Healthy Communication

Let’s work together to use a common language that supports our young people to develop healthy attitudes and behaviours about food.

The way we communicate about food can influence young peoples thoughts, attitudes and behaviours around food and eating. In the school environment it is important that the communication style around food and nutrition is positive, non-judgemental and non-stigmatising. This resource provides some strategies to help you communicate and speak about food in positive ways within the school setting.

What to do?

• Role model speaking positively about food. This can be verbally or in written communications such as newsletters, notice boards, or social media.

• With children 12 years or older, if you are talking about the health benefits of foods, focus on non weight related benefits such as mental health, energy, strong bones and teeth, vision, growth and development. This could be within health or nutrition lessons or in other settings such as sporting clubs.

• Use descriptive and enticing names for foods sold in the school. Give meals descriptive and engaging names to help boost appeal. For example, “hot and creamy pumpkin soup” or “zesty summer salad roll”. See the Delhaize vegetable name change video for an example of how a supermarket in Belgium used fun names to engage kids and boost vegetable sales. Ensure children also learn foods’ actual names to broaden their knowledge of foods.

• Talk about the positive or sensory elements of foods and encourage kids to use their senses to explore foods. In lessons you can also teach students about the different sensory elements of food (primary schools).

What to avoid?

• Avoid talking about food in relation to disease or obesity risk or referring to foods as “good or bad,” “fattening” or overemphasis on “healthy vs unhealthy”, as it can create a sense of guilt or shame when the “bad” or “unhealthy” foods are eaten. For example, avoid statements such as “we are having carrots instead of chips because carrots are healthy and chips are bad for you.” Instead, you could say “to boost fresh and delicious veggie options, we’re adding carrot and hummus to the menu”. You can focus on the positive and not mention what you are removing, or if asked about removing you could say “we are swapping chips for carrots and hummus so we can boost fresh and delicious veggie options on the menu/in the canteen etc.”

• For school canteens, avoid ‘GREEN’, ‘AMBER’ or ‘RED’ labelling to kids, or in the canteen display. The traffic light system used in the canteens is intended for canteen menu planning and is not to be displayed to kids. Displaying ‘GREEN’, ‘AMBER’ or ‘RED’ places the responsibility of choice on kids and can create guilt or shame if an ‘AMBER’ or ‘RED’ food is eaten.