The Department of Education’s Student Health in Public Schools Policy and Procedures Appendix B. Healthy Food and Drink uses the traffic light system of classification for food and drink items sold in school canteens. GREEN items must account for at least 60% of the menu, AMBER items can account for no more than 40% of the menu and RED items are off the menu. This system of classification is based on the WA School Food and Drink Criteria which assesses products based on their nutritional quality.
GREEN Foods
- All fruit, fresh, frozen, or canned (in juice).
- All vegetables, fresh, frozen, or canned (excluding hot potato and other processed vegetable products).
- Grains and rice.
- Lean red meat, poultry, fish and seafood.
- Pasta and noodles.
- Breads, wraps and rolls.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Reduced fat and full fat dairy products including cheese and plain, vanilla and fruit flavoured yoghurt.
- Air popped popcorn.
- Pre-packaged cheese and cracker snack packs.
- Raisin bread, fruit breads, pikelets and pancakes, fruit buns, hot cross buns (with no added confectionery or icing).
- Commercial soups, salads, pastas and other hot meals that meet the nutrient criteria.
- Commercial dumplings served with ½ serve vegetables.
- Sushi and rice paper rolls containing GREEN ingredients.
- Sandwiches, wraps and rolls containing GREEN ingredients.
- Commercial sauces and marinades that meet the nutrient criteria.
- Pizza made onsite using GREEN ingredients.
AMBER Foods
- Commercial savoury breads, scrolls, cheese and herb breads.
- Commercial crumbed or coated red meat, poultry, fish or seafood (if served with ½ serve salad or vegetables and meet the nutrient criteria).
- Commercial plant-based meat alternatives (if served with ½ serve salad or vegetables and meet the nutrient criteria).
- Commercial pizza (that meet the nutrient criteria and contain no processed red meat).
- Plain, vanilla or fruit flavoured dairy deserts (that meet the nutrient criteria).
- Commercial burger patties, rissoles, meatballs and fish cakes (if served with ½ serve of salad or vegetables and meet the nutrient criteria).
- Processed poultry meat (if served with ½ serve of salad or vegetables and meet the nutrient criteria).
- Unsaturated fat oils and spreads.
- Naturally sweet spreads.
- Savoury muffins that contain vegetables (maximum serve 60g). Plain or savoury scones (maximum serve 60g).
- Banana bread, sweet muffins or scones that contain fruit or vegetables (maximum serve 60g).
RED Foods
- Cream and sour cream.
- Saturated fat oils and spreads including butter and coconut oil.
- Frankfurters and sausages.
- Processed red meat such as bacon, salami, polony.
- Chips and savoury biscuits.
- Commercial sweet biscuits, cakes, sweet pastries and desserts.
- Coconut (fresh, dried, roasted, toasted).
- Confectionary including chocolate chips, chocolate coating, caramel.
- Food that is deep fried or shallow fried.
GREEN Drinks
- Plain water.
- Plain sparkling water.
- Coconut water.
- Full fat milk.
- Flavoured milks (maximum serve size 300mL).
- Cold drinks made on site using GREEN ingredients such as smoothies and milkshakes (maximum serve size 300mL).
AMBER Drinks
- 99 – 100% fruit juice (maximum serve size 250mL).
- Iced coffee (maximum serve size 300mL, secondary school ONLY).
- Hot coffee (maximum serve size 300mL, secondary school ONLY).
- Caffeinated tea (secondary school ONLY).
RED Drinks
- Energy drinks.
- Fermented drinks (including kombucha).
- Sugar sweetened and intensely sweetened drinks.
- All slushies.
- All carbonated juice.
*These are examples, this is not a conclusive list.
