Students at Kyneton Primary School in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges are enjoying a refreshed canteen menu designed to boost nutrition while strengthening school community connections.
The school has introduced a range of new healthy options with support from the Victorian healthy food initiative Vic Kids Eat Well and Omnia Community Health.
Serving close to 200 meals a week, the school’s canteen has become more than just a place to grab lunch. Canteen manager Ms Sarah Lockhart worked with families and students to develop the updated menu, inviting recipe ideas from the community and encouraging students to name some of the new items.
“The kids don’t just come up to the canteen; they hang out and have a chat. Some have brought in recipes from their grandparents which is very heartwarming. Also, graduating students come back and comment that they miss the canteen,” Ms Lockhart said.
The updated menu includes a range of fruit- and vegetable-based dishes designed to appeal to students while supporting healthier eating. New options include homemade seasonal soups, veggie-filled pasta bolognese, lentil dahl with vegetables, homemade baked beans with chopped spinach, healthy milk pops made with Greek yoghurt, milk and fruit, and icy poles made with vegetable juice.
“The students were proud to name the healthy milk pops and loved ordering them,” Ms Lockhart said.
To help guide the changes, the school received on-the-ground support through Vic Kids Eat Well from health promoter Ms Kylie Stafford at Omnia Community Health. Ms Stafford said Ms Lockhart’s leadership was instrumental in implementing the new menu.
“Sarah championed tasty and nutritious options for the students and led the way in making this vision a reality,” she said.
Local MP Mary-Anne Thomas commended the school for its work to improve the food environment for students.
“Kyneton Primary School is one of more than 1,300 schools and community organisations across Victoria making positive changes to their food environments as part of the Vic Kids Eat Well movement,” Ms Thomas said.
“It’s great to see the school taking a student-led approach to shaping their canteen. They’ve introduced tasty and nutritious options that support students’ health, wellbeing and learning.”
Mr David Wild, CEO of Omnia Community Health, said the school’s experience highlights the benefits of local partnerships.
“Kyneton Primary School’s success shows how local partnerships help transform food environments. By partnering with our service and Vic Kids Eat Well, the school has created real change in the canteen and this shows other schools, sports clubs and community organisations that improving food environments is achievable,” he said.
Dimity Gannon, Head of Healthy Places at Cancer Council Victoria, said the initiative demonstrates how practical changes can support healthier school environments.
“Kyneton Primary School shows how small, practical changes can have a big, positive impact. By involving students and families, they’ve created a canteen that brings the school community together to enjoy nutritious food and connection.”
The Vic Kids Eat Well initiative, supported by the Victorian Government and delivered by Cancer Council Victoria in partnership with the National Nutrition Foundation, is open for schools, sports clubs and community organisations to join free of charge.
