Healthy Food and Drink in NSW Health Facilities

The Healthy Food and Drink in NSW Health Facilities Framework aims to:

  • Promote and increase the availability of healthy food and drink options
  • Decrease the availability of unhealthy food and drink options
  • Support water as the best beverage choice.

To check or confirm any details, please refer to the Toolkit. Additional resources are also available including:

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Individual tools from the Toolkit
  • Healthy Catering Guidelines and
  • Promotional resources

To check if products meet the Healthy Food and Drink Criteria you can use the Healthy Food Finder - an online product database.

A summary of the Framework

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Product availability

  • Sugary drinks are not sold.
  • EVERYDAY food and drinks make up 75% or more of the total food and drinks.
  • OCCASIONAL food and drinks make up no more than 25% of the total foods and drinks.

Product quality

  • A HEALTH STAR RATING OF 3.5 or more stars applies to some EVERYDAY and OCCASIONAL foods and drinks.

Product size

  • Portion size limits apply to SOME EVERYDAY food and drinks.
  • Portion size limits apply to ALL OCCASIONAL food and drinks.

Product position

  • Only EVERYDAY food and drinks are at eye level or included in promotions and deals.

Packaged drinks

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What are everyday and occasional foods and drinks?

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  • EAustralian Guide to Healthy EatingVERYDAY FOODS make up at least 75% of available items. They are meals, snacks and drinks made form foods in the five food groups. For examples, sandwiches, soups, pasta dishes, yoghurt and fruit. 
     
  • OCCASIONAL FOODS make up no more than 25% of available items. These are foods high in saturated fats, sugars and/or salt and usually have little nutritional value. For example, pies, chips, sweet muffins and confectionery. 
     
  • ANY PRODUCTS THAT INCLUDE OCCASIONAL INGREDIENTS ARE CLASSED AS OCCASIONAL e.g. Salad sandwich with salami is occasional. 

 

Choosing vegetables, fruit and legumes

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Vegetables and legumes

EVERYDAY OPTIONS OCCASIONAL OPTIONS
  • Vegetables - all varieties of vegetables and legumes. Fresh, frozen and canned. Preferably reduced salt or no added salt.
  • Legumes - includes lentils and beans such as kidney beans, chickpeas and baked beans. Fresh, dried, frozen and canned. Preferably reduced salt or no added salt.
  • Unsalted legume snacks - roasted chickpeas, wasabi peas and other legume snacks. Freshly prepared - do not add salt. Packaged varieties - Health Star Rating 3.5 or above preferred.
  • Lightly salted legume snacks - No confectionery. Freshly prepared - 50g portion limit. Packaged varieties 50g portion limit and Health Star Rating 3.5 or above.
  • Dips - Freshly made using EVERYDAY foods - vegetable-based - hummus, tzatziki, beetroot, eggplant, avocado, salsa. Packaged varieties preferably HSR 3.5 or above. For cream-cheese or sour-cream based dips - check on the Healthy Food Finder online database.
  • Hot potato chips, wedges, potato gems, hash browns, scallops. 100g portion limit. Packaged varieties also HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Salty snacks - coated nuts, soy crisps, grain crisps. 50g portion limit and HSR 3.5 or above.

Fruit

EVERYDAY OPTIONS OCCASIONAL OPTIONS
  • Fruit - fresh, frozen, canned in juice (not syrup) and drained before serving.
  • Dried fruit - plain dried fruit - no chocolate or yoghurt coatings. 50g portion limit.
  • Dried fruit and nut mixes - 50g portion limit. Packaged varieties 50g portion limit and Health Star Rating 3.5 or above.
  • Dried fruit with chocolate, yoghurt coating or confectionery. 50g portion limit.

