoria

Long day care

Menu planning guidelines for long day care.

In general, the Menu planning guidelines for long day care recommend:

• the types of food that should be on a long day care menu, and the amounts
• the types of foods and drinks that should not be on a long day care menu
• limits on added fats, sugar and salt

The guidelines also include advice on:

• how to include enough food variety
• how to adapt the menu to meet the cultural and religious needs of each child
• tips for meal planning for babies under 12 months.
  
  

You can learn more about the Victorian Menu planning guidelines for long day care here.

Schools

Canteens, Healthy Eating and Other Food Services Policy

The Victorian Government's Canteens, Healthy Eating and Other Food Services Policy classifies foods and drinks based on their nutritional content:

• Everyday (Green) foods and drinks are the healthiest options, and they should make up at least 50% of the menu.
• Select carefully (Amber) foods and drinks provide some nutritional value, but they can also be higher in energy, and contain added fat, sugar and/or salt. They should make up less than 50% of the menu, and they should be provided in smaller serving sizes.
• Occasionally (Red) foods and drinks are the least healthy, and they should not be on the regular canteen menu. Occasionally items should be limited to being available in the school no more than twice per term.
• Confectionery and high sugar content soft drinks should not be provided in schools at any time.

Learn more about the Canteens, Healthy Eating and Other Food Services Policy.

Health services, sport and recreation centres, workplaces, tertiary education and more

Healthy Choices guidelines

The Healthy Choices guidelines classify foods and drinks based on their nutritional content:

• GREEN (Best choice)
• AMBER (Choose carefully)
• RED (Limit)

In general, the Healthy Choices guidelines require the following:

• Retail outlets and vending machines: At least 50% of the foods and drinks available must be from the GREEN category, and less than 20% of them can be RED.
• Catering in the workplace: Only GREEN and AMBER items should be provided and no RED items.
  
  

Healthy choices: policy directive for Victorian public health services

The Healthy choices: policy directive for Victorian public health services contains mandatory requirements for the foods and drinks supplied to staff and visitors in public hospitals and health services:

• At least 50% of the food available or displayed must be GREEN and no more than 20% can be RED. (No RED food to be provided in catering)
• There is no sale of sugary (or RED category) drinks.
• At least 50% of the drinks available or displayed must be GREEN. And no more than 20% of drinks available or displayed can contain artificial or intense sweetener (AMBER).
• REDfood and drinks cannot be promoted/advertised.

You can learn more about the Healthy Choices guidelines here.

South Australia

Schools

The Right Bite Food and Drinks Standards

The Right Bite Food and Drinks Standards provide information and advice about increasing the availability and promotion of healthier food and drinks in Department for Education settings such as canteens, breakfast programs, food and drinks provided by an offsite provider, excursions and camps, and classroom based activities.

To create a positive food environment and culture for all students, the nutrition-related standard of the Right Bite Food and Drinks Standards recommend:

• At least 60% of food and drinks you offer and promote should be from the GREEN category.
• No more than 40% of food and drinks you offer should be from the AMBER category.
• RED 1 food and drinks should not be provided on the general menu and can only be sold/provided as part of whole of school events up to twice per term.
• RED 2 food and drinks should never be supplied, provided, sold, promoted or displayed.

For more information visit www.education.sa.gov.au/rightbite.

Hospitals and health services

Healthy Food and Drink Policy

The SA Health Healthy Food and Drink Policy provides information and advice about increasing the availability and promotion of healthier food and drinks in all SA Health sites, including hospitals, health services, and central and regional offices.

To create a positive food environment and culture for all staff and visitors, the SA Health Healthy Food and Drink Policy recommends:

• At least 50% of food available should be from the green category.
• At least 50% of drinks available should be from the green category.
• No more than 20% of food available should be from the red category.
• No more than 10% of drinks available should be from the red category.
• No more than 20% of drinks available should be ‘diet’ drinks (containing artificial and/or natural sweeteners)

You can learn more about the Healthy Food and Drink Policy here.

Queensland

Hospitals and health services

A Better Choice

The A Better Choice – Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Health Facilities uses a traffic light system to classify food and drinks as:

• GREEN (choose mostly)
• AMBER (choose carefully)
• RED (choose rarely)

The following targets apply for retail food outlets and vending machines in public hospitals and health services:

 
You can learn more about A Better Choice here.

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