Does the food provided by boarding schools need to be consistent with the Smart Choices strategy?
Students living in residents at boarding school receive the majority of their daily food and drink intake from these facilities, so it is important they have access to healthy food required for growth, to maintain a healthy weight and to prevent the development of chronic diseases. In order to provide optimum nutrition to students at boarding school, the food and drinks provided should be consistent with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia . While Smart Choices is consistent with these guidelines it is preferable that boarding schools use these broader guidelines which outline the recommended serves from the five food groups to meet the daily energy and nutrient requirements of children and young people, rather then focusing solely on the requirements of the Smart Choices strategy. Boarding school service providers should ensure that the majority of food and drinks available to boarding students provide sufficient
