manual

‘Go for your life’Healthy Canteen KitFor:School councilPrincipal and school leadersTeachers✔ Canteen staffStudentsSchool communitymanualcanteen

›AcknowledgmentsThe Office of Learning and Teaching gratefully acknowledges the assistance of thefollowing individuals and organisations in the development of the Healthy Canteen Kit.■■■■Kelly Neville and Nutrition AustraliaKathy McConell and the Department of Human ServicesNew South Wales Department of HealthNew South Wales Department of Education and Training■ Victorian Home Economics and Textile Teachers’ Association (VHETTA).Published by Student Learning DivisionOffice of Learning and TeachingDepartment of Education & TrainingMelbourneOctober 2006Also published on www.education.vic.gov.au© Copyright State of Victoria 2006This publication is copyright. This publication may be copied for use by Victoriangovernment schools. Except as permitted above, no part may be reproduced byany process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.Printed by Superprint2 McIntyre Street,Burwood, 3125ISBN 13-digit: 978-0-7594-0448-9ISBN 10-digit: 0-7594-0448-8

ContentsIntroductionPractical food ideas andpreparationSuccessful sandwich making 1Salads 3Hot foods 4Recess and snack ideas 6Drinks 8Special dietary requirements 9Making recipes healthier 11Reading food labels 13Choosing basic ingredients 14Choosing commercial foods 15Recipe ideas fileHealthy canteen recipes 17Recipe template 21Summer canteen menu 22Winter canteen menu 23Food safetyGeneral food safety 25Food safety and food handlingrequirements 25Food preparation 26Food storage and display 27Cleaning procedures 27Legal requirements and processes 28Training providers 28Canteen managementEffective management 29Role of the school council 29General business structure of canteens 30Stock management 31Financial management 33Staff and volunteers 35Promotion and marketing 38Information and resourcesGeneral websites 45Health Promoting Schools information 45Food safety 46Special diets 46School canteen associationsand programs 47Healthy fundraising ideas 47Programs 47Services 48Books and manuals 48Recipes 49Resources for school canteenson food safety 49

›IntroductionSchool canteens and other school food services are important educational resources.They have an important role in the provision of food to students and the school communityas well as being an integral part of the school environment.The school canteen should reflect the educational goals of the school and support andcomplement student learning. When consumed daily, the food provided through theschool canteen may comprise a third of a student’s total daily intake and have a significantinfluence on their health and nutrition.It is important that parents, teachers and students work together to support a whole-schoolapproach to building a school culture in which students actively choose nutritious foodsand a healthy lifestyle.The ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit contains the following resourcesto assist schools to develop healthy canteens and other food services:■■■■■‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – School Canteens and Other School Food ServicesPolicy explains the guiding principles, including food selection, food categories, foodsafety, and the role of the school council in developing a school food service policy.‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – Food Planner assists schools and canteens tomake appropriate healthy food choices.‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – Getting Started provides advice about how toestablish a healthy school food service. It includes healthy fundraising ideas, frequentlyasked questions and a sample canteen policy.‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – Student Learning Activities provides a suite oflearning activities for each of the six levels of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards(VELS) for Years Prep to 10.‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual provides practical informationfor canteen managers and school personnel to assist with the management and day-todayrunning of the school canteen.■‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit CD-ROM provides an electronic copy of the entire kit.■At a glance planner provides a quick reference in poster form to assist with healthyfood choices.■A poster to promote healthy food choices to students.The ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual containspractical advice for canteen staff and school personnel to supportimplementation of the School Canteens and Other School Food ServicesPolicy and the development of school food services that promotehealthy eating.The manual contains information for:■■■■practical food ideas and preparationrecipe ideasfood safety and hygienecanteen management■ additional resources available to support the move towards healthier school food services.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I iii

Practical food ideas and preparationSuccessful sandwich makingSaladsHot foodsRecess and snack ideasDrinksSpecial dietary requirementsMaking recipes healthierReading food labelsChoosing basic ingredientsChoosing commercial foods

›Successfulsandwich makingSandwiches, rolls and wraps are filling andnutritious. When well-priced and attractivelypresented with interesting and fresh fillingsthese foods can also be top sellers.Sandwiches can be made interesting by:■■■■■■■■■offering a variety of different types of breadsfilling wraps, pita or a variety of rollsmaking ‘sushi sandwiches’ or pinwheels byrolling up a slice of bread with filling, cuttingit in half and displaying it cut end upmaking multi-layered sandwichesmaking mini rolls using dinner rollsoffering toasted sandwiches or hot rollsor wrapscutting sandwiches into different shapesand sizesusing a variety of colourful fillings packagedso that students can see the fillings clearlyusing interesting combinations of sandwichfillings including those suggested below.A healthy sandwich means:■■■■■being able to ‘see the bread throughthe spread’using low-fat spreadsincluding at least one vegetable (or fruit) fillingusing high-fibre grainy breadsusing lean meats and reduced-fat cheeses.HINT: Introduce wholemeal or wholegrainbread by making zebra sandwiches using oneslice of white bread and one of wholemealor grain.■■■■■■■creamed corn with cheese and hamtuna mixed with salsa or chutney or low-fatmayonnaise, corn and grated vegetableschutney, ham, low-fat cheese and tomato(put tomato between ham and cheese toprevent sogginess)peanut butter* and bananacrushed pineapple, ham and low-fat cheeseegg mashed with low-fat mayonnaiseand lettucechicken, avocado and cucumber.Sandwich preparation and making tipsSandwich making can be a quick, easy and simpletask. Use the suggestions outlined below to savetime and make preparation easier.■■Prepare ingredients for sandwiches,rolls, wraps, burgers, jaffles and saladsbeforehand by:• washing all vegetables well by separatingleaves (if necessary), washing and drainingin a colander and patting dry• slicing, grating and chopping all sandwichfillings including draining beetroot, slicingmeats, and separating meat and cheese slices• storing each ingredient in individual, clear,stackable containers in the fridge.Chop up a salad mix of different saladvegetables, for example cucumber, lettuce,tomato, carrot, canned corn, capsicum,sprouts, mushrooms and snowpeas.Try preparing the ingredients in different wayssuch as finely dicing like a salsa, chopping,shredding or grating. Combine this mix in abowl at the start of the day and use in bothsandwiches and salad boxes.Interesting sandwich fillingsTry some of the following sandwich fillings:■■■■■■ricotta, banana and honeyricotta, sultanas and grated carrotcrunchy peanut butter * , sultanas and alfalfasproutsleftover roast vegetables (for example, slicedzucchini, capsicum and/or eggplant) and ricottachicken and coleslaw with low-fat dressingBLT – lean bacon (cooked and cold), lettuceand tomato*Food allergies are the most common triggers for anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) in children. Eight foods cause 90 per cent offood allergies: peanuts, cow’s milk, egg, wheat, soybean, tree nuts (for example, cashew), fish and shellfish. Schools should be awareof the risk of hidden allergens. Check your school’s policy regarding students with severe allergies.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 1

■■■■■■■■Combine meat, vegetables and any sauce ordressing into the one sandwich filling mixturefor quick sandwich making. This mixture can bekept stored in the fridge for two days. Possiblemixtures include:• tuna, corn, grated carrot and chopped celerycombined with low-fat mayonnaise• diced ham, crushed pineapple and gratedcheese bound together with a dash oftomato salsa.Invest in a vegetable slicer machine for quick,bulk sandwich-filling preparation.Invest in other equipment such as slice guides,spreaders, egg and avocado slicers.Ensure knives are sharp for easy cutting.When assembling sandwiches:• have a large, designated preparation benchwith enough room to lay out breads• lay out containers of fillings in front of thebread board, within easy reach and insequence of how they are to be placedon the bread• make up one type of sandwich or rollat a time• only lay out enough bread for tensandwiches at a time and pair the breadslices top and bottom• place fillings on the bottom layer ofbread only• to avoid soggy bread, make sandwicheson the day of sale and place wet fillings suchas tomato and beetroot in the centre of thesandwich and dryer items against the breadKeep bread fresh by:• making sure it is well wrapped to preventit from drying out then freezing it• wrapping sandwiches as soon as theyare made• keeping breads covered – when preparinglarge quantities of sandwiches, use the crustto cover the top slice of bread on the pile toprevent it from drying out.Use frozen bread for making toastedsandwiches or hot rolls – this is a goodmoney saver.Use special sandwich packaging (plastictriangular cases) for an attractive display.Making wrapsTo make wraps:■■■■■■spread lavash, pita or mountain bread witha spread – lavash bread freezes well and takesonly 5–10 minutes to defrostplace filling ingredients in the middle sectionof the bread leaving enough room at either sideto wrap one side of the bread over the fillingroll carefully and firmly – this may take a bitof practicecut in half diagonally to display the contentswrap firmly but not too tightly in plastic wrapif wraps are to be heated put foil or paperaround the bottom half of the wrap.HINT: Older students could assist withdesigning a tasty and exciting wrap thatcontains Everyday foods to maintain goodhealth. Refer to the ‘Go for your life’ HealthyCanteen Kit – Student Learning Activities(Level 4 ‘wrap-it-up’) for a classroom canteenmenu assessment activity.Making toasted sandwichesWhen making toasted sandwiches:■■■use day-old bread to make jaffles in advanceand store them wrapped in the freezer untilrequiredspread only a thin scrape of margarine or oilspray on the outside of toasted sandwichesand do not spread anything on the inside toreduce the total fat contentdo not use extra margarine or oil when toastingfoccacias or Turkish bread as there is enoughoil in them already to prevent them fromsticking.HINT: Place a laminated notice on the wallnear the sandwich preparation area listingstandard instructions for exact filling amountsand cutting instructions for various sandwichfillings so staff know exactly how much toprepare each day. This will not only assistvolunteer staff, but also control stock, costsand quality.2 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

›SaladsWith a bit of imagination, salads can bean appealing and nutritious main mealon their own.Try:■■using the same ingredients for sandwichfillings and salads and preparing them at thesame timeincluding protein for a nutritious, balancedmeal, for example lean meat, tuna, cheese,egg, legumes, nuts* and/or a carbohydratesource, for example croutons, canned corn,couscous, noodles, potato, crackers or breadroll on the side.Salad ideasTry these delicious salad ideas. Remember, theycan be adapted to include whatever ingredientsyou have in the canteen – the possibilities areendless!Asian-style warm beef or chicken saladMixed lettuce and salad vegetables such ascucumber strips, snowpeas and cherry tomatoestopped with sliced lean beef or chicken anddressed with an Asian-style dressing such ashoney and soy. Serve warm or cold.Roasted vegetable and couscous saladA selection of roast vegetables (a good way to useup leftovers in the fridge) folded through cookedcouscous and dressed with some tomato salsa.Serve with a dob of natural yoghurt or dip.Cold rice saladCooked rice, sweetcorn, peas, diced capsicum,diced celery, grated carrot, spring onions or anyother vegetables available combined with dicedlean ham and dressed lightly with low-fat Frenchdressing.Vietnamese-style coleslawShredded cabbage and carrot, bean sprouts(canned), cold shredded chicken, shallots,chopped mint (optional), crunchy noodles anddressed either with low-fat mayonnaise or anAsian-style dressing.HINT: Flaked tuna stirred through manyof these salads is an easy, tasty option.Serving saladsTry serving salads in different ways. Consider:■■■salad plates, for example, a lean chickendrumstick with slices of tomato, beetroot, apineapple ring, low-fat cheese and shreddedlettuce (with a drizzle of low-fat mayonnaise)and carrot served with a dinner roll lightlyspread with margarinesalad cups or tubs (good for salads that arediced or shredded or are moist)salad bags, for example a selection of bitesizepieces such as cherry tomatoes, carrot,capsicum and cucumber sticks, low-fat tastycheese cubes, boiled egg wedges, grapes,nuts* and dried fruit all tossed in a bag (avoidincluding lettuce as it tends to wilt very quickly).Mexican bean saladAny combination of finely diced vegetables,canned corn, canned beans and grated cheesecombined with salsa. Serve with a dob of low-fatsour cream.Potato saladBaby potatoes halved and cooked in their skinthen combined with canned corn, peas or otherfinely diced vegetables and dressed with low-fatmayonnaise or natural yoghurt.*Food allergies are the most common triggers for anaphylaxis (severeallergic reaction) in children. Eight foods cause 90 per cent of foodallergies: peanuts, cow’s milk, egg, wheat, soybean, tree nuts (forexample, cashew), fish and shellfish. Schools should be aware of therisk of hidden allergens. Check your school’s policy regarding studentswith severe allergies.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 3

