Our Work > Healthy Kids Canteen Association

Client: Collaboration between Educating NZ and Healthy Kids SCA; funded by Ministry of Health

Project: Food and Beverage Classification System

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Objectives	Project background
Project update	Archive

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Objectives:

The objectives of the project are to:

support the implementation of the Food and Beverage Classification System in schools and early childhood education services by enabling them to provide, sell and promote healthy food choices
provide all stakeholders with accurate information about the food and beverage items that are suitable for sale and provision in schools and ECE services
assist schools and ECE services, along with their food preparation and canteen staff, to identify which products are suitable for sale or provision.

Project update:

2008

Educating NZ is currently organising a national training workshop for the District Coordinators

Educating NZ is assisting Healthy Kids SCA to support the Food and Beverage Classification System. Healthy Kids SCA is a health promotion charity that provides practical food and nutrition advice and support to school communities, health professionals and governments in Australia. In 2007, they were contracted by the NZ Ministry of Health to develop the support program for the NZ Food and Beverage Classification System. The support program consists of telephone and email support, production of newsletters and other resources and the development of a product data base to assist schools and ECEs identify everyday/sometimes food products.

Educating NZ is assisting this project, by:

holding consultation meetings with stakeholders and end-users
recruiting a nutritionist who will work in-house to support the implementation of the classification system
conducting a training needs analysis for the 21 Food and Beverage Classification System District Coordinators who will work supporting schools and ECEs.

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Project background:

In 2003, MoH launched the ‘Healthy Eating – Healthy Action: Oranga Kai – Oranga Pumau Strategy (HEHA)’ to improve nutrition, increase physical activity and achieve a healthy weight for all New Zealanders.

In 2006 the Government launched ‘Mission-On’, a package of ten initiatives developed by the Ministries of Education, Health and Youth Development, and Sport and Recreation New Zealand. The initiatives are aimed at improving the environment and health choices for children and young people in NZ.

One of the key initiatives of Mission-On is to improve nutrition within the school and early childhood environments. This initiative includes the development and delivery of guidelines for schools and ECE services that encourage the adoption of approaches to establish or improve their food environments: Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids: Guidelines to Support Healthy Eating Environments in New Zealand Early Childhood Education Services and Schools.

In order to assist schools and ECE services as they implement the guidelines, the Ministry of Health has produced a food and beverage classification system. This system will help schools and ECE services to identify and provide healthy food and beverage options for their students.