News
|

The Western Australian Department of Education’s Healthy Food and Drink in Public Schools (HFD) policy uses a traffic light system to categorise food and drinks as green, amber or red depending on their nutritional value.

Processed meat, such as lean ham, is categorised as amber. Amber food and drinks do offer some nutritional value but should be selected carefully and not dominate the menu. A plain lean ham sandwich or roll is amber.

We want children and young people to eat a variety of healthy foods; this helps them to learn, concentrate and grow. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake at school is important. Therefore, we encourage canteens to offer lean ham in a sandwich or roll with salad (e.g. tomato, cucumber, lettuce); or lean ham and vegetable frittata. Not only are they delicious, they are a nutritious and filling option categorised as green.

Parents/carers and students may find it useful to use the traffic light system when packing a lunchbox and choose predominantly green options.

For more information about the traffic light system see here.