›Hot foodsThe number and type of hot foods on themenu will vary depending on the canteen’sfacilities and the season.Often hot foods are pre-packaged ‘heat and serve’foods that sit in the Select Carefully category.However, it is possible to prepare quick and easynutritious hot food choices that are low in fat andcontain vegetables, even in a canteen with limitedequipment.■■■■■Ensure commercially prepared hot foodchoices are nutritious and in line with theDietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescentsin Australia by:• serving them as a meal deal with a sidesalad or fruit• boosting them up by adding extra vegetablesyourself, for example top commercially madepizzas with extra vegetable toppings.• choosing low- or reduced-fat products (seethe nutrient criteria for Occasionally foodon page 13 of the ‘Go for your life’ HealthyCanteen Kit – Food Planner and the labelreading tips on page 13 of this manual.)• choosing products from registered canteenbuyer guides 1 .It is not necessary to provide an extensiverange of hot foods. Try offering one different,freshly prepared healthy hot food choice asa rotating daily or weekly special and limitingthe range of regular convenience hot foodson the menu. This will be more cost efficientand make preparation and service simple andmore rewarding, while still adding variety to themenu.Strike a balance between offering sufficienthot food choices and minimising preparation,storage and heating requirements.Serve one-pot dishes like stir-fries and fried ricewhich are quick, easy and cost effective.Consider ease of serving, packaging and eatingwhen choosing hot food options.BurgersWhen making burgers:■■■prepare all buns and salads in advance (forexample, when making sandwiches) and addthe meat or vegetable pattie at the last minuteto prevent sogginess, place sauce ormayonnaise on the fillings (salad or pattie)rather than on the breadmark packaged burgers for easy identification,for example ‘ch’ indicating with cheese and‘may’ indicating mayonnaise.HINT: For more appropriate, child-size serves,use English muffins or large dinner rolls forburgers instead of large burger buns or hotdogrolls.Hot food ideasRefer to the the ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit– Food Planner food guide tables on pages 16–24.Here are some more ideas:■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■pastas – spiral or penne-shaped pastas aremore convenient to serve and eatskinless chicken drumstickschicken and vegetable kebabssouvlaki – lean chicken, mince patties, slicedsteak or lamb, served in pita bread with saladand tzatziki (garlic, grated cucumber andyoghurt sauce)falafel wraps (falafel mix can be purchasedcommercially) – serve falafel balls in a wrapwith salad and tzatziki or hommuswarm chicken salad – mixed salad with grilledchicken or warm skinless BBQ chicken (slicedacross the top with an interesting dressing) orsome fresh or canned mango added to the saladvegetable pastie or filospinach and ricotta filo – this freezes well somake a bulk batchspinach and ricotta cannelloni – this alsofreezes well, so make a bulk batchjaffles served in half and whole sizeshot rolls or wraps – for example hot cheeserolls, cheese roll-ups*fried rice* – add plenty of diced vegetables(canned or frozen for convenience)burritosbean nachos or tacos with saladcorn on the cobroast vegetable saladpizza* – using muffins, pita pizza or regular basesoven-baked wedges or mini potatoes – quarterbaby chat potatoes or wedge regular potatoeswith skin on, sprinkle with herbs, spray with oil,bake in the oven and serve in cups made frompaper trianglesoven-baked vegetable chunkspinwheels – baked scone dough rolled witha filling such as pizza or tomato and cheese(can be served hot or cold)zucchini slice* – can be served hot or cold.*Refer to Recipe ideas file which begins onpage 17.1 Canteen-registered product buyer guides provide a list of food products for sale to canteens that have been professionally assessed toensure that they are above the nutrient criteria for foods in the Occasionally category and suitable for sale in a healthy school canteen.There are many different guides available. (See page 15 for more information.)4 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

One main ingredient – several recipesBasic ingredients can be adapted across severaldifferent recipes, adding variety to the menu whilesaving time and costs.INGREDIENT COMBINATIONSHot fillingsSavoury:• creamed corn, grated cheese and diced leanham• tuna, grated cheese, corn and diced capsicum• crushed pineapple, ham and low-fat cheese(Hawaiian)• finely diced or grated vegetables (capsicum,carrot, corn, celery, mushrooms) combinedwith a sauce such as low-fat mayonnaise orsalsa and low-fat grated cheese• mince and kidney beans mixture• baked beans and low-fat cheese• leftover mince, casserole or stir-fry.Sweet:• ricotta, honey and diced dried fruit• banana and cinnamon• banana, sultanas and coconut• banana, pineapple (crushed in natural juice) andcoconut• stewed apple (canned pie apple can be used),cinnamon and sultanas.Lean mince sauceMake lean mince sauce using lean mince andtomatoes or tomato pasta sauce. Add plenty ofgrated vegetables (a good way to use up leftovervegetables). Add canned kidney beans forMexican dishes.SERVING SUGGESTIONS• jaffles or toasted ted sandwiches• in hot rolls – either hollow out a roll and fill, orspread one half of the roll with ingredients andgrill as an open sub• in hot lavash wraps or filos – a great alternativeto pastry-based pies• on jacket potatoes (excluding sweet fillings)• as pizza toppings• as a pasta sauce or pasta bake• as a topping on baked jacket potatoes• in bread cases• lasagne• in jaffles (bolognese jaffle, Mexican jaffle)• on half a roll, topped with low-fat cheese andgrilled (‘hot sub’)• in tacos or burritos• as a topping for nachos – put a small handfulof corn chips in a small, round, takeawaycontainer, top with mince and bean sauce andsprinkle of low-fat cheese.HINT: Combine all the ingredients into the onemixture for quick preparation.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 5

Vegetable-based snacks■■■■Chunky vegetable pieces served in a cup withlow-fat, low-sodium dipCrunchy peanut dogs – celery sticks filledwith reduced-salt peanut butter*, ricottaor reduced-fat cream cheeseCorn on the cobOven-baked chunky potato pieces servedin a small cupDairy-based snacks■■■■■Flavoured low-fat milk served as milkshakesor smoothies** with fresh fruitLow-fat cheese cut into sticks, cubes, slicesor trianglesLow-fat plain or fruit yoghurt (fresh or frozen)served in small tubs with fresh fruitLow-fat dips, for example tzatziki (naturalyoghurt, grated cucumber and garlic) or cornrelish dip (cottage cheese, smooth ricotta orreduced-fat cream cheese with corn relishmixed through)Milky icy-poles made with flavoured low-fatmilk.Hot snack ideas■■■■■Corn on the cobPinwheels – baked scone dough rolled witha filling such as pizza or tomato and cheeseHalf a jaffle with a fruit filling – a goodalternative snack to cakes or donutsSmall cheese rollHot savoury muffin or sconeOtherHard-boiled eggsRefer to the ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit– Food Planner food guide tables on pages 16–24for more suggestions.HINT: Buy low-fat yoghurt in bulk then portioninto individual plastic cups or containers andswirl through muesli and/or fruit such astinned passionfruit. Label containers with ause-by date and store for up to four days.*Food allergies are the most common triggers for anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) in children. Eight foods cause 90 per cent offood allergies: peanuts, cow’s milk, egg, wheat, soybean, tree nuts (for example, cashew), fish and shellfish. Schools should be awareof the risk of hidden allergens. Check your school’s policy regarding students with severe allergies.**Recipes can be found on pages 17–20.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 7

›Special dietaryrequirementsSome students may require special diets formedical reasons. The school food serviceshould try to meet these needs as far aspossible so that all children can enjoy eatinga healthy lunch from the canteen.Any special needs for children with disabilitiessuch as modified texture diets or wheelchairaccess to the canteen should also be considered.The school principal, child’s teacher or parentsshould provide advice of any special dietary needsto canteen staff.DiabetesStudents with diabetes may request foods withno added sugar or artificially sweetened, low jouleor diet products. Sugars naturally occuring inproducts such as dairy (yoghurt and custard)and fruit are suitable and healthy for childrenwith diabetes.Coeliac diseaseThis condition requires a strict gluten-free diet.Gluten is found in:■ wheat■ rye■ oats■ barley■ triticale■ products containing these grains (for examplebreads, biscuits, pasta, flour).However, gluten may also be found in less obvioussources such as:■ yeast spreads (for example Vegemite)■ malt extract■ maltodextrin (wheat)■ processed meats■ snack foods■ sauces.New food labelling laws have made it easier toidentify gluten-free or gluten-containing products.Care should be taken when preparing glutenfreefoods for students with coeliac disease. Youshould, for example, use separate toasters, knivesand preparation boards.Absolute avoidance of gluten is extremelyimportant for anyone with coeliac disease.It is recommended that you consult witha dietician if the canteen is required to providea gluten-free diet.More information on gluten-free diets can beobtained from a dietician or the Coeliac Societywebsite: www.vic.coeliac.org.au.Anaphylactic (severe) food allergyContact with certain foods can be fatal for peoplewith allergies to these foods. The most commontriggers of anaphylaxis are: peanuts, cow’s milk,egg, wheat, soy, tree nuts (for example, cashews)fish and shellfish. The school should know of anystudent with a severe food allergy and shouldhave a policy and appropriate managementstrategies in place. Make sure the canteen is wellaware of students with such allergies and familiarwith the school’s management strategies.Dealing with nut allergySchools should formulate their own policiesregarding the banning of nuts after consultationwith the school community and school council.Banning of food or other products is not generallyrecommended due to the fear of encouragingcomplacency among staff and students, thepresence of hidden allergens and the difficultymonitoring and enforcing a ban. Aside from thecase of exceptional circumstances, it is better forschools and canteen staff to become aware ofthe risks associated with severe allergies, and toimplement practical, age-appropriate strategies.Check your school’s policy regarding the useof products containing nuts. The followingprecautions should also be taken.■■■■If a packaged product contains nuts, thepackage will state this. Ensure that anyproduct prepared in the canteen containingnuts or using ingredients that were labelled ascontaining nuts is labelled on both the menuand the food item itself.Provide nut-free choices.Be wary of contamination of other foods whenpreparing, handling and displaying food. Forexample, a tiny amount of peanut butter left ona knife and used elsewhere is enough to causea severe reaction in anyone who is allergic.Place notifications about your canteen’sprocedure regarding nut allergy in a visibleplace as a reminder to all workers.HINT: Some schools may have the child’sname and photo displayed in the canteenas a reminder to staff.Absolute and strict avoidance of nuts and nutproducts is extremely important for anyone withan anaphylactic nut allergy. It is recommended thata dietitian is consulted if the canteen is required toprovide food for a child with this allergy.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 9

›Making recipes healthierMany of your favourite recipes may onlyneed a few changes to make them healthier.Modify your favourite recipes by:■■■reducing or removing certain ingredients,for example fat, sugar or saltsubstituting healthier ingredients wherepossiblechanging the cooking method.Experiment, but remember to taste test or trial anynew recipes with students before selling them.Some recipes are best kept for special occasions!Try some of the modifications outlined in thefollowing table.INGREDIENTFull-cream milkFull-cream yoghurt,ice-cream andcustardCreamSour cream or creamcheeseCheeseButter, margarine,oils and lard or cophaMayonnaise anddressingsMeatHEALTHIER ALTERNATIVESkim or low-fat milkLow-fat varietiesChilled, whipped, reduced-fat evaporated skim milkLow-fat ricotta blended with a little icing sugar, fruit or low-fat milkLow-fat vanilla yoghurt or custardLow-fat natural yoghurtReduced-fat evaporated milk and lemon juiceRicotta or cottage cheeseReduced-fat cream cheeseSmaller amounts of stronger-tasting cheese (for example grated parmesaninstead of grated tasty)Smaller amounts of reduced-fat varietiesMono/polyunsaturated oils and margarinesSmaller amounts – use an oil spray or brushSpread margarine thinly or do not use it at allUse stocks, juices or other sauces for sautéing instead of oilSteam or bake instead of fryingHalve the fat (oil or margarine) in cakes and sweet recipes – it will not havea significant effect on the final productTry:• fat-free dressings• low-fat yoghurt as a base• fruit juices/herbs• balsamic vinegar• soy/sweet chilli/lime dressing• low-fat spreads such as chutney, mustard, tomato salsa or paste,fruits, ricotta or cottage cheese, hommusRemove skin and visible fat before cookingChoose lean cuts and buy skinless chickenReduce amount of meat in a recipe and replace with legumes or vegetablesGrill or bake meats instead of fryingAvoid crumbing and battering meatsDrain fat off mince during cookingHealthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 11

INGREDIENTEggsPastryCakes and biscuitsSauces and graviesCoconut milkor creamTo increase fibreTo reduce sodium(salt)HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVEUse two whites in place of one whole eggUse filo pastry instead of shortcrust or puff pastryChoose reduced-fat puff pastry or use less, for example only cover a piewith pastryMake a cooked rice crust – mix cooked rice with egg white and press intopie plateUse the minimum amount of fat needed for biscuits – 2 tablespoons per cupof flourAdd mashed pumpkin, stewed fruit or yoghurt to moisten cakes or muffinsUse polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oil or margarine instead of butterChoose scones, pikelets, fruit breads, yeast breads and fruit cakes – theycontain less fatReduce sugar to 1 /4 cup per cup of flour when making cakesUse canned or dried fruit or fruit juice instead of sugar to sweeten cakes,sweets or biscuitsUse fruit sauce or chutneysDo not use pan juices for gravyChoose low- or reduced-sodium sauces, stock powders, seasoning and gravypowdersUse low-fat evaporated milk or low-fat yoghurt for creamy saucesUse reduced-fat cheese or ricotta cheese in white saucesUse evaporated low-fat milk plus coconut essenceUse low-fat yoghurt with a little desiccated coconutUse a tomato base and just add a dash of reduced coconut milk or powderfor flavourUse plenty of fruit and vegetables – wash and leave unpeeled where possibleUse wholegrain breads, cereals, rice and flourAdd wholegrain, high-fibre products to recipes, for example grainy bread inbread and butter pudding, seeds or cereal to fruit crumble topping, oats torissoles, legumes such as kidney beans, lentils or baked beans to mince andother savoury dishes. Add fruit and seeds to cakes and dessert foodDo not add salt to water when cooking pastaDo not add salt to sandwich fillingsUse low- or reduced-salt sauces, gravies and stocksFlavour with herbs and spices rather than saltChoose garlic and onion powder instead of garlic and onion saltBe careful of seasoning mixes as many are high in saltHINTS• When reducing the fat or sodium contentof a dish, try using more herbs, spicesor lemon juice to enhance the flavour.• Stew fruit without sugar and add apple,dried fruit or fruit juice for extra sweetnessand cinnamon or cloves for extra flavour.• Write recipes up on a template that listsingredients, instructions and costing perserve. A log or diary of whenever the recipeis cooked is also useful on a recipe template.(Refer to Recipe ideas file on page 17.)12 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

