30 MARCH 2000

School tuckshops need to provide kids with foods that taste great, are healthy, that look appealing AND are profitable.

Australia’s 7000 school tuckshops feed over one million students. In Queensland alone, canteens generate around $14 million dollars profit for schools (Queensland Association of School Tuckshops, 1998). Collectively, this comprises Australia’s largest take-away food outlet.

Increasing reliance on the school tuckshop to supply breakfast, lunch and snacks, means that it can be providing up to 30% of students nutritional requirements. So it is vitally important that healthy choices are available.

Louise D’Allura of Nutrition Australia’s Nutrition in Schools Advisory Service says

"Integrated promotions with special occasions or weeks is a great way to promote specific products, for example hot cross buns at Easter…and some carrot sticks for the Easter Bunny," says Louise.

Schools wishing to improve their tuckshop food variety AND profitability can obtain advice from the Nutrition in Schools Advisory Service. This service provides a variety of resources, ideas and opportunities for running a healthy and profitable tuckshop, developed by Nutrition Australia, making healthy food purchasing decisions easier for convenors, teachers, parents and school students.

Nutrition Australia

Louise D’Allura

Health Promotion Officer

Phone: 07 3876 2677