WA School Canteens Face Implementation Challenges as Sugar Ban Deadline Approaches
Western Australian schools are entering a critical phase in implementing controversial canteen menu reforms introduced two years ago, with dozens of institutions yet to comply with requirements to phase out high-sugar foods. The regulations, which place cakes, biscuits, chips, confectionery and sugary drinks on a "do not sell" list, have created significant operational challenges for school food services across the state.
Controversial Changes Divide School Communities
The push to remove foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat from school menus has created division among parents, educators and health professionals. On the eve of term one, the advisory body assisting with the roll-out has distributed a comprehensive "toolkit" to schools containing practical tips for menu compliance with Education Department regulations.
However, there are growing concerns that these nutritional requirements may further threaten the financial viability of school canteens. Many institutions have already been forced to outsource their food services to catering companies due to chronic volunteer shortages and escalating operational costs.
Nutrition Experts Express Concerns About Restrictive Approach
Perth paediatric dietitian Kyla Smith has voiced reservations about the prohibition-based approach to school nutrition. While supporting comprehensive school nutrition strategies, Dr Smith advocates for more positive framing rather than outright bans.
"I'd prefer to remove the restrictive terminology and look at how we can make it easier for kids and parents to want to order more nutritious options," she explained. "Canteens are already incredibly difficult to run at a profit and it's increasingly hard to attract staff who have the skills and passion to work within the challenges and rules."
Dr Smith highlighted the economic reality that more nutritious foods typically carry higher price tags, creating additional barriers for already-strained school food services. "Banning the less nutritious options doesn't automatically help children eat healthier foods. If anything it just makes it harder to continue to provide food at school," she cautioned.
Revised Traffic Light System Guides Menu Planning
The updated school canteen framework, which replaced the long-standing traffic light system two years ago, now mandates that menus feature 60 percent "green" items including fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products and pasta. The remaining 40 percent can consist of "amber" foods such as pizza without processed meats, burgers, scrolls and chicken nuggets, provided these are served with fruit or vegetable accompaniments.
Foods classified in the "red" category, including cakes and biscuits, should not be sold according to the guidelines. Some traditional favorites like sausage rolls, croissants and hot chips receive limited allowances, permitted only two days per week with the stipulation that once removed from menus, they cannot be reintroduced.
Implementation Support Acknowledges Practical Challenges
Aisling Dempsey, manager of the Fresh School Nutrition Advisory Program (FreshSNAP), explained that the newly launched toolkit was developed in consultation with canteen managers who understand the practical difficulties of menu transformation. "We would obviously love to see all schools make changes as quickly as possible," she acknowledged. "But, we also acknowledge that there are challenges to make those changes, including accessibility to fresh produce."
Ms Dempsey emphasized the need to shift perceptions about school canteens from profit-driven enterprises to educational nutrition environments. "Unfortunately the canteen is seen as almost like a business, so we're trying to shift that narrative so it's not actually a money making thing, it's about ensuring kids are given an environment where they can access nutritious food and thrive at school," she stated.
The program manager highlighted the direct connection between nutrition and classroom performance, noting that "if kids are eating high sugar foods at lunch time of course they're going to come back into the classroom and crash in the afternoon."
Resource Constraints Present Significant Barriers
Financial viability and staffing limitations emerge as the most substantial obstacles to implementing the nutritional reforms. "We find there will be highly motivated people within the school environment who want to make a change, but ultimately, budgets are tight, personnel is limited, the infrastructure might not be there," Ms Dempsey explained.
FreshSNAP, operated by the National Nutrition Foundation, encourages schools to conduct self-assessments of their menus, with public school principals ultimately responsible for ensuring canteen compliance. The program takes a supportive rather than punitive approach, with Ms Dempsey noting that "if the school has their menu publicly available, we'll just proactively reach out with some gentle tips around things that they could do to ensure they comply with the policy."
Global Context and Local Implementation
The Western Australian initiative aligns with broader international movements, as evidenced by recent World Health Organization guidelines calling for increased government oversight of school food environments. The WHO recommendations emphasize consistent standards promoting healthy foods while restricting unhealthy options, alongside behavioral "nudging" techniques like strategic product placement.
WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the critical role schools play in addressing childhood nutrition challenges, stating that "the food children eat at school, and the environments that shape what they eat, can have a profound impact on their learning, and lifelong consequences for their health and well-being." He emphasized that policies require robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure effective implementation.
Looking Beyond Canteen Walls
It's important to note that the Education Department's regulations apply specifically to canteen sales, not to students' lunchboxes, with schools actively discouraged from "lunch box policing." Parents concerned about canteen offerings are encouraged to raise issues directly with school parent associations or canteen managers.
WA food entrepreneur Lauren Cheney, who operates a home-style meal service and recently launched a "school lunch club" delivering nutritious meals to Perth households, believes school food represents more than mere convenience or compliance. "While nutrition education in schools is improving, many canteens are operating under real constraints — limited volunteer support due to dual working households, and heavy reliance on food manufacturers that only loosely meet guidelines," she observed.
Ms Cheney stressed that "until education, canteen policy and food supply are aligned, we miss a critical opportunity to deliver protective and preventative nutrition in practice, not just in principle."
According to 2022 data, more than 40 percent of Western Australian public schools had achieved compliance with the nutritional requirements, with approximately 75 percent of public schools operating some form of food service or canteen. As implementation deadlines approach, schools continue to navigate the complex balance between nutritional ideals and practical realities.