Cholesterol-free› Reading food labelsThere are many manufactured productsavailable and promoted to canteens.Some manufacturers are now tappinginto the healthy canteen movementand marketing healthier versions.An understanding of food labels isessential in helping choose healthier foods.Nutrient claimsThese are statements on the front of the packettelling you about the product. For example,97 per cent fat free, high fibre, low fat, lowsodium. Most of these claims are genuine andhelp you to determine if the product is suitable.The following are some common nutrient claimsused in advertising that may be misleadingand should be checked against the nutritioninformation panel or ingredient list.Light/liteThis does not always refer to the fat content;it may mean lighter in flavour or colour.Reduced fat or % less fatThis means that the food has less fat than theregular product but does not necessarily meanthat it is low in fat.This means that the product does not contain anycholesterol. But it does not mean it is fat-free oreven low in fat. All foods that originate from plantsand their oils are free of cholesterol but are notnecessarily free of or low in saturated fat.No added sugar or saltThis means the product has had no sugar orsalt added. The food may naturally contain highamounts of sugar or salt, for example ‘no addedsugar’ orange juice is still high in fruit sugar.All naturalThis does not necessarily mean healthy. Theseproducts can sometimes still be high in sugaror saturated fat.The nutrition information panelEvery product must have the nutritional valuesper 100 grams or 100 millilitres stated on thepackaging. Use this information to compareproducts.Use the per serve column to compare yourserve to that recommended. One serve may notnecessarily equal one packet or the amount youwould normally eat.Look at the example below.Nutrition information panelServings per package: 8Average quantity per 100 g Average quantity per 60 g serveEnergy 1555 kJ 467 kJProtein 8.6 g 2.6 gFat – total 1.1 g 0.3 g– saturated 0.3 g 0.1 gCarbohydrate – total 80.5 g 24.1 g– sugars 13.7 g 4.1 gDietary fibre 9.4 g 2.8 gSodium 8 mg 2 mgPotassium 424 mg 127 mgThe ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity. The nutrition information panel must statethe levels of any nutrient about which a nutrition claim has been made on the packaging (for examplehigh fibre, low salt, reduced fat).Ingredients: Wholewheat, fruit paste (25%) (dried dates, sultanas, pear juice concentrate, glycerol,blackcurrant juice concentrate), sugar, vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, thiamine)For current information about food labelling laws in Australia, refer to the Food Standards Australiaand New Zealand website at: www.foodstandards.gov.au/whatsinfood.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 13

›Choosingbasic ingredientsBasic foods and ingredients such as bread,dairy and breakfast cereals, can be assessedusing the table below.FOOD TOTAL FAT FIBREBreakfast cereals* Less than 5 g/100 g 8 g/100 g or moreBread Less than 5 g/100 g 5 g/100 g or moreMilkLess than 2 g/100 gCheeseLess than 15 g/100 gYoghurtLess than 2 g/100 gIce-creamLess than 5 g/100 gMayonnaise, sauces, dressings Less than 5 g/100 gMeats, for example mince Less than 10 g/100 g*Breakfast cereals should contain no more than15 g/100 g total sugar. Check the ingredient listfor the type of sugar. Specific nutrient guidelinesfor sugar are not given. Check the ingredient listfor the source of the sugar. Sugar that comesfrom a fruit or dairy source is more nutritious thansucrose.Some products may be naturally high in fat(for example, margarine, cheese) and sugar(for example, honey) and may not meet thesenutrient guidelines. Limit the amount of thesefoods used. Choose foods with fats that arelow in saturated fat.14 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

The canteen-registered product buyer guides›available in Victoria include:Choosingcommercial foodsNutrient criteria for assessingOccasionally foodsWhen choosing commercial, pre-packaged foods,such as hot foods and snack foods, refer to thenutrient criteria for Occasionally foods (refer topage 13 of the ‘Go for your life’ Healthy CanteenKit – Food Planner).The criteria will enable aparticular product to be assessed to determine ifit falls into the Occasionally category or the SelectCarefully category.Using canteen-registered productbuyer guidesThere are several different canteen buyers guides(or registered product lists) available for schoolcanteens. They are useful tools to assist canteensin choosing healthier food products. Most ofthese lists are based on a set of minimum nutrientcriteria that a product must meet in order to beregistered as suitable for sale in canteens. Buyersguides assist when assessing a manufacturedproduct to see if it is above the nutrient criteria foran Occasionally food.Most of the products listed are packagedfoods that fit into the Select Carefully category.Manufactured products on these lists make easy,convenient additions to the menu to increasevariety but should not dominate the menu or takethe place of healthy Everyday fresh foods such asfruit and vegetables.Examples of foods that may be found in theseguides include reduced-fat and reduced-sodiumpastries and savoury foods, reduced-fat, high-fibrecakes and muffins, snack foods based on fruitjuices and low-fat dairy desserts.■■■■Victorian School Canteen AssociationBuyers’ Guide 1Australian School Canteen Association (ASCA)Buyers’ GuideFOCiS Registered Products List (StarChoice)NSW School Canteens Association ‘HealthyKids’ Products School Canteen Buyers GuideNote: Canteen-registered product buyers guides may listsome drinks that are not consistent with the‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit – Food Planner.1 Canteen-registered product buyers guides provide alist of food products for sale to canteens that have beenprofessionally assessed against the nutrient criteriafor Occasionally foods and are suitable for sale in ahealthy school canteen. There are many different guidesavailable.REMEMBER: The best choices of all – freshfruit, vegetables, salad and lean meatsandwiches, milk and water – do not need tobe registered as healthy in a buyer guide toprove how good they are.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 15

Recipe ideas fileHealthy canteen recipesRecipe templateSummer canteen menuWinter canteen menu

›Healthy canteen recipesHot foodsVEGGIE SLICEServes 10–12Ingredients■■■■■■■5 eggs1 cup self-raising flour (sifted)4 medium zucchinis (grated)2 medium carrots (grated) or ½ can corn kernels1 large onion (finely chopped)3 lean bacon rashers (chopped) or 100–200 gtuna in brine (drained)1 cup reduced-fat tasty cheese (grated)MethodBeat eggs.Slowly add sifted flour.Stir in other ingredients.Pour into a greased 20 x 30 cm baking tin.Bake in a moderate oven for 30–40 minutes.Serve hot or cold.Adapted from Tuckshop Shortcuts (2002),Tropical Public Health Unit – Public Health Nutrition,Queensland Health. p. 63.FRIED RICEServes 10A handy recipe to use up any leftover vegetables,such as shredded cabbage or zucchini.Ingredients■■■■■■■■■■■■3 cups rice2 rashers of lean bacon (chopped) or2 slices of lean ham (chopped)2 onions (diced)310 g can corn (drained)2 cups peas2 carrots (grated)2 celery stalks (diced)2 eggs (beaten)1 tablespoon soy sauce1 teaspoon sesame oilpeppersmall amount oilMethodCook rice in rice cooker or saucepan of rapidlyboiling water according to packet directions.Drain and rinse.Fry onion and bacon in a small amount of oilin a frying pan or wok.Stir in rice and remaining vegetables.Mix egg, soy sauce, sesame oil and peppertogether and stir with rice until heated(approximately 2–3 minutes).Adapted from Canteen Cuisine, (1995) WA SchoolCanteens Association, MBF, p. 660.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 17

MINI PIZZASMakes 20Very popular in colder months and can be usedfor snacks.Ingredients■■■■■■10 bread rolls, muffins, pita bread or pizza bases4 tablespoons tomato paste5 slices lean ham (chopped)2 large tomatoes (diced)440 g can pineapple pieces1½ cups low-fat cheese (grated)MethodCut bread rolls, muffins or pita bread in half.Spread with tomato paste.Top with ham, tomato and pineapple.Sprinkle with grated cheese.Cook in a moderate oven or pie warmer, or grilluntil cheese melts and bread crisps.Adapted from Tuckshop Shortcuts (2002), TropicalPublic Health Unit – Public Health Nutrition,Queensland Health. p. 63.CHEESE ROLL-UPSServes 10A tasty low-fat alternative to pies and pastries.Ingredients■■■■■5 slices lavash bread2 slices lean ham (chopped)¼ cup low-fat cheese (grated)½ small onion (diced)¼ cup creamed cornNORI ROLLSMakes 6–7 rollsIngredients■■■■■■■■■■■■■■1 sliced avocado1 carrot, sliced into sticks1 cucumber, deseeded and sliced into sticks1 tin sandwich tuna, drained3 slices of lean ham, sliced in lengthsmayonnaisesoy sauce3 cups shortgrain rice1 tsp sugar3½ cups water½ cup rice wine6-–7 nori (seaweed) sheets1 tsp salt1 bamboo matMethod1. Wash the rice well and place in a saucepan withthe water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmerfor 12 minutes. Combine rice wine, salt andsugar. Add to rice, remove from heat, stand for 10minutes. Place one sheet of nori on a bamboo matand spread about 1 /2 cup of rice on top of the Nori,leaving one edge with a 2 cm strip, free of rice.2. Using a spoon, drizzle a line of mayonnaisedown the centre and then top with a generousserve of tuna or ham. Arrange a few slices ofcarrot, cucumber and avocado on top.3. Using the bamboo mat as a guide, roll up thesushi to firmly enclose the filling. Repeat with theremaining ingredients. Eat whole, or cut into 2 cmwide slices and serve with soy sauce.MethodCut each slice of lavash bread into two.Mix together ham, cheese, onion and corn.Place tablespoons of mixture onto each pieceof bread.Fold sides of bread and fold at the bottom,then roll lengthways into a parcel shape.Warm in the oven on a baking tray for at least10 minutes.18 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

Snacks and drinksPINWHEEL SANDWICHESServes 10Ingredients■■■■■■10 slices wholemeal bread10 slices white bread310 g jar smooth peanut butter*5 large bananas or a tin of crushedpineapple (in natural juice) drained1 cup sultanas2 teaspoons cinnamonMethodCut crusts off bread and roll out to flatten.Mash bananas, then combine with peanut butter,sultanas and cinnamon.Spread filling over bread and roll up starting fromthe long side.Cut into slices to form pinwheels.HINT: Once made, either wrap individually orcover tray with a moist tea towel to preventbread from drying out.NIBBLE MIXServes 10A great, healthy alternative to traditional sweetsnacks. Be imaginative and flexible – anycombination of ingredients could be used.Ingredients■■■bite-sized dried fruit, for example, apricots,sultanas, dates, dried apple½ cup unsalted nuts (peanuts or almonds)*breakfast cereal bits or air-popped popcorn orpretzelsMethodMix together and serve in small bags.AIR-POPPED POPCORNServes 10Ingredients■½ cup popping corn = 10 cupsMethodUse a popcorn maker to produce fresh air-poppedpopcorn quickly and easily without requiring butteror oil. Alternatively, pop the corn in a saucepanwith a little bit of oil.Do not add butter, salt or icing sugar whenserving.*Food allergies are the most common triggers for anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) in children. Eight foods cause 90 per cent offood allergies: peanuts, cow’s milk, egg, wheat, soybean, tree nuts (for example, cashew), fish and shellfish. Schools should be awareof the risk of hidden allergens. Check your school’s policy regarding students with severe allergies.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 19

BANANA SMOOTHIESServes 15–20Ingredients■■■■6 bananas500 g low-fat vanilla yoghurt2 litres low-fat milk2 tablespoons honeyMethodBlend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.Serve chilled.VariationsUse different types of fruit such as cannedpeaches or strawberries – whatever you haveavailable.For an ultra-cold smoothie, freeze the bananasbefore blending them.Adapted from Tummy Rumbles: Guidelines for RemoteArea Canteens (2005), Department of Health andCommunity Services and Department of Employment,Education and Training, Northern Territory.FRUIT ICE CRUSH SLUSHEESServes 15–20 (approximately)Ingredients■■1 litre 100% fruit juice or purée overripe fruitsand/or canned fruitsice cubesMethodAdd approximately 1 litre 100% fruit juice to ablender jug full of ice cubes. Blend until ice andfruit is crushed into a slurry. (You may need to dothis in batches if using a domestic blender.)Alternatively, purée overripe fruits and/or cannedfruits in a blender and freeze in ice-cube trays. Tomake Fruit Ice Crush Slushee drinks, crush thesefruit ice cubes in a blender, adding some juice tomake a slurry consistency.Serve in cups with a spoon and straw.20 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