Choosing grains and cereals

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EVERYDAY OPTIONS OCCASIONAL OPTIONS
  • Cereals and grains - Rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa, barley. Preferably wholegrain or high fibre varieties.
  • Bread/toast - all types - wholemeal, multigrain, white, rye, Turkish, Lebanese, lavosh, focaccia, pita, tortillas, wraps, rolls, bagels, English muffins, crumpets, un-iced fruit bread and buns. Includes gluten-free varieties.
  • Breakfast cereals - no sugary types, no added confectionery, preferably wholegrain. Flakes, bran, muesli, porridge. Packaged varieties with Health Star Rating 3.5 or above.
  • Savoury biscuits/crackers/crispbread - unflavoured/plain crackers, rice crackers, rice cakes, cracker thins, wafer thins, breadsticks and crispbread. Preferably wholegrain or high fibre varieties. Health Star Rating 3.5 or above.
  • Scones, pikelets, pancakes - plain, fruit, vegetable varieties. Packaged varieties preferably HSR 3.5 or above. See page 8.
  • Pastry - puff, shortcrust, filo - only if Health Star Rating 3.5 or above.
  • Muesli and snack bars - cereal-based bars; fresh or dried fruit-based bars; nut, protein and breakfast bars. No added confectionery or yoghurt. 50g portion limit and HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Unsalted popcorn - plain air-popped popcorn. Freshly prepared - do not add salt. Packaged varieties - Health Star Rating 3.5 or above preferred.
  • Lightly salted and flavoured popcorn - no confectionery. Freshly prepared on site - 50g portion limit. Packaged varieties 50g portion limit and Health Star Rating 3.5 or above.
  • Iced buns - 80g portion limit.
  • Garlic and cheese/bacon breads - 90g portion limit. If packaged, also HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Instant flavoured noodles - 75g portion limit (dried). If packaged, also HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Corn chips, hard taco shells - 50g portion limit. If packaged also HSR 3.5 or above. Preferably plain, unsalted varieties.
  • Flavoured savoury biscuits /crackers crispbread - 50g portion limit and HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Salted and flavoured popcorn with confectionery and/or coatings - 50g portion limit and HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Cakes, slices, sweet biscuits and pastries - preferably un-iced. Includes banana bread. Various portion limits. See page 8.
  • Muesli bars containing confectionery, yoghurt or chocolate - 50g portion limit.

Choosing dairy foods

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EVERYDAY OPTIONS OCCASIONAL OPTIONS
  • Milk - Plain milk & alternatives (soy, rice, nut milks fortified with calcium) - fresh or UHT. Preferably reduced-fat.
  • Flavoured milk - Includes milk alternatives and coffee-flavoured milks. Preferably reduced fat. 500ml portion limit . Packaged varieties also HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Cheese - Eg Colby, cheddar, tasty. Preferably reduced fat. Includes cheese packaged with plain crackers. Packaged varieties preferably HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Yoghurt - Greek, natural, plain, soy, flavoured. No added confectionery. Preferably reduced fat and HSR 3.5 or above. No coconut-milk-based yoghurt.
  • Custard - prepared on site with reduced-fat milk. Packaged - must have Health Star Rating 3.5 or above.
  • Dips - Freshly made using EVERYDAY foods - hummus, tzatziki, beetroot, eggplant, avocado, salsa. Packaged varieties preferably HSR 3.5 or above. For cream-cheese or sour-cream based dips - check on the Healthy Food Finder online database.
  • Custard or yoghurt with confectionery. 100g portion limit. Coconut-milk-based products.
  • Desserts

Choosing meat and alternatives

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EVERYDAY OPTIONS OCCASIONAL OPTIONS
  • Meat, poultry - lean meat, trim fat and skin, includes ham.
  • Canned chicken, preferably HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Eggs - boiled, poached, scrambled, omelettes.
  • Fish - Canned tuna - plain, in springwater, including those with plain crackers/ salads/ beans/ pasta. Preferably HSR 3.5 or above.
  • Unsalted nuts and seeds - may be roasted. Freshly prepared - do not add salt. Packaged varieties - Health Star Rating 3.5 or above are preferred. Includes dried fruit and nut mixes.
  • Lightly salted nuts and seeds - No confectionery. Freshly prepared - 50g portion limit. Packaged varieties 50g portion limit and Health Star Rating 3.5 or above. Includes dried fruit and nut mixes.
  • Processed meats - bacon, chorizo, prosciutto, salami, sausage, processed chicken roll. 60g portion limit.
  • Crumbed or coated products - schnitzel, crumbed or battered fish, fried products. 140g portion limit.
  • Salted nuts and seeds including those with sweet coatings (chocolate, yoghurt, sugar) or confectionery. 50g portion limit and HSR 3.5 or above.

