Up to 40% of a child’s food intake can happen at school. The food and drink they eat in that time can make a difference to their learning and concentration.

You can support your child's school to have the best food and drink choices available for your child. Also find out more about packing food for your child that they bring from home each day and for special events.

Right Bite Food and Drink Supply Standards

To make sure children are given healthy, safe and tasty food and drink options, schools should follow the Right Bite Food and Drink Supply Standards.

Read the Right Bite Food and Drink Supply Standards to understand what food and drink choices can be offered in your child’s school.

The standards do not apply to food and drinks your child brings from home for personal consumption.

They do include food and drink bought from home to sell as a fundraiser, or for sharing as part of celebrations.

How you can support your school

It can be a team effort to consider and arrange for healthy food and drink options to be available at school. Here are some ways you can support your school:

• provide positive feedback when efforts are made to increase the variety and types of foods available, such as in the canteen or fundraisers
• talk to your school’s governing council, canteen committee or leadership team
• suggest new fundraisers for the school as you hear about them – see Wellbeing SA’s healthy fundraising ideas for more information.
• get involved by preparing or selling food at events or celebrations or even on camp, where parent volunteers are needed
• volunteer to support the canteen by helping prepare and serve the food
• encourage your child to try different foods from the canteen and out of school hours care (OSHC) and participate in conversations about food and drink at school
• encourage other parents to participate in supporting healthier food and drink options at school.

Birthdays and celebrations

Food is often used to celebrate birthdays, end of year and other events. Your school is likely to have a policy about what you can bring and this may vary class to class. Schools are encouraged to apply the Right Bite Food and Drink Supply Standards to define the types of food and drink that can be supplied.

Support your school in celebrating events with foods and drinks that everyone can enjoy by:

• providing healthier options, such as a fruit platter
• celebrating all the birthdays falling in a particular month (or term) collectively
• choosing an alternative to cake for birthdays, such as a lucky dip or other non-food item
• bringing in reduced portion size options, such as mini cupcakes or a cheese platter and crackers
• celebrating with songs, streamers, a birthday hat or in other ways
• understanding it’s not essential to bring in gifts or food for the whole class
• looking for ways to incorporate a variety of different cultural celebrations into your planning.

Food brought from home

The food and drink you provide can help your child learn and play at school. When packing food for your child to eat at school consider:

• involving your child in packing or preparing foods
• your school’s policy or practices around foods that are common allergens (check with your school teacher)
• variety, taste and colourful choices can be most enjoyable – see Wellbeing SA’s healthy food and nutrition
• reducing packaging where you can – check out KESAB’s what is ‘Nude Food’ anyway? for package free lunch food ideas
• water as the best drink option.

You can also look at hints and tips to:

• pack healthy lunchboxes
• prepare safe school lunches.