Parents back push for healthy cafeteria lunches for South Australian school kids
Home packed lunches could become a thing of the past at South Australian schools, with a push for school cafeterias to serve a healthy midday meal to every student
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Adelaide nutrition experts are lobbying* South Australian policy advisers to introduce school lunches, arguing that schools – not parents – are best placed to deliver a more nutritious* midday meal.
This latest push follows a study published in January 2021 by the same researchers from Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute, which found there would be benefits in Australia adopting a universal* school-provided lunch model, where kids are each given the same thing to eat.
Institute deputy director Professor Rebecca Golley said it could be the best way to improve children’s nutrition across the nation.
“The meal would be prepared onsite and served to children in their classroom, school or dining hall or schoolyard,” Prof Golley said.
“Good nutrition during children’s school years supports their growth, learning and development with primary school-aged children consuming up to almost half of their daily energy intake during school hours.
“Nearly half (of this) comes from food such as biscuits, muesli bars … there is very little vegetables or protein* foods, even dairy, in school lunch boxes.
“Given the number of days children spend at school, the quality of the lunch boxes really could make a significant difference in improving children’s diet quality.”
While many Australians associate cafeteria meals with the US – which has a well-documented childhood obesity* epidemic* – Prof Golley said the concept was also commonplace in many other parts of the world, including Japan, Norway, Italy and France, and could also teach kids the wellbeing and social value of a shared meal.
“There’s benefit too for children’s behaviour in class and their learning outcomes,” she said. “By children being provided with healthy meals at school, we think it will help children to concentrate in the classroom and support their learning.”
Prof Golley and her team believed existing school resources, such as canteens, could be repurposed* under the plan.
“We already invest in developing school food policy … this could be about repurposing current investments in a way that is perhaps more sustainable* in the long term,” she said.
“There are other creative ideas as well, ranging from a community restaurant through to food trucks at school; (even) models where food is prepared off site and heated onsite.”
The researchers have begun lobbying the Commissioner for Children and Young People SA for a pilot* program to introduce school lunches in that state, as Flinders’ latest national survey shows the plan has strong support from parents.
The move would end the morning rush to pack lunch boxes, with many time-poor families ready to let schools take the lead on what to feed their children, although issues from vegan* diets to cultural dietary rules would need to be worked through.
The plan would cost as little as $4 a day per child, according to the researchers, who are promoting the scheme at academic conferences.
The commissioner’s policy advisers were “willing to explore” the initiative, according to Prof Golley.
“A total of 86 per cent of Australian parents surveyed see school-provided meals as a viable* solution with health, learning, social and environment benefit,” Prof Golley said.
Proponents* say as well as ensuring good nutrition for children who may miss out on a lunch box or have one heavy on sugary treats, the move would be a way of encouraging children to try new types of food they don’t experience at home. School cafeterias could also reduce the stigma* of children not having any lunch or having different types of foods to their peers, and ensure they are provided with healthy lunch options.
“I would love to see it as something SA takes on – an innovative, new nutritional approach,” Prof Golley said.
GLOSSARY
- lobbying: trying to persuade someone in authority to take action or change something specific
- nutritious: nourishing, healthful, containing what is needed for health and growth
- universal: general, across the board, common and available to all
- protein: a nutrient that your body needs to grow and repair cells and to work properly
- obesity: excessive body fat that increases the risk of other health problems
- epidemic: disease or condition affecting a large number of people in a particular place
- repurposed: adapted for use in a different way
- sustainable: able to continue over time without red
- pilot: trial, test, happens on a small scale to try something new
- vegan: someone who has a plant-based diet and does not eat animal products
- viable: workable, practical, something that could work in practice
- proponents: supporters, advocates, those in favour of the plan
- stigma: negative, often unfair beliefs that people have about something or about others
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QUICK QUIZ
- Good nutrition through children’s school years supports what?
- Name some countries other than the US that provide school or cafeteria lunches?
- As well as improved nutrition, how else might children benefit from the plan?
- How much do researchers suggest the plan would cost per day per child?
- Researchers are lobbying which South Australian body to try implementing the plan?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. All-inclusive school
Work with a classmate and note all the advantages and disadvantages that you can think of to do with including your lunch as part of the school fees and services at your school specifically.
ADVANTAGES OF SCHOOL-PROVIDED LUNCH
DISADVANTAGES OF SCHOOL-PROVIDED LUNCH
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education; Personal and Social; Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
Provide a possible five-day menu for lunches to be served at your school. Think of health benefits, ease of cooking cost, and what children will eat!
List your menu plan below:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Day 5:
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education; Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
1. Condensed news
Identify the most important pieces of information in this article and write a condensed version of it using 50 words or less.
Draw a picture or diagram to support your condensed news story.
Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Science
2. Extension
Compare your condensed news story with a classmate. Did you both include the same information or are your stories quite different? Discuss your choices and then work together to create a final condensed version of the story that you both agree tells the important parts that a reader would need or want to know.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English