Beyond the lunchbox: Menu development guidelines for the Tasmanian School Lunch Project

Issue: Universal school lunches hold the potential to improve student nutritional intake and access to food, but to do so menus must be nutritionally adequate. There is growing interest in school lunch programs (SLPs) in Australia, and one is currently being trialled in Tasmania. No nutrition guidelines currently exist for menu development in Australian schools.

Methods: A desktop review of international SLPs was completed, and findings analysed in the context of Australian Nutrient Reference Values and Australian Dietary Guidelines to inform the development of Tasmanian SLP guidelines.

Discussion: Globally, SLPs are guided by portion sizes and/or nutrient criteria. SLPs (many of which address food insecurity) must provide children the opportunity to meet energy and nutrient needs, while minimising food waste. We propose energy-based nutrient criteria and qualitative recommendations for menu development. SO WHAT?: We have developed guidelines to inform the development of Tasmanian SLP menus. These guidelines may be applicable to other states and territories piloting similar programs.