By Judith Yeabsley
Although I’ve always been very passionate about providing healthy food for my own children I have realised how much the food environment influences children’s choices. In the state primary school my boys attend we have begun to change an entrenched culture of junk by providing healthy food choices at any school event. This means offering wholemeal rolls, salad, sugar-free home-made sauces and good quality sausages to be sold alongside the traditional hot dogs at sports BBQ’s. To balance against the usual popsicles we make fresh fruit smoothies to order. At the discos we offer cups of fresh fruit salad, popcorn and water and at community events falafels. In doing this changes are becoming evident remarkably quickly. Many children are happy to opt for a healthy choice when provided and it is now becoming expected that those options are made available. Over time the goal is to make those choices THE choice!