›Recipe templateRecipe/menu item:Total cost of ingredients: $Total cost of packaging: $Number of serves:Cost per serve: $Selling price per serve: $Profit per serve:% mark-up:Date last reviewed:RECIPEIngredient Qty Cost MethodTOTAL COSTNotes: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 21

›Summer canteen menu‘S.R.Ws’ (sandwiches/rolls/wraps)■■■■■■Low-fat cheese, salad & hummus $ ..............Sultana, carrot & alfalfa wrap $ ..............Chicken, cucumber, lettuce &tzatziki wrap $ ..............Ham, low-fat cheese &tomato sandwich $ ..............Chicken & salad sandwich $ ..............Multi-grain roll stuffed with tuna,corn, carrot, celery, mayo mixture $ ..............*All sandwiches & rolls are made with wholemealor multigrain bread.Hot food■■■■■Vegetarian pita bread pizza $ ..............Baked potato with coleslaw &low fat cheese $ ..............Tropical pizza $ ..............Macaroni cheese bake withtuna & corn $ ..............‘Fab’ frittata (served cold) $ ..............Salads■■■Salad box (lettuce, tomato, carrot,cucumber, corn, capsicum, low-fatcheese plus ham/tuna/chicken) $ ..............Mighty Bean Salad (three bean mix,corn & sultanas) $ ..............Potato salad $ ..............Snacks■■■■■■■■Veggie stick & dip combo $ ..............Nibble mix (dried fruit & nuts) $ ..............Popcorn $ ..............Low-fat cheese stick or cubes $ ..............Tub of low-fat yoghurt $ ..............Mini fruit muffin $ ..............Rice crackers $ ..............Pikelets $ ..............Fruit■■■■■Tropical fruit salad (served in an‘edible’ ice-cream cone) $ ..............Cup of grapes $ ..............Fresh, juicy peach or nectarine $ ..............Watermelon ‘wedgies’ $ ..............‘Two fruits’ tub $ ..............Drinks■■■■■Bottled water $ ..............Low-fat plain milk (or soy) $ ..............Flavoured low-fat milk $ ..............100% fruit juice (200–300 ml) $ ..............Smoothie (low-fat milk blendedwith fruit in season) $ ..............Frozen products■■■■■Frozen low-fat yoghurt cup $ ..............Frozen 100% fruit juice sticks $ ..............Frozen 100% fruit ‘slushee’(ice crush) $ ..............Frozen grapes or other fruit pieces $ ..............Low-fat ice-cream $ ..............Meal deal (great value & comeswith a free surprise!)Summer Soother $ .................■■■Low-fat cheese & salad pita wrapPiece of fruitFrozen low-fat yoghurtNotice-board■■■■■■■For example: Special of the WeekFor example: Meal DealFor example: Free SampleFor example: Promotion – buy this,get this freeFor example: CompetitionFor example: ‘Grade 3s Snack/Recipeof the Month’For example: ’From the schoolvegetable garden’22 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

›Winter canteen menu‘Toasties’ (toasted sandwiches*)■■■■Ham, low-fat cheese & tomato $ ..............Creamed corn, tomato & chicken $ ..............Baked bean jaffle $ ..............Tuna, capsicum & low-fat cheese $ ..............*Made with wholemeal or multigrain breadHot food■■■■■■Minestrone soup with a multigrain roll $ ..............‘Fab’ frittata (pastry free quiche) $ ..............with egg, ham, cheese & vegetablesChicken burger – wholemeal bun $ ..............with lettuce, tomato, low-fatcheese & choice of sweet chillior tomato saucePita bread pizza with ham, $ ..............mushrooms, capsicum, tomato &low-fat cheeseVegetable lasagne $ ..............Spinach & ricotta filo or roll $ ..............Snacks■■■■■■■■■Corn on the cob $ ...............Cup of veggie soup $ ...............Nibble mix (dried fruit & nuts) $ ...............Popcorn $ ...............Low-fat cheese stick or cubes $ ...............Tub of yoghurt $ ...............Mini fruit muffin $ ...............Raisin toast $ ...............Rice crackers $ ...............Meal deals (great value & comeswith a free surprise!)Winter Warmer 1 $ .................■■■Toasted ham, low-fat cheese & tomatosandwichPiece of fruitHot miloWinter Warmer 2 $ .................■■■Minestrone soup with a multigrain rollLow-fat cheese stick100% fruit juiceNotice-board■■■■■■■For example: Special of the WeekFor example: Meal DealFor example: Free SampleFor example: Promotion – buy this,get this freeFor example: CompetitionFor example: ‘Grade 3s Snack/Recipeof the Month’For example: ’From the schoolvegetable garden’Insert your own message■For example: Children whose parentvolunteers will receive a free treat on the day!Fruit (may vary depending on season)■■■■■Orange ‘wedgies’ $ ...............Mandarine $ ...............Banana $ ...............‘Two fruits’ tub $ ...............Winter fruit salad (dried apple, $ ...............apricots, prunes and sultanasHealthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 23

Food safetyGeneral food safetyFood safety and food handling requirementsFood preparationFood storage and displayCleaning proceduresLegal requirements and processesTraining providers

›General food safetyWhen we talk about healthy food, we areconcerned not only with food that providesnutrients for health, but also with food that issafe and not contaminated.Each year in Australia, more than seven millionpeople get sick from the food they eat. Foodpoisoning can cause severe illness and evendeath. Children are particularly at risk, whichis why preparing and selling ‘safe food’ in yourschool canteen is very important.The following section outlines the importanceof food hygiene and safety, and gives you lotsof useful tips about preparing safe food inyour canteen. It provides information on legalaccountabilities for school canteens, materialthat can be used for training, and directs youto resources that will provide you with extrainformation.What is food poisoning?Food poisoning occurs when a person eats a foodwhich causes them to become sick. Symptomsvary, but may include one or more of thefollowing:■■■■■■nauseavomitingstomach crampsdiarrhoeafever or chillsheadaches.Germs that often cause food poisoning areeverywhere in our environment – in the soil, onanimals, on people and on everyday things peopletouch and use – but are too small to see with thenaked eye. Sometimes foods naturally containthe germs and other times foods may becomecontaminated. Food contamination can occur as aresult of:■■■■people working with foodother food that is already contaminateddirty equipment and benchesanimals and insects near food.Under the right conditions germs on food canmultiply rapidly – a single bacterium can multiplyinto more than two million bacteria in just sevenhours! The good news is that by controlling theconditions that germs need to grow we canprevent food poisoning.›Food safety and foodhandling requirementsFood safety and food handling requirementsin the canteen cover:■■■personal hygiene practicesfood preparation practicesfood storage and cleaning procedures.Personal hygiene practices■■■■■■■Wash your hands with warm soapy water anddry thoroughly with paper towel:• before touching food• after visiting the toilet• after blowing your nose or sneezing intoyour hand• after touching your hair• after handling garbage• after touching animals• after smoking• after handling money.Keep long hair tied back or covered so that itdoes not fall in the food.If you have a cut or sore on your hands, coverwith a brightly coloured waterproof dressingand wear gloves before touching food.If you have an infectious illness (for exampleflu or a gastric upset), you should not workwith food as you may spread diseases to otherpeople or contaminate food.Wear a clean apron while preparing food.Use a handkerchief or tissue when coughingor sneezing.If possible, make handling the money and thecash register a separate responsibility, so theperson handling money does not need to comeinto contact with the food.HINT: Make a habit of saying to volunteers‘After you wash your hands, would you pleasebe able to help me ...’Posters on personal hygiene and hand-washingare available from the Department of HumanServices (DHS) Food Safety Unit. You can displaythese above your wash basin in the canteen.To order, go to: www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafetyor telephone 1300 364 352.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 25

›Food preparationTwo important elements of food preparationare temperature control and the prevention ofcross-contamination.Temperature controlBacteria that commonly cause food poisoninggrow quickly in temperatures between 5˚C and60˚C – commonly known as the temperaturedanger zone. It is very important to limit the timehigh-risk foods spend in the danger zone. High-riskfoods have common features that most bacterianeed to grow. Such foods contain protein and areusually moist or wet, for example meat, poultry,dairy products, eggs, smallgoods, seafood,cooked rice, cooked pasta, prepared salads,coleslaw, pasta salads and fruit salads. Thereare a number of precautions that can be taken todecrease the risk of food poisoning.■■■■■■Make sure food is thoroughly cooked orreheated and that the centre has reached 75˚C– cooking food over 75˚C kills most of thebacteria.Ensure that cold food is stored below 5˚C.Ensure that frozen food is stored below minus15˚C.Ensure that hot food is maintained over 60˚C.Minimise the time that food is kept in thetemperature danger zone – between 5˚Cand 60˚C.Avoid leaving food that has just been cookedout on the bench to cool for more than onehour. Once it has cooled, immediately placeit in the refrigerator. Food Safety Victoriarecommends when cooling hot, high-riskfoods that they are cooled from 60˚C to 21˚Cwithin two hours and to 5˚C within a furtherfour hours.Cross-contaminationCross-contamination occurs when germs thatare naturally found on raw food move or aretransferred onto cooked food. To prevent this,cooked foods and raw foods should be storedseparately.HINT: Designate shelves in refrigerators forspecific foods and label these. Raw meats shouldbe well-wrapped and stored on trays on a shelfbelow fruit and vegetables to avoid juices drippingon the food and causing cross-contamination.Receiving food■Ensure that supplied perishable foods are beingtransported in a refrigerated food vehicle orcontainer. Check the temperature of deliverieson arrival.■Check deliveries of dry goods for quality.Broken packaging and damage may mean thecontents are contaminated and therefore notsuitable for consumption.Preparing food■■■■■■■Ensure that benches are clean.Ensure that there are suitable areas for foodpreparation,Keep animals out of food preparation areas.Use separate chopping boards and utensilsfor raw and cooked foods.If possible, use separate areas to prepare rawand cooked foods.If you cannot have separate areas, ensure thatthe bench is washed with hot soapy waterand sanitised with a commercial sanitiser afterpreparing raw foods and before preparingcooked foods.Rinse raw fruit and vegetables well in plainwater and remove visible dirt particles.Handling food■■■■Use separate cleaning cloths for raw andcooked food preparation areas.Avoid handling food with bare hands. Wearingdisposable gloves or using a kitchen utensilis preferable. Change disposable gloves asregularly as you would wash your hands.Always put on new gloves between handlingraw foods and ready-to-eat foods.Remove gloves when handling money or nonfoodobjects.Cooking and heating■■■■■■■■When cooking or reheating high-risk foods,make sure the centre of the food is thoroughlyheated and has reached 75°C.Meat is not properly cooked unless the juicesrun clear.When reheating food, ensure that it is broughtto the boil and simmered for at least fiveminutes. The centre of the food must reach75°C.Thaw frozen food on the bottom shelf of therefrigerator and keep it in the refrigerator until itis ready to be cooked.If food is to be cooked from a frozen state,take extra care to ensure that it is cooked rightthrough.When using a microwave oven to thaw food,be aware that the food must be cookedimmediately afterwards.Be aware that microwave ovens can heatunevenly. If using a microwave for cooking andheating, stir the food regularly and ensure thatheat is evenly distributed.Never refreeze food that has been thawed.26 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

›■■■■■■■■■■■Food storage and displayCheck equipment temperatures regularly andreport malfunctioning equipment immediately.Pack foods carefully so as not to damage thepackaging.Do not use swollen cans or damaged foodpackets, as the food inside may be spoiled.Use and store foods so that older products areused first. For example, do not empty a newbag of flour into a plastic bin on top of the oldflour. Finish the old flour before refilling the bin.Cover foods stored in the refrigerator withplastic wrap or foil to prevent food spilling over.Do not overfill front-loading refrigerationdisplay cabinets; otherwise the cold airmay be prevented from flowing aroundthe foods inside.Check that food looks and smells good beforeusing it. Remember, if in doubt, throw it out!Before using fruit and vegetables, washcarefully to remove dirt and germs.Store chemicals, cleaning equipmentand personal belongings away from foodpreparation and food storage areas.Wrap or cover displayed food.Monitor use-by dates on food packaging.Food should not be sold or eaten beyond itsuse-by date, as it may not be safe.HINT: Mark the date on prepared food beforestoring it.›■■■■■■Cleaning proceduresBefore cooking, wipe down benches and otherequipment with hot soapy water and sanitise.Use a commercial sanitiser and follow thedirections on the label carefully.After cooking, wash the benches and otherequipment in hot soapy water, sanitise andallow to air dry. If it is necessary for you to drythe equipment immediately, ensure that thecloth you use is clean.Store saucepans and containers upside down.Write procedures for the storage and disposalof garbage and the location of bins and makesure that all workers follow them.Clean the floors and walls regularly.Have a cleaning roster or routine, record chartand procedures displayed in the canteen toensure that all duties are performed regularly.HINT: Mark regular ‘spring cleaning’ workingbeedays on your calendar at the beginningof the year. This will ensure that the largercleaning tasks, for example washing wallsand rangehoods, are not overlooked. Plan thisday for a quiet time of year such as schoolholidays. Recruit volunteers to help withthe working-bee and see if the cleaning andmaintenance person at the school is availableto help.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 27

