15 new schools are set to join a program giving Tasmanian students free healthy lunches.
Tasmanian Minister for Education, Jo Palmer, said the Healthy School Lunch program would be doubling from 30 to 60 schools by 2026.
The bolstered program, which provides full bellies for little tummies, will see thousands of children receive nutritious hot lunches, following the success of the initial pilot.
“We’ve heard from teachers and principals that children are calmer, that they’re in a better position to be able to absorb information and to learn in a classroom,” Minister Palmer said.
“We’ve also heard from groundsmen around our schools that on the days where there are those hot lunches, there’s less rubbish in the schoolyard.”
The expansion is part of a $14.6 million investment over the next two years, which includes $600,000 for infrastructure upgrades to ensure that schools without adequate facilities can still participate.
Julie Dunbabin, School Lunch Program Manager for School Food Matters, said the program encourages children to try new foods and develop their taste buds ‘beyond chicken nuggets and party pies’.
“All the food is cooked from scratch. It’s not processed food from a factory,” she said.
“To us, the loveliest thing is when we see all the children sitting down and eating and trying the food.”
“Sometimes they don’t like it the first time and that’s absolutely fine. But over the year, you actually see children come on board because they see their friends eating it.”
The next group of schools to join the program are:
Bagdad Primary School
Campania District School
Dover District School
Goodwood Primary School
Hillcrest Primary School
Kingston Primary School
Moonah Primary School
Port Dalrymple Primary School
Ravenswood Heights Primary School
Risdon Vale Primary School
Romaine Park Primary School
Springfield Gardens Primary School
Tasman District School
West Ulverstone Primary School
Zeehan Primary School
