Curriculum > School Health and Wellbeing initiatives >

Smart Choices - Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools

Healthy eating and regular physical activity are essential to promoting and maintaining good health. The Smart Choices - Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools is all about offering healthy food and drink choices to students in Queensland schools.

Smart Choices, which became mandatory in state schools from 1 January 2007, applies to all situations where food and drink is supplied in the school environment including tuckshops, vending machines, school excursions, school camps, fundraising, classroom rewards, school events such as celebrations and sports days, and food used in curriculum activities.

Reflecting the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, Smart Choices categorises foods and drinks into three groups:

Green - Have Plenty
These foods and drinks are encouraged and promoted in schools.

Amber - Select Carefully
These foods and drinks should not dominate choices and should be avoided in large serve sizes.

Red - Occasional
The availability of these foods and drinks should be limited to no more than two occasions per term.

The Department of Education, Training and Employment and Queensland Health have evaluated the implementation of Smart Choices across Queensland's state schools. The findings and recommendations of the evaluation are detailed in the Smart Choices Evaluation Report 2.1Mand Evaluation Summary 252k.

A Smart Choices project will run from October 2011 to June 2015 with funding through the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health. The project will provide ongoing assistance, professional development and support to Queensland schools implementing the Smart Choices strategy.

^ Top of page

This page was last reviewed on 14 Dec 2011