› Legal requirements › Training providersand processesUnder Victoria’s Food Act 1984 and thesubsequent Food Amendment Act 1997 and FoodAmendment Act 2001, school canteens in Victoriaare required to be registered as a Class 2 foodpremises by their local council, which involvesdeveloping a Food Safety Program (FSP).This ensures that all the food they prepare andserve is safe to eat.Most school canteens in Victoria base their FSPon a Department of Human Services-registeredtemplate. Templates are an easy way to writean FSP and may be quicker and simpler thanemploying someone to write one for the business.A template is a simple document that describesa standard approach and the steps required toensure that the food that is sold is safe to eat.A generic template, the ‘Food safety programtemplate for retail and food service businesses’,as well as other resources on FSPs, can bedownloaded from the DHS website at:www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafety.FSPs can also be completed online at:www.foodsmart.vic.gov.au.Food businesses may alternatively chooseto develop their own independent FSP, whichwill have to be audited by a certified foodsafety auditor.As each local council differs in its requirements,it is important to contact your council to find outexactly what is required for your school.An important part of the FSP is the appointmentof a food safety supervisor. This person has theauthority, skills and knowledge to ensure thatall food handlers who work (paid or voluntary)in that establishment have the skills andknowledge for the job they do. To be deemedcompetent, the food safety supervisor mustcomplete units of competence from a registeredtraining organisation.For information on registered trainingorganisations that provide food safety training,visit the following websites:National Training Information Servicewww.ntis.gov.auEducation Network Australiawww.edna.edu.auTAFE Courses Directorywww.tafe.vic.gov.auAustralian School Canteens Associationwww.asca.com.auTelephone 1800 219 566Victorian Home Economics and TextilesTeachers’ Associationwww.vhetta.com.auTelephone (03) 9888 2240More information on food safety supervisor skillsand knowledge can be found on the DHS foodsafety website: www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafetyor by telephone on 1300 364 352. Alternatively,you can contact your local council healthdepartment for more information.Auditing for Class 2 food premises occurs atleast annually, as determined by the Secretaryof the Department of Human Services. Class 2food businesses using a registered templatecan choose either to have their FSP auditedby a certified food safety auditor, or have theirFSP compliance checked by the local municipalcouncil. Class 2 food businesses with their ownindependent FSP need to have the FSP auditedby a certified food safety auditor. You havethe responsibility to engage the services of anapproved auditor and ensure that your FSP andrecords are on the premises at all times.28 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

Canteen managementEffective managementRole of the school councilGeneral business structure of canteensStock managementFinancial managementStaff and volunteersPromotion and marketing

›Effective managementIn addition to providing the schoolcommunity with nutritious and affordablefoods, the canteen should be based on goodmanagement practices and be financiallyself-sustaining.Experience shows that, with good managementand marketing practices, a canteen can providehealthy foods and also be financially viable.The school canteen is a small business. Like anybusiness, it requires good management practicesto be efficient and successful. Effective canteenmanagement requires that:■■■■■■everyone involved knows its goals andobjectives and is familiar with its policiescanteen staff and committee develop animplementation plan to achieve policy goalsday-to-day operational procedures arestructured and enforcedstaff are adequately trained and supervisedstaff carry out efficient stock management,accounting and financial proceduresstaff are familiar with and comply with relevantlegal requirements regarding food safety andoccupational health and safety standards.›Role of theschool councilThe school council has, through theEducation Act 1958, the authority tooperate a school canteen.This authority can also be delegated to a clubor association that is not a subcommittee of theschool council, or it can be sub-leased to a privatecontractor under a licence. This licence is obtainedfrom the Department of Education & Training.The school council oversees the operation of theschool canteen, including its policies, employmentof staff, the disbursement of any profits and therecoupment of losses. The day-to-day operationsof the canteen are managed either by a paidworker or a volunteer. School councils usually forma canteen committee to manage canteen issues.All profits from the canteen are transferred to theschool council. Income from the canteen mustbe adequate to meet expenses incurred includingprovision for staff superannuation, sick leave,annual leave and other benefits and depreciation.If a school canteen is sub-leased to a privatecontractor, the school council should ensurethat the contract specifies that food be soldin accordance with the ‘Go for your life’ HealthyCanteen Kit – Food Planner and the DietaryGuidelines for Children and Adolescents inAustralia. It should also ensure that the operation(including stores, stocktaking, trading, profitand loss statements) of school canteens andother school food services is consistent withthe information provided in section 7.17 of theVictorian Government Schools Reference Guide.Many school councils are now recognising that animportant aim of the canteen, in addition to beingfinancially viable, is to provide nutritious foodsand promote healthy eating. This aim should beacknowledged in the canteen policy.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 29

›Formal management agreementGeneral businessstructure of canteensSchool canteens may operate under a varietyof management structures, depending onthe individual characteristics and needs ofthe school. Most canteens in schools are rununder the direction of, and are accountableto, the school council. Schools may decideto provide a food service to students inseveral ways.Scenario 1: Full-time paid canteen managerplus paid staff and/or volunteersThe canteen manager is present at all times andtheir work is supported by paid staff and possiblyvolunteers.Scenario 2: Part-time paid canteen managerplus volunteer staffThe canteen manager will attend the canteen inthe morning to allocate tasks to volunteer staff,and return in the afternoon to finish operations forthe day.Scenario 3: Fully staffed by volunteersThe canteen is staffed by a volunteer canteenmanager with volunteer staff. It may alternativelybe staffed by a group of volunteers, each of whomis rostered and responsible for the operation ofthe canteen on particular days.Scenario 4: External food services managementcompanyManagement of the canteen is contracted to anexternal food services management company,which is responsible for staffing the canteen.Scenario 5: External off-site catererSchools without their own canteens may orderfood from an off-site caterer, such as the localmilk bar, sandwich shop or canteen lunchspecialist caterer.When deciding a management structure forthe school food service, school councils shouldconsider the type and extent of the food servicethe school needs. For example, a small schoolwanting to provide a canteen service onceor twice a week may be able to do this withvolunteer support or external catering. However,a secondary school requiring a more extensivefood service, including breakfast, may need toemploy a full-time canteen manager.A formal management agreement detailingthe terms and conditions of the managementstructure should be drawn up and signed by therelevant management parties, which will usuallybe the school council and principal, or the schoolcouncil or principal and private contractor.Management agreementsThe management agreement between the partiesshould state clearly how any profits made fromthe canteen are to be distributed. There are anumber of options that should be considered.■■■■The school council pays profits to the schoolfor inclusion in the annual school budget andexpenditure is in accordance with schoolpriorities established by the school communityin the school charter and plan.The school council pays profits to the schoolbut they are not included in the annual schoolbudget. The school and school councildetermine the use of profits together. Thisoption allows for some of the canteen profitsto be invested back into the canteen so thathealthy changes can continue to be made.External catering contractors pay a set annualpayment per head of student population or payan agreed percentage of profits back to theschool council.It is important that food services that areexternally contracted or ordered from off-sitebusinesses are involved in, aware of and followthe school’s canteen policy. It is a good idea tostipulate guidelines within the canteen policy,for example regarding nutrition and promotionof healthy foods, within contracts and tenderswith external caterers.Employing staffEmploying canteen staff is the role of the schoolcouncil with approval from the principal. Whenemploying paid and voluntary canteen staff, itis important to follow good staff managementprocedures:■ following the correct industrial award oragreement■ having a formal job description and interviewprocess■ drawing up an official employment contract■ providing a staff supervisor■ having a performance review process■ providing adequate training■ establishing a complaints resolution procedure.For more information on employment andmanagement of staff for school canteens,including job descriptions, pay rates, employerentitlements and relevant awards, contact theAustralian School Canteens Association. Contactdetails of the Association are provided in theresources section of this manual.30 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

›Stock managementThe purchase of goods is a significantcanteen expense and therefore it is criticalthat this process is organised and efficient.It is important to:■■■■buy products at the best pricebuy appropriate quantitiesensure safe, high-quality productsorder at the appropriate time.Who should be responsible forordering stock?Only one person in the canteen should beresponsible for ordering stock, which includesfoods, drinks, packaging, utensils, first aid andcleaning materials. Ideally this will be the canteenmanager, or a person who oversees most of thecanteen and has the largest time involvement.Allocating this responsibility to only one personis important as it prevents confusion and overordering,maintains consistency and ensuresmaximum efficiency.Canteens generally return higher profits whenthey restrict the number of suppliers and rangeof stock.Restricting the number of suppliers can bebeneficial as it allows canteen staff to developmanagement rapport with a supplier. This can alsoresult in special services and treatment, such asdiscounts and better quality of service.Minimising the range of stock assists in reducingslow turnover items, which can lead to spoilage.It will also allow you to use employees andvolunteers with less training given there are lessproducts to work with.Both of these practices will also result in moreefficient ordering with fewer orders needing tobe placed.It is important to ensure that when minimising therange of stock in a canteen the range and varietyof nutritious foods, such as fruit and vegetables,is not reduced.How do I choose a supplier?The following pointers should help you inselecting a good supplier. An ideal supplier:■■■■■■■■■■■■■■is located locallyhas been recommended by other school canteensdelivers frequently, and will do so at aconvenient and suitable time for the canteendelivers stock in good condition, for exampleice-cream which is always frozen and fruit andvegetables which are always freshdelivers stock with the maximum shelf lifefollows appropriate storage, handling andfood safety requirements, such as adequaterefrigeration for chilled and frozen goods andshade and cover for fresh produceuses adequate packaging and handlingprocedures to ensure products are not damagedoffers an adequate range of productscommunicates well, keeping you informed ofprice changes, specials and product availabilityoffers competitive prices, as well as specials,discounts and incentivesoffers taste-testing opportunities or freesamples to trialprovides free promotional material in line withyour healthy canteen policy, such as posterspromoting healthy food productsoffers incentives, such as equipment rewardsoffers convenient and acceptable paymentprocedures, including method of payment andsettlement terms.HINT: Never select food or drink productsthat fail to reflect nutrition standards detailedin the canteen policy even if the supplier canoffer a lucrative deal, such as bargain pricesor equipment rewards.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 31

When to orderIt is important to maintain the lowest level of stockwhile at the same time having sufficient stock touse or sell. This reduces the risk of stock spoilingwhile in storage and also allows the canteento potentially be earning interest on money inthe bank instead of invested in stock sitting onshelves. It is also important to aim to have as littlestock as possible left over by the end of term toprevent spoilage over term holidays.How often your canteen needs to order stock willdepend on:■ how long it takes for the supplier to deliverthe order■ how regularly your supplier delivers – ruralschools or canteens using infrequent suppliersmay need to order products with a longershelf life■ the shelf life of the product – order lessitems more frequently to reduce wastageof perishable stock and aim to use fresh fruitand vegetables by the end of the week toprevent spoilage and decrease in quality overthe weekend■ storage space – this will vary according toseasons, for example refrigeration will be usedmore during warmer weather, so more regularordering of chilled items may be requiredat this time.Check the stock currently in the canteen. By usingan ordering list containing information on eachsupplier and their products, you can quickly viewcurrent stock and record what items need to bereordered. Keep a record of all orders and notewhen it was requested.When determining how much stock to orderfor your canteen, it is important to take intoconsideration the following:■■■■■■■■■whether individual products are selling wellwhether your supplier is offering discounteditems and sales on products you usually stockany changes in the canteen menupopularity of certain items due to seasonalchangesspecial days, awareness weeks or culturalevents that might affect the types of foodsbeing sold and boughtupcoming special events and functions, suchas open days and sporting days, which mayaffect the sales figures for those daysadditional catering requirements such asproviding for committee meetingsclass excursions that may result in eitheran absence of lunch orders or the need foradditional cateringclass absenteeism, especially during key timessuch as Year 12 pre-exam period, or when yearlevels are located at alternative campusesfor a term■■public holidays and curriculum days where thecanteen is closedterm holidays.HINT: Stock orders for special events shouldbe kept separate from the stock order tally forcanteen sales. If not, the mark-up schedulefor the canteen will be incorrect, as productsordered have not actually been sold throughthe canteen.Receiving stock■■■■■■■Check the delivery docket and supplier’s invoiceagainst the order placed.Check for price increases and update thesupplier ordering list. Don’t forget to adjust thecanteen selling prices accordingly.Check the quantity and quality of stock, forexample whether refrigerated products areadequately chilled or frozen.Ensure that products are intact and notdamaged.Check use-by dates.Put chilled or frozen products awayimmediately.When restocking refrigerators and shelves,place the new deliveries at the back to ensurethat older stock is used first.Using stockProducts approaching their use-by dates mayneed to be used up quickly to prevent wastage,especially before weekends and term holidays.Strategies to use up stock quickly include:■ reducing the price of slow-selling stock■ introducing a recipe of the week to use upingredients■ offering specials■ including products or fresh fruit in meal deals.For more ideas on turning stock over quickly, referto Promotion and marketing on page 38.Stocktaking should be done on a regular basisso that the canteen can account for all stock,including items which have been sold ordiscarded.HINT: Increase the turnover of short-shelflifeproducts by extending hours of operation(without necessarily increasing the cost ofoperation), for example afternoon tea could beoffered to students or teachers.32 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

