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The provincial government is banning sales of fried foods, candy and energy drinks in schools by September 2011. Efforts are already under way to introduce a greater number of healthy choices, school board officials say. Serving some fries at ODCVI is Lisa Herrington, cafeteria supervisor.
Orillia - Riley McKerrow is keeping her eyes on her fries.
A large order with ketchup is a favourite lunchtime snack for the ODCVI student, who was none too pleased to learn the Ontario government is wiping them from school menu boards along with other junk foods.
“Not cool at all,” said McKerrow. “We need fruits and vegetables, but we need fries and stuff. People live off this stuff.”
Coming changes introduced by the province will ban the sale of candy, energy drinks and fried foods in schools starting September 2011.
The regulation applies to all food and beverages sold through school vending machines, cafeterias and catered lunch programs.
Events such as bake sales are also subject to the ban.
“We could see this coming,” John Dance, superintendent of education for the public board, said.
Measures already instituted by the province since 2003 have included a ban on the use of trans-fats from lunchroom menus and the removal of junk food from elementary school vending machines and tuck shops.
Dance said efforts have been made to expand the number of nutritious offerings in school cafeterias with the development of a “healthy choices” menu.
At ODCVI, for example, that means whole-wheat chicken Caesar wraps, mixed-veggie bags, fruit salad, and sandwiches.
“It’s just a matter of getting the kids to like something, and then making more of that,” said Lisa Herrington, cafeteria supervisor.
Even so, artery-challenging dishes like poutine – a concoction of fries and gravy with cheese curds – remain ever popular.
“It is a big seller,” said server Val Bowser.
While some students will inevitably seek out junk food from nearby restaurants or convenience stores, the ban sets in stone the rules all schools must follow, Dance added.
“Because it is a ministry policy, it is a significant signpost for us,” he said. “This is the way we are going.
“I think we are positioned well based on the work we did before,” he added.
Under the Healthy Food and Healthy Schools Act, 80 per cent of a cafeteria menu must include products with “the highest levels of essential nutrients and lowest amounts of fat, sugar and sodium.”
The remainder of the menu can include products with slightly higher amounts of fat, sugar and sodium – bagels and cheese, for example.
“When kids are able to make healthy choices, a lot of times they do,” added Dance.
According to the province, close to 30 per cent of Ontario children between the ages two and 17 are overweight or obese and at risk of diabetes and other diseases.
Less than half of Ontario children between the ages of 12 and 19 eat the recommended daily minimum of fruits and vegetables.
Obesity is said to cost Ontario’s health care system about $1.6 billion annually.
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