Every Victorian school canteen flunks health standards test
Not one of 70+ Melbourne primary schools met government healthy eating standards. They all received failing grades.
An investigation by a leading dietitian looked at school canteens across Melbourne. Every single canteen fell short of the government's traffic light system.
Green foods, or healthy options, must make up at least half the menu. Fewer than half the schools met that standard.
Some canteens had only 11% healthy food available. The government's rules say red junk food should never be on the daily menu.
Yet it dominates many tuck shops. Accredited dietitian Rosalie Orr said the results were concerning.
These are minimum standards, not ambitious targets. Experts warn that promoting unhealthy foods in schools creates health problems.
These problems follow children into adulthood.
- 70+
- Schools analysed
- 11%
- Worst performer healthy food
- 68%
- Best performer healthy food
- 50%
- Required healthy food minimum
Why it mattersChildren eat at school canteens regularly. Failed standards mean kids face too much junk food. Healthy options should be what they get by default.
AustraliaVictorian schoolchildren and parents rely on canteen standards to protect nutrition; schools are failing to deliver on their own policy.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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