Green Party School Lunch Survey
The Green Party conducted a survey of 50 primary and secondary schools to monitor what type of foods are being sold by
schools to children who buy their lunches.
The results show that while many schools do offer healthy lunches, they are also selling foods loaded with fat and
sugar.
Some of those schools with poor lunch menus are participants of the Ministry of Education supported Healthy Schools
Programme.
Most schools sell lunches everyday, meaning that children are able to eat unhealthy lunches everyday if they chose to,
or if their parents are unable to make lunches.
School Lunches Results
98% of schools sell pies, hotdogs, ‘hotbites’ or sausage rolls. 72% sell chips – ( in five of 50 schools those were corn
chips, and in one wedges). 80% of schools sell cookies / cakes / chocolate / donuts In 68% of schools the menu does not
include fruit. In 24% of schools the roll or sandwich is more expensive than the pie. In 22% of schools there is no roll
or sandwich on the menu. 30% have yoghurt on the menu. 16% of schools sell muesli bars. 24% list water on the menu. In
8% school lunches are only available one day a week.
Children’s Food Awards
Background
The second Children’s Food Awards will be held this Friday at the Grand Hall in Parliament. Nominations for the awards
were called for last year from New Zealand parents including those who belong to the Parents Centre and the Safe Food
Campaign and closed in November. The nominations were shortlisted by a seven-person judging panel - including a GP (Dr
Mark Austin), a dietitian (Sarah Crawford), former athlete John Walker, and Tum Glover of the Maori Welfare League.
Voting on the short list was done via the Green Party’s and The Safe food campaign websites and was open to all New
Zealanders on Janary 18. Voting closed on 29 April.
About 650 votes were recieved on the short list.
The recommended daily amount of fat for children as set out in the Health Ministry’s Food and Nutrition Guidelines for
Healthy Children aged 2 to 12 are:
• 59g for children aged 6 years. • 87g for children aged 11 years.
Analysis of some of the lunch foods:
Mince and Cheese Pie
Fat 27.7g Saturated fat 14.2g Sugar 0.2g Sodium 952.1mg
Sausage Roll
Fat 18.3g Saturated fat 9.3g Sugar 1.1g Sodium 733.3mg
Hot Chips
Fat 12g Saturated fat 5.1g Sugar 0.5g Sodium 107.1mg
Custard Slice
Fat 5.6g Saturated fat 3.3g Sugar 17.2g Sodium 160.7mg
Cream Doughnut
Fat 13.1g Saturated fat 6.3g Sugar 21.8g Sodium 576.9mg
Cookie
Fat 21.1g Saturated fat 11.9g Sugar 36.2g Sodium 366mg
Fizzy Drink
Fat 0g Saturated fat 0g Sugar 63g Sodium 20mg
Chippies
Fat 15.3g Saturated fat 6.9g Sugar less than 1g Sodium 170mg