›Financial managementIn order for a canteen to be financiallyviable, income from selling food must eitherbe equal to or greater than the expensesinvolved in running the canteen.Accurate costing of foods plays a very importantpart in determining income. A financiallysuccessful canteen also requires efficientmanagement of all canteen resources.The following section details why it is important to:■■■■account for all canteen moneyaccount for all stockdetermine the cost price of pre-packaged itemsand recipesdetermine the selling price of pre-packageditems and recipes per serve.Accounting for canteen moneyThe canteen needs to ensure that all canteenmoney can be accurately tracked at all times.Management of money involves:■ running off cash registers at the end of eachtrading period during the day (if applicable)■ counting money and balancing cash registersat the end of each day■ maintaining a standard float■ banking each day and keeping minimal moneyin the canteen■ accurately recording payment of all ordersand invoices■ accurately recording all cheques■ accurately recording all petty cash expenses.It is recommended that all stock should be paidfor by cheque or electronic transfer, with pettycash being used only for the purchase of items ofa minor or unexpected nature. Only a small pettycash float should be kept.School Canteens and the GSTSchool-operated canteens are non-profit bodiesunder GST legislation and can choose from twoGST methods for reporting their transactions fortax purposes – input taxed’ or ‘fully taxed GST’.The Department recommends that schools thatoperate profitable canteens use the input taxedmethod.Under this method schools code all purchases asCASES21 GST Code G13 and all sales as CASES21GST Code G04.Schools using the input taxed method do notneed to report any GST-inclusive transactionson the Business Activity Statement (BAS) to theAustralian Taxation Office.Where costs, such as electricity, cleaning,insurance, etc., are jointly used by both the schooland the canteen these costs will need to be ‘split’between the school and the canteen. For example,where a bill is for the whole school, no input taxcredits can be claimed on the portion of costs thatrelate to the canteen.In these instances the invoice should be splitcharged with the school share charged as GSTinclusive or G11 and the canteen share charged asinput taxed or G13.More detailed information on schoolcanteens and the GST is available fromwww.sofweb.vic.edu.au/tax/gst/azgst/Accounting for stockThe canteen should be able to account for stocknumbers, so that incoming stock always balancesoutgoing stock. This ensures that an accurateincome can be recorded. Records should includegoods which are disposed of due to being pasttheir expiry date, items used in meal deals, tastetestings and freebies. It is important to checkdeliveries to ensure that all stock ordered hasbeen supplied. Accurate monitoring of stockshould allow you to determine if stock is missing.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 33

Determining the cost price ofpre-packaged items and recipesThe cost price of a pre-packaged item is theamount it costs the canteen to purchase that item.Selling prices of items can easily be determinedusing the wholesale price of the goods, especiallyas this price generally does not change.HINT: Inform the school community of pricechanges in the school newsletter. You don’tnecessarily need to wait until the menu isaltered to change individual prices.Changes in price can be due to:■ seasonal availability, particularly of fruitand vegetables■ bulk purchase■ discounted items and sales■ competitive prices■ incentives■ taste-testing opportunities or trial of free samples.The cost price of recipes is the amount it coststhe canteen to make a meal, snack or drinks whichuse a variety of ingredients and packaging. Todetermine the cost price of recipes, the cost of allingredients and packaging is taken into account.Many canteens also include overhead costs, suchas wages, electricity, gas, water and equipmentexpenses. The canteen may also wish to takeinto account specials, discounts and equipmentsubsidies that are provided by the supplier.It is important for the canteen to have standardrecipes with strict quantities of ingredients andstandard serving sizes in order to accurately pricerecipes, for example a consistent quantity of fillingeach time for sandwiches.HINT: Using portion-control equipment assistsin making serves of foods and drinks accurateand consistent according to the recipe. Thiscould be as simple as using a tablespooninstead of a ‘handful’ of sultanas.A template that you can use to determine theprice of recipes is provided on page 21. Thistemplate provides space for you to list eachindividual ingredient, serving size, cost of eachingredient per serve and recipe instructions.Please note that this manual only takes intoaccount ingredient and packaging expenses.Remember to cost out recipes accuratelyby including all ingredients, even the butteror chutney which is used in sandwiches.Underestimating the cost of recipes – even forsmall quantities of ingredients – can affect profitsin the long term.The recipe template can help work out the costprice of prepared foods, and help identify whetheror not foods can be prepared more economically.Some recipes may need altering across seasonsin order to keep their cost price the same. Forexample, try varying the fresh fruit used to makesmoothies if the usual fruit ingredient becomestoo expensive.HINT: Avoid unnecessary packaging andwrapping. This not only reduces the cost ofproducts but also helps the environment.34 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

›Staff and volunteersThe school canteen manager plays a vital rolein the coordination and management of thecanteen’s volunteers.Volunteers can be:■■■parentspeople from the wider communitystudents.Reasons for volunteering■■■■■Contributing to, and being part of, the schoolcommunity.Giving something to the school.Learning about food and nutrition.Increasing knowledge and skills in the areasof cooking and food preparation, food hygieneand safety, nutrition, customer service andcash handling.Making new friends and enjoying opportunitiesto socialise.What to expect■■■■Allow volunteers time to adjust to their role,gain confidence and improve their skills.Be realistic – be prepared to do most of thework yourself.Be a good role model.Communicate clearly.Student volunteersStudents can help design posters and flyerspromoting healthy eating or they can help tothink of new menu ideas. Talk to teachers to seeif students can work on developing promotionalmaterials as a class activity. Get students to writea letter to parents requesting volunteer help –you could use these student articles in theschool newsletter.Student volunteers need adequate supervision.It is also important to make sure that volunteeringdoes not interfere with their studies.Coordinating a volunteer programCoordinating a volunteer program involves:■■■recruitingretainingrecognising and rewarding.Recruiting volunteers■■■■■Identify how many volunteers you will need tomake a regular commitment and how manyyou will need only to provide casual assistance.It’s a good idea to plan for the year, keeping inmind special days or events when additionalvolunteer assistance will be required.Assume that volunteers will come and go.Develop a list of interested volunteers whowill fill casual positions and prevent anunexpected shortage of assistance.Plan rosters so that volunteers know how muchtime is required and the length of commitmentexpected.Develop a job description for the volunteerpositions available so that volunteers knowwhat is expected of them. This should include alist of specific tasks involved, skills and trainingrequired, level of responsibility, and personalattributes which would be looked uponfavourably, such as own transport.Offer a range of tasks or jobs to choose fromso that volunteers have options. For example,a volunteer may not feel comfortable dealingwith customers but is happy to be involved withfood preparation. Some voluntary jobs may alsoallow volunteers to assist in their own time, forexample researching new recipes or assistingwith promotion and marketing.HINT: Include a canteen roster whenadvertising for volunteers that indicates whichgaps need to be filled. This enables readers tosee what the commitment involves.AdvertisingIt is important to advertise regularly and widelyto keep the community informed and aware ofvolunteer opportunities. Avenues for advertisinginclude:■■■■■■weekly school newslettersschool websiteschool orientation information for new parentsorientation eveningsparents’ eveningslocal newspaper.Advertisements can be targeted at:■■■■■students’ parents and familieschurchesSenior Citizens’ AssociationRSL clubsVolunteering Australia.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 35

Retaining volunteersOnce volunteers have been recruited, it isimportant to provide a positive and rewardingworking environment so that they feel comfortableand appreciated. It is important that volunteers arewelcomed and introduced to canteen and schoolstaff on their first day, given a tour and have policyand procedures explained.Provide new volunteers with a volunteer’s canteeninformation kit which should contain:■■■■■an introductory letter (including contactinformation for the canteen)the rosterthe canteen policythe canteen menufood hygiene information.Volunteers should be provided with informationabout:■■■■■■■■■■the layout of the canteenhow to operate machinery and equipmentfood hygiene requirementsemergency drills and evaluation procedureshow to handle difficult students.how to manage customer complaintsand feedbackprocedures to follow if they are ill whenrostered onwhere the roster is locatedwhere to locate contact numbers, includingemergency contactsschool times, including lunch and recess.HINT: Discuss any times when the volunteer isnot able to assist, for example during holidaysor because of medical appointments or specialoccasions so that you can plan ahead.Layout of the canteen■■■■■Provide schedules on the wall which outlinetime-based tasks, for example when to placepizzas in the oven.Keep instruction books near equipment foreasy reference.Place food hygiene reminders aroundthe canteen.Provide recipe information on the wall,for example how long a sandwich shouldbe toasted for and serving sizes ofsandwich ingredients.Label drawers and cupboards with theircontents. This will cut down the amount of timea volunteer may take to search for items.Management of volunteers■■■■■■Maintain confidentiality of their personal details.Be sensitive to their current level of knowledgeand skills.Ensure that volunteers feel confident in allaspects of their duties, such as food hygieneregulations. Be aware that they may bereluctant to ask for clarification, so keep acheck and be ready to ask if there is anythingthey need help with.Keep volunteers informed of changes anddevelopments in the canteen and school,such as decisions made at canteencommittee meetings.Include volunteers in decision making.Provide volunteers with the opportunity toshare their knowledge and skills.Maintaining volunteer involvement■■■■■■Ensure that volunteers have adequate breaks.Provide volunteers with a variety of tasks.Provide the opportunity for volunteers todevelop additional skills to increase their jobsatisfaction and prevent boredom.Introduce a ‘buddy’ system, such as pairingvolunteers to prepare sandwiches together.Working in pairs or in a team can be rewarding,contribute to team building and preventisolation. It is also a great way for new recruitsto work with more experienced volunteers.Run a ‘Bring a Friend’ day.Organise social occasions, such as sitting downfor lunch together, or organising a larger-scalefunction such as a dinner out.36 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

Recognising and rewarding volunteersRecognising and rewarding volunteers is vitalif they are to feel valued and appreciated. It isalso important to provide incentives to keepvolunteers motivated. These actions will result inbetter service and will encourage longer periodsof commitment. Discuss with the school principalthe idea of applying for external volunteers’awards and funding.Strategies to reward volunteers could include:■■■■■■■■thanking volunteers for their assistance on adaily basisacknowledging volunteers in the schoolnewsletter, at assembly and at school eventsproviding formal acknowledgement of theirassistance with a certificate at the end of eachyear and perhaps a personal letter or small giftpinning up photographs of volunteers in thecanteen with their name (if they wish)providing professional development andtraining opportunities, such as attendingcanteen exposoffering a complimentary healthy lunchplanning special events during Volunteers’ Weekensuring the canteen is a happy, pleasant placeto work.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 37

›Promotion and marketingPromoting and marketing the canteen andthe healthy foods it sells is essential if thecanteen is to be a success.Using simple promotion and marketingstrategies will:■ assist student acceptance of these healthychanges■ help increase the numbers of studentspurchasing healthy food choices■ keep canteen sales and income healthy.Before deciding how to market the canteen andhealthy food choices, it is important to identify thekey customers and their wants and needs. Thiswill change over time, so it is important to gatherand update this information regularly.An understanding of student interests, lifestyles,ideas and the latest ‘fads’ will help to developsuccessful marketing activities. There area number of different ways to source thisinformation.■ Chat with students, teachers and parents aboutfood and eating preferences.■ Watch TV shows, listen to radio programs andread magazines that appeal to your school’sage group.■ Ask the SRC representative of your canteencommittee for ideas.■ Conduct a student market survey, includingquestions like ‘What is your favourite fruit?’■ Provide a suggestion box where students canplace ideas about food choices.The different aspects of marketing healthy foodchoices in school canteens can be described bythe 4 Ps:■■■■productplacepricepromotion.ProductWhen considering the product, consider not onlythe foods that are sold in the canteen, but theimage of the canteen as a whole – the service,the canteen environment, how foods arepromoted, and how well connected the canteenis to the school community.Create an imageCreating a positive image for the canteen givesit a higher profile in the school community.For example, give the canteen a catchy name,such as the ‘Snack Shack’, the ‘Kool Kids’ Cafe’or the ‘Tuck In’. This gives the canteen an identityor a ‘brand’ which can be used for advertisingand marketing. The name can be printed onlunch bags and staff aprons and be linked tomeal deal specials.HINTS:• Involve students in naming the canteenby running a naming competition.• Design a symbol or picture to accompany thename – this will help it appeal to students.• Develop a motto for the canteen – a goodway to promote the canteen’s image andcommunicate its goals and services in acatchy way. For example, ‘Healthy Foods,Healthy Learning’, ‘Foods that are healthyand taste good too!’ or ‘Serving healthyfoods for healthy children’.Supporting your ‘branding’■■■■Carefully choose fresh fruit and vegetables.If possible, use a small local greengrocer asthey usually provide more advice on bestquality and price based on seasonal availabilityand they may be able to deliver regularly toensure a fresh supply.Serve foods and drinks at an appropriatetemperature. Hot foods should be piping hotand cold items should be very chilled.Follow food safety and hygiene guidelines.Use standardised recipes and serve sizes forconsistency. Pin up recipes and serving-sizeguidelines in an obvious place to assist staffand volunteers preparing and serving foods.38 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