Choosing confectionery

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All confectionery is OCCASIONAL.To meet criteria confectionery must meet portion limits.

  • All confectionery has a portion limit of 50g
  • Includes both pre-packaged and pick-n-mix
  • Includes both single serve and multi-packs

Confectionery includes:

  • Chocolate
  • Lollies
  • Cough lollies, eucalyptus drops and other medicated sweets
  • Chewing gum
  • Jellies and gummies
  • Toffee and caramels
  • Liquorice
  • Marshmallows
  • Carob confectionery
  • Yoghurt-type confectionery
  • Diet, low-sugar and sugar-free confectionery
  • Sprinkles, 100s and 1000s, candy chips
  • Everyday products that contain confectionery (e.g. muesli bars with choc-chips or yoghurt-style coating; fruit and nut mix with choc chips)

Confectionery does not include cocoa, cocoa nibs and cocoa dusting or gift boxes.

Confectionery portion sizes

Choosing cakes, muffins, biscuits and sweet pastries

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EVERYDAY OPTIONS OCCASIONAL OPTIONS
  • Plain scones
  • Fruit scones
  • Vegetable scones
  • Plain pikelets
  • Plain pancakes
  • Fruit pancakes

MAY BE SERVED WITH:

  • Fruit
  • Spreads - small amount or portion packs
  • Maple or golden syrup (1 tablespoon)
  • Cakes
  • Sweet pastries
  • Croissants
  • Danishes
  • Banana bread
  • Slices
  • Maximum portion size 80g
  • Preferably un-iced
  • Sweet biscuits -Maximum portion size 50g
  • Breakfast biscuits - Maximum portion size 50g

Muffin portion size

Portion size banana bread

 

Promotions and advertising rules

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  • Products at eye level must be EVERYDAY products. That is, shelves or counter tops level with the eyes of an adult. This is usually the second or third shelf from the top or 1.3-1.5 metres from the floor. This applies to vending machines.
  • Products within arm's reach of till area must be EVERYDAY products.
  • Advertising of EVERYDAY products only.
  • Packages and promotions contain only EVERYDAY food and drinks.

Find out more

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Framework imageHealthy Food and Drink in NSW Health Facilities Toolkit

To check or confirm any details, please refer to the Toolkit. Additional resources are also available including:

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Individual tools from the Toolkit
  • Healthy Catering Guidelines and
  • Promotional resources

Healthy Food Finder

To check if products meet the Healthy Food and Drink Criteria you can use the Healthy Food Finder - an online product database.

Support and contacts

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Product availability

  • Sugary drinks are not sold.
  • EVERYDAY food and drinks make up 75% or more of the total food and drinks.
  • OCCASIONAL food and drinks make up no more than 25% of the total foods and drinks.

Product quality

  • A HEALTH STAR RATING OF 3.5 or more stars applies to some EVERYDAY and OCCASIONAL foods and drinks.

Product size

  • Portion size limits apply to SOME EVERYDAY food and drinks.
  • Portion size limits apply to ALL OCCASIONAL food and drinks.

Product position

  • Only EVERYDAY food and drinks are at eye level or included in promotions and deals.

Sample

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Everyday options

  • Plain scones
  • Fruit scones
  • Vegetable scones
  • Plain pikelets
  • Plain pancakes
  • Fruit pancakes

MAY BE SERVED WITH:

  • Fruit
  • Spreads - small amount or portion packs
  • Maple or golden syrup (1 tablespoon)

Occasional options

  • Cakes
  • Sweet pastries
  • Croissants
  • Danishes
  • Banana bread
  • Slices
  • Maximum portion size 80g
  • Preferably un-iced
  • Sweet biscuits -Maximum portion size 50g
  • Breakfast biscuits - Maximum portion size 50
Healthy Food and Drink in NSW Health Facilities Toolkit