Food presentation■■■■■Use parsley and vegetable garnishes forsandwiches and platters, and around the foodsin the cold display cabinet.Display fruit in an attractive basket or bowl bythe counter where it is easily reached.Ensure that fillings in foods such as sandwichesand wraps can be seen clearly.Clearly label and price foods, including wholefresh fruit. The absence of a price will oftendiscourage sales.Make sure that foods are packaged in such away that they can be easily eaten by studentsand that serving sizes are appropriate to theage and appetite of students.Seasonal availabilityConsider the season when promoting foods.Usually, hot foods such as soups and toastedsandwiches are more popular in winter and coldfoods such as salads and wraps are more popularin summer. Promoting fruit may be easier to do insummer as more exotic varieties, like stone fruits,are available. Fruit is versatile and can be servedchilled or even frozen like grapes.Place‘Place’ refers to the canteen environment andthe way in which foods and drinks are arrangedwithin the canteen. These are important aspectsto consider when creating a positive image fora canteen. The canteen should be an attractive,appealing place that everyone enjoys visiting.When planning the layout and appearance ofthe canteen consider if it is easily accessibleand spacious, clean and attractive.Placing some tables and chairs and plants nearthe canteen creates a nice eating atmosphere.Design and technology students could be involvedin construction of such furniture. Many schoolsprovide a separate eating area for senior students.Some schools have created an outdoor eatingarea with chairs and tables under umbrellas ora sail. Utilise any spare ground near the canteenfor a small herb or vegetable garden, or use pots.This not only provides a nice environment foreating, but provides quick and easy access tofresh herbs when preparing foods.■■Is there adequate lighting?Is it colourful with bright décor and designsthat appeal to younger people?Get the visual arts department involved. Studentscould design and paint murals on the walls andcolourful menu boards and construct and decoratesandwich boards. Alternatively, special menublackboards can be purchased that are designedto have semi-permanent writing and pictures,but can have the prices changed easily.Removable plastic lettering and numbering,makes it easy to update the menu boards as wellas providing a professional image. A clear, wellplacedmenu will make it easier for students toselect foods and will make the canteen servingprocess more efficient. Also consider playingmusic in the waiting and eating area.■Does the canteen look professional?Requiring workers to wear a uniform can helpto brighten the canteen environment and addto its image and professional appearance. Theuniform may be quite casual, for example jeanswith a brightly coloured uniform T-shirt bearingthe canteen’s logo. Uniform aprons also providea professional image, as well as being importantfor maintaining hygiene.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 39

Product positioning■■■Place healthy choices at students’ eye level.For example, have fresh fruit within arm’s reachand position several rows of bottled water ateye level. Try placing some salad tubs, fruitsalad or yoghurt in the drinks refrigerator aswell, to encourage last minute purchasesMake sure there is a well-stocked displayof pre-prepared healthy foods, for examplesalad tubs and rolls and wraps, to encourageimpulse purchases.Rotate the position of products regularly togenerate interest. Try stocking foods in multipleplaces to encourage optimal sales.DistributionMost canteens sell directly to their main targetmarket – students – via one outlet: the canteencounter. Consider whether there are other waysin which, with minimal extra effort, the servicecan be extended to a wider market and increaseyour sales.■■■■■Consider selling at both the canteen and viapre-orders. Pre-ordering may make it easier forcanteen staff as it will enable easier preparationand planning for stock. Promote pre-ordering tostudents as a way of getting priority serviceat lunch.Have a pre-ordering and delivery service forstaff as well. Take a selection of food itemsover to the staff room at meal times.Provide a catering service for morning andafternoon teas for staff meetings and otherexternal meetings or events that may be held atthe school, for example afternoon tea at $4.00per head. Market this service as robustly asother canteen services.Consider extending a catering service for otherschool events, for example school sports daysand school excursions and camps.Consider the canteen operating hours. Couldthese be easily extended? Do they enablestaff and senior students to use the canteen atany time? Could a breakfast service be addedbefore school? Some canteens develop a wholebreakfast menu, but it could be as simple asoffering a small selection of appropriate foodsalready on the canteen menu.Price■■■■■■■■■Ensure that the canteen offers a selection oflow-cost, filling, nutritious items such as raisintoast, sultanas, dinner rolls or small corn cobsthat students can buy with their small change.Price food simply, for example $1.50 insteadof $1.45, so that it is easier for students to payand easier for the staff to give change.Before trialling a new product, compare theprice of your product with the prices in otherlocal shops and check prices with students tosee what they think.Make sure healthier options are affordable.Offer reduced prices to promote slow-sellingitems or include these items in a meal dealwhich is priced for value.Sell cheaply towards the end of lunchtimeor at afternoon tea-time in the staff roomand increase sales as well as reduce costsfrom wastage.Use competitive prices as the focus pointfor advertising, for example stocking 50csnack packs.Advertise products as representing good valuefor money.Design a ‘What you can buy for this’ poster forthe canteen, listing healthy items available for10c, 20c, 50c, etc. Use pictures of the moneyand food items if dealing with young students.40 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

PromotionPromotion of healthy choices is all aboutcommunicating to customers and encouragingthem to buy healthy foods. It is very important thatpromotions are simple and positive and concernedonly with healthy foods.Planning■■■■■■■■Always advertise new products or specials.Advertise old favourites or slow sellers.Advertise regularly.Consider the target market, and use thatmarket’s language level and style.Reach the right people often enough. Seekstudents’ input to establish key vantage pointsfor advertising.Ask students to design posters and flyerspromoting healthy foods or a specific specialday or meal deal. These can be placed in avariety of places around the school, includingnotice boards, staff rooms, reception, corridorsand classrooms.Flyers are a great way to communicateadvertising the canteen’s catering service, newhealthy products, special meal deals or healthytheme days to the wider school community.Fliers distributed prior to the event are the keyto generating interest and making the eventmore successful. These can be distributedwidely, for example in mail-outs to parents, innew parent orientation packs, in classrooms,in lunch bags, left at the front desk or canteencounter or in the staff room.There are also colourful posters and flyersavailable from various organisations thatpromote healthy eating and look greatin the canteen.Newsletters and the school’s websiteThe school website and weekly newsletter areboth great ways to let parents and the widerschool community know that the canteen offershealthy, nutritious and tasty foods that are goodvalue for money. Include the canteen menu,canteen updates, new menu items, news ofspecials or theme days, price changes, generalnutrition facts and photos and pictures of healthyfoods available. Ask for ideas and feedback.Notice boards and sandwich boards■■■Use notice-boards and sandwich boards topromote specials, theme days, new healthyoptions and interesting nutrition facts, or toadvertise tomorrow’s menu.Place the boards in a variety of areas,including outside the canteen, near wherethe students queue, at the front of the school,inside reception or in strategic areas inthe playground.Utilise existing notice boards in the schoolto pin up information and advertising aboutthe canteen. Ask school administration for adesignated section on the main school noticeboard to display regular information updatesand promotions.Student order forms and menu boards■■■■■Make sure student order forms and menuboards are clear, bright and attractive.Position healthy choices at the top of the list.Use bold, brightly coloured fonts to make thehealthy choices stand out from other items onmenu boards.Include pictures of the healthy items.Place smiley faces beside the healthy itemsto identify healthy choices.In the canteen■■Place an attractive display of a healthy foodspecial deal beside the cash register.Display colourful posters and flyers to promotehealthy choices. Ensure that only healthyoptions are promoted – be wary of supportingpromotions for unhealthy choices run byfood companies.Role modelling■■Ask teachers to promote healthy foods orspecial theme days in the canteen throughgeneral classroom discussion.Encourage teachers and canteen staff to actas role models by purchasing and eatinghealthy products.AnnouncementsNew healthy products or specials can beannounced over the school public address systemor at morning assembly. This is a good methodfor last minute promotions and is also goodreinforcement advertising, as it can be done ona regular basis. Administrative staff in charge ofPA announcements can read from a script. Thecanteen manager could also be given a regularspot at school assembly.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 41

Creative names■■Describe healthy choices using fun, imaginativewords to excite and appeal to children, forexample ‘scrumptious’ and ‘mouth-watering’.Give new healthy menu items catchy titles, like‘Crazy Carrot Sticks’ or ‘Bananarama Smoothie’.You could try using characters from children’smovie and television shows. You could alsouse sport-themed items like the ‘Thorpedo Roll’named after swimmer Ian Thorpe.SpecialsSpecials may be special days, special weeks ordaily specials (an addition to the regular menu).They can:■ help introduce a new product at a good priceto entice buyers■ be used to represent value for moneyon healthy products and encouragehealthy choices■ assist in reducing wastage and maintainingincome by helping sell slow sellers, excessor leftover stock.It is important to price special days or menu itemscompetitively. Remember that a special works onincreasing volumes of sales. Money can be savedon the cost of ingredients and labour so mark-upson each item can be kept lower. Some schoolsuse extra funds from special days to invest inimproving the canteen. The school’s parents andfriends association or SRC might like to join thecanteen to help manage and run a special dayas a joint fundraiser.HINT: When planning a special meal deal ortheme day be prepared for an overwhelmingresponse! Pre-ordering can help plan fordemand and make sure that enough stock isavailable on the day. A pre-order form could beincluded as part of the promotional flyer.Meal deals2 for 1 dealsThese provide an excellent way of reducingproduct waste at the end of the week, for example‘Buy a small carton of milk and receive a freepiece of fruit’.Lunch and snack packsA meal deal including a meal item, snack anda drink is a great opportunity to include fruit,vegetables and dairy, ensuring that the meal is inline with dietary guidelines. It is also a great wayto make healthier food choices easier for studentsas the food is sold as a package. Price the mealdeal at a slightly lower cost than the combinedcost of the individual items and advertise this costbenefit. Give the meal deal a theme or catchyname to appeal to students and keep an eyeon food advertising for ideas. For example, if apopular fast-food restaurant is promoting chickenwraps this month promote your own lean versionof chicken wraps. An example of a snack pack isthe ‘Road Runner Pack’ which could include:■■■■a chicken drumstickmultigrain rollbanana or orangea small carton of milk.Theme daysTheme days are a great way to trial new healthyitems. They may offer a few special menu itemsor a new special menu as an alternative to theregular menu. This can save time, as canteen staffwill only need to prepare a limited range of foods.Often parents who are keen to volunteer butunable to commit to a regular day will be willingto volunteer on special theme days, so advertisewidely for help for these days.Theme days should be planned well in advance inorder to allow enough time for promotion. Considerwhat the promotion is to achieve. Is it to trial a newproduct, promote fruit and vegetables or dairy foods,or provide children with variety and something new?Focus more on the fun aspects of such promotionaldays, and less on the healthy food message.Tie theme days in with the school’s calendar. Usesports days and special calendar dates such asreligious and cultural events. Health awarenessweeks provide an excellent opportunity forpromotions. For example, calcium-rich smoothiescan be offered during Healthy Bones Week.Theme days can also be linked to what studentsare being taught in the classroom, for examplehistory, the environment or international studies.Draw on current high-profile events such as theAustralian Open or the AFL Grand Final or evenrecently released movies. The possibilities areendless. The manuals and websites listed in theinformation and resources section of this manualprovide many more theme and promotion ideas.42 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

Ideas for themes include:Commonwealth or Olympic Games■■■A ‘Go for Green and Gold Day’ with green- andgold-coloured foods on the menu.A ‘Green and Gold Meal Deal’ day or an ‘AussieAussie Aussie Week’ with a green- and goldcolouredfood daily special.Ideas for healthy green- and gold-colouredfoods:• golden corn on the cob• popcorn• diced pears or green apples with custard• yellow jelly with grapes• green and gold fruit salad, including oranges,kiwifruit, grapes and diced peaches• green and gold mini muffins, using cheese,green capsicum and tomato.AFL Grand FinalName healthy meal deals or menu items after oneof the leading teams or players, for example theBombers’ Burger.Chinese or Vietnamese New YearThis week could be held in February to trialChinese and Vietnamese foods. Decorate thecanteen with paper lanterns and offer studentschopsticks and serve a Chinese or Vietnamesemeal deal in a cardboard noodle box, for example:■■■vegetable stir-fryfried rice plus a rice paper roll or an oven-bakedmini spring rollNori rolls (see the Recipe section of thisresource).Summer salad sensation dayOn the first day of summer, run a salad bar withappealing salads on offer. Include, for example,chicken and mango salad, roast vegetable salad,sweet potato salad or couscous salad. Allowstudents to serve themselves, suggesting thatthey choose a few to fill their plate.(Adapted from the NSW School Canteen AssociationHigh School Meal Promotion Ideas fact sheetavailable from www.schoolcanteens.org.au)Nutrition WeekNutrition Week occurs in October andhas a different theme each year. Visit:www.nutritionaustralia.org to find out what thisyear’s theme is. Think of special food offers andmeal deal names, for example the ‘Nuts aboutNutrition’ meal deal.Fruit and Veg. WeeksPromote a different fruit or vegetable each week.Base this on seasonal availability, or work throughcolours or the alphabet. For example, have a weekeach for apples, avocadoes, bananas, berries,capsicum, cantaloupe and so on. Other ideasduring this event include:■■■offering free taste testingoffering fruit and vegetables as a meal dealincluding a green vegetable as part of each hotfood menu item.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 43

Competitions and incentivesCompetitions, incentives or reward schemescan increase student interest and participationand reward students for trying new foods andchoosing healthy options. These schemes are alsoa way of promoting the idea that healthy eating atschool can be fun. Make sure to advertise in theschool newsletter to ensure their success.Check with the school principal to ascertainif the school has a policy in place about theuse of competitions and incentives.■■■■■Offer a lucky prize draw. Students who trya particular new menu item, special of the dayor meal deal get a ticket to go in the drawfor a prize.Distribute frequent flyer customer cards.Students get one stamp each time they ordercertain healthy items.Organise a classroom smiley face competition.Reward healthy lunch orders with a smiley facesticker in their lunch bag. The classroom withthe most stickers at the end of each week winsa prize.Run a competition which involves studentsentering their ideas for healthy menu items.For example, award prizes for the best newhealthy canteen recipes, sandwich fillings,recipes, theme days or meal deal ideas. Theprize could be that the winning recipe idea,food name or meal deal is named after theclass and is featured on the menu for the week.Run a competition which involves studentsdesigning posters or flyers promoting healthyfoods at the canteen with a prize for the winner.Taste testing and samplingChildren are more likely to buy new food items ifthey have tried them before. Try introducing newfoods to students in the following ways.■■■Provide a sample of a new product freewith the purchase of an existing item.Food companies will usually providesamples for free.Set up a sampling table in the canteen todetermine the most popular variety of certainfoods. Students can line up to sample and thenmark their votes on a whiteboard.Position a taste-testing plate with smallmorsels of food on the counter. This isa good way of trialing a recipe preparedin the canteen kitchen.Students and teachersIt is important when promoting healthy foods atthe canteen to involve students and teachers. Thisis recommended by the Health Promoting Schoolsapproach. For further information see page 45.Involving students, teachers and the widercommunity in promoting the canteen not onlyhelps cement the image of the canteen as ahealthy place and increases purchases, but alsohelps by providing valuable support and resourcesto strengthen the canteen’s promotional activities.Here are some suggestions for involving theschool community in the canteen.■■■■Plan canteen promotions and menu items tocomplement any health, nutrition or food issues(or other non-nutrition themes) being taught inthe classroom.Know when excursions are planned so you canplan for catering.If the school has a vegetable patch, find outwhat is in season and enquire whether excessproduce or herbs can be used and promoted incanteen menu items.Ask teachers to assist with student classroomactivities that support and assist the canteen’spromotion and marketing. (See ‘Go for your life’Healthy Canteen Kit – Student Learning Activitiesfor ideas.)HINT: Older students could assist withdesigning, producing and marketing a healthymeal deal as part of their curriculum activities.The ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit– Student Learning Activities that accompanythis manual can assist teachers in planning aclassroom canteen menu assessment activity.Encourage the principal and teachers to beinvolved with the canteen as much as possible.■■■Introduce yourself to the food technologyand agriculture teachers and have an informaldiscussion about ideas for collaboration.Invite teachers to visit the canteen and meetthe staff.Schedule a regular, brief meeting with theprincipal or assistant principal each weekor fortnight to exchange information on theweek’s activities.HINT: Yarrambat Primary School has a regular‘Fruitalicious Friday’. This is a taste-testingday where the students have the opportunityto taste different types of fruit and vegetablesthat they may not have tried at home. Thishas led to new foods being introduced inthe canteen.44 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

Information and resourcesGeneral websitesHealth Promoting Schools informationFood safetySpecial dietsSchool canteen associations and programsHealthy fundraising ideasProgramsServicesBooks and manualsRecipesResources for school canteens on food safety

› General websites › Health PromotingSchools informationDietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescentsin Australiawww.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/dietsyn.htmAustralian Guide to Healthy Eatingwww.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/content/health-pubhlth-strateg-food-guideindex.htmNutrition Australiawww.nutritionaustralia.orgTelephone: (03) 9650 5165Provides information, resources, programs onnutrition and healthy eating for schools, teachers,health professionals and the general community.Includes a healthy schools canteen advisoryservice.‘Go for your life’www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.auMelbourne Marketswww.marketfresh.com.auInformation on fruit and vegetables available inVictoria, including finding greengrocers, fruitsin season, choosing fruits, recipes. It also has aschools section with specific ideas on includingfruit and vegetables in the canteen.Fresh for Kidswww.freshforkids.com.au/canteen.htmlAustralian Health Promoting Schools Associationwww.ahpsa.org.auInformation on what a health promoting schoolis and links to other organisations. A copy of theNational Framework for Health Promoting Schoolscan be downloaded, There is also informationon membership, state branches and upcomingconferences.Children’s Health Development Foundationwww.chdf.org.auDeveloped by the Centre for Health Promotion,Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide,South Australia, it provides resources and toolsto promote health and wellbeing in schoolcommunities and has information on creatinghealthy environments, working with communities,programs to address the issue of food insecurityand case studies on what other schools are doing.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 45

Australian School Canteen Association (ASCA)› Food safetyFood Standards Australia and New Zealand(FSANZ)www.foodstandards.gov.au/whatsinfood/Telephone: (02) 6271 2222Facsimile: (02) 6271 2278FSANZ is the regulatory body of the FoodStandards Code. It provides information on theFood Safety legislation and standards, as wellas information and resources to assist with thepractical interpretation of these. They have agreat range of downloadable information factsheets, including the Fact Sheets for Charities andCommunity Organisations developed to assistthese groups meet their legal obligations underthe new standards.Food Safety Victoriawww.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafetyTelephone: 1300 364 352Department of Human Services –Food Safety Unitwww.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafetyTelephone: 1300 364 352A range of resources, posters, fact sheets,template records and plans, and detailedinformation on safe food handling.Department of Education & Trainingwww.eduweb.vic.gov.au/referenceguide/refguide.asp?page=4-4The Victorian Government Schoold ReferenceGuide has a section on food safety: Section4.4.6.11 ‘Food safety in schools and food-handlingregulations’.Victorian Home Economics and TextilesTeachers’ Association (VHETTA)www.vhetta.com.auTelephone: (03) 9888 2240Freecall: 1800 803 762VHETTA offers food safety training for schoolsincluding for teachers, canteen managers, kitchenassistants, parents and students. This training istailored to the specific issues around food safetywithin a school environment.www.asca.com.auTelephone: 1800 219 556Consultants are available to advise and assistschools with the preparation and implementationof their Food Safety Programs.NSW School Canteen Association (NSWSCA)www.schoolcanteens.org.auInformation on food safety and hygiene as well asseveral downloadable fact sheets on various foodsafety and hygiene topics. Food safety posters(A4) are also available.Note: Local councils can also provide specificlocal advice about safe food handling.›Special dietsCoeliac Society of Victoriawww.vic.coeliac.org.auProvides up-to-date information on coeliac diseaseand gluten-free diet, including food productsavailable and recipes.Australasian Society of Clinical Immunologyand Allergywww.allergy.org.auInformation on food allergies, including theAnaphylaxis Guidelines for Schools.46 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

› School canteen › Healthy fundraising ideasassociationsand programsHealthy Fundraising Ideas for Healthy KidsVictorian School Canteen Associationwww.vsca.org.auNutrition Australia Victorian DivisionVisit: www.nutritionaustralia.org and click ‘On theBookshop’ then ‘Healthy Eating School Resources’to preview and order.Australian School Canteen Associationwww.asca.com.auKids – ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteensadvisory serviceInfoline for Victorian Primary Schools:1300 854 554www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.auFederation of Canteens in Schools (FOCiS)www.focis.com.auTelephone: (07) 4171 0182Provides a downloadable Canteens’ RegisteredProducts Buyers’ Guide and a Canteen magazinesent to schools.NSW School Canteen Associationwww.schoolcanteens.org.auFresh Tastes – NSW Canteen strategywww.health.nsw.gov.auQueensland Association of School Tuckshopswww.qast.org.auWestern Australian School Canteen Associationwww.waschoolcanteens.org.auTasmanian School Canteen Associationwww.eatwelltas.com.au/coolcanteensACT School Canteen Associationwww.actsca.org.auFruitful Fundraising CD-ROMCommunity Nutrition Unit, DHHSTelephone: (03) 6222 7222NSW School Canteen Associationwww.schoolcanteens.org.auProvides downloadable fact sheets andinformation.Centre for Health Promotionwww.chdf.org.auProvides downloadable fact sheets andinformation.Queensland Association of School Tuckshopswww.qast.org.auProvides downloadable fact sheets andinformation.›ProgramsTooty Fruity Vegie Program,Northern Rivers Area Health Service, NSWwww.nrahs.nsw.gov.au/population/promotion/tooty_fruity/Provides a downloadable canteen manual andsurvey templates.Menu for Change: Getting Healthy FoodsInto SchoolsStoneyfield Farmwww.stonyfield.com/MenuForChange/Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 47

›ServicesOur Tuckshopwww.ourtuckshop.com.auNatural Kitchen Strategieswww.naturalkitchenstrategies.com.au›Books and manualsManagement $ense, Food Sense manualOrder from www.waschoolcanteens.org.au orwww.tased.edu.au/tasonline.tsca.msfsform.htm.Includes ways to manage your canteen efficientlywith information on how to develop your ownaccounts system for keeping track of stock andmoney in the canteen, selling healthy foods anddeveloping a canteen policy.The School Canteen Manual: A Hands-OnApproach for South Australian Schoolswww.chdf.org.auHealthy School Food Service manual,Nutrition Australiawww.nutritionaustralia.org/On_The_Book_ShelfClick ‘Healthy Eating Schools Resources’.Food Challenges, Sanitarium and VHETTAProvides recipes for canteens, school events andalso related curriculum activities.Order from Nutrition Australia:www.nutritionaustralia.org/On_The_Book_Shelf.Fruit & Veg, Eat It – Linking Schools With FruitAnd Vegetable Retailers booklet, VHETTAwww.health.vic.gov.au/nutrition/downloads/fv/retailers_booklet.pdfTooty Fruity Canteen Manualwww.nrahs.nsw.gov.au/population/promotion/tooty_fruity/Online manual.Tasmanian School Canteen Handbookwww.discover.tased.edu.au/hpe/cmh/Default.htmTuckshop Team Matewww.nutritionaustralia.org/News_in_Nutrition/Media_Releases/Healthy_tuckshop_healthy_profits_paper.aspA guide to help tuckshops be both nutritious andfinancially viable.Looking after Our KidsOrder from www.waschoolcanteens.org.auor FSANZ.Telephone: (02) 6271 2222A national school canteen food safety project– manual and video.Tuckshop Shortcutswww.health.qld.gov.au/ActiveAte/beyond/default.aspPublished by Queensland Health and aimed atpromoting a healthy school environment.Count Me In – 501 Ideas on Retaining,Recognising and Rewarding VolunteersJudy Esmond Newseasonwww.mtd4u.comCount Me In – 501 Ideas on RecruitingVolunteersJudy Esmond Newseasonwww.mtd4u.comFOCiS on CanteensTelephone: (07) 4171 0182A magazine sent to all schools.Fruit and Veg, Eat It Teachers’ Manual, VHETTAwww.health.vic.gov.au/nutrition/child_nutrition/fv_resources.htmOnline manual with several sections to download.Fruit & Veg, Eat It – Linking the Canteen to theCurriculum booklet, VHETTAwww.health.vic.gov.au/nutrition/downloads/fv/canteens.pdf48 I Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual

› Recipes › Resources for schoolcanteens on food safetyCanteen Cuisinewww.waschoolcanteens.org.auA cookbook containing easy, nutritious anddelicious food ideas and recipes for schoolcanteens.Cooking for PlentyNational Heart Foundationwww.heartfoundation.com.auKids in the Kitchen Cookbookwww.chdf.org.auTooty Fruity Canteen ManualDownload from: www.nrahs.nsw.gov.au/population/promotion/tooty_fruityFresh Tastes ManualNSW Healthwww.health.nsw.gov.auLooking after Our Kids – National SchoolCanteen Food Safety Projectwww.health.gov.auTelephone: 1800 020 103An easy-to-follow video and handbook resource,designed for schools to help them understandand comply with the Food Safety Standards.Developed by the Federation of Canteens inSchools (FOCiS) and funded by the AustralianGovernment Department of Health and Ageing,the resource was distributed to all schools inAustralia in 2002. For more copies, please contactthe Australian Government Department of Healthand Ageing.Management Sense, Food Sense: The EssentialGuide for Food Service in Your SchoolCovers all areas of managing school canteens,including information on food safety and hygiene.Order from: www.tased.edu.au/tasonline/tsca/msfsform.htm.Food Safety Matterswww.foodsafetymatters.gov.au/foodsafetymatters/default.aspOffers online information on how to keep foodsafe at home, school and work, as well asdownloadable Food Safety Matters resourcesincluding a teacher’s manual, a set of 26 illustratedstudent guides, seven colour posters and thevideo ‘A Case for Con Tamination’.Every secondary school in Australia and Australianmembers of the Home Economics Institute ofAustralia (HEIA) were sent a complimentary copyof Food Safety Matters in March 2003, courtesyof the Australian Government GovernmentDepartment of Health and Ageing. If your schooldid not receive a copy, an application can be madeby completing the request form on this website.Extra copies may be purchased by filling out theorder form on this website.Manual produced by Queensland Health providespractical ideas to assist schools in creating ahealthy, successful and safe canteen.Order from: www.health.qld.gov.au/ActiveAte.Healthy Canteen Kit – Canteen Manual I 49