Shelving fried foods so kids eat active

Shelving the traditional “fried” Kids Menu and giving parents healthy and affordable options for children when dining out, is the focus of a new start-up venture being supported by the Marshall Liberal Government.

Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said improving the eating habits, activity and overall health of South Australian children needs a whole community approach.

“Early childhood is a crucial time to establish life-long eating patterns, and a balanced diet is vital in providing children with the nutrients they need to grow and thrive,” Minister Wade said.

“Unfortunately the rate of childhood obesity in Australia has seen little improvement in recent years and we need to continue to look for innovative ways to tackle the problem.

“In a partnership between government and industry, young South Australian entrepreneurs Taste Studios won a grant for their Eat Active initiative, which aims to provide appealing healthy menu options for children when dining out.”

Eat Active is a range of healthy, kid-friendly and affordable high-quality meals which restaurants, cafes, sports and community facilities will be able to finish and serve.

“Tackling obesity needs input from parents, the community, government and the private sector, and I congratulate Taste Studios on their creative approach to improving the health of South Australian children,” Minister Wade said.

Taste Studios won a $60,000 grant for Eat Active through the D3 Challenge, which invites entrepreneurs to tackle various social issues.

Taste Studios executive chef Nigel Khoo said while many families enjoy eating out, it’s often difficult to find healthy options that are affordable and that children will enjoy.

“In my years of being a chef not much has changed when it comes to kids menus. Nuggets, fries and other deep fried items are pretty much standard across the industry,” Mr Khoo said.

“For many businesses, providing healthy menu options for children isn’t cost effective, so we’ve ensured the Eat Active range ticks all the boxes by being a nutritious, delicious and an economic option for food venues.

“Eating out is such a big part of our society, and we believe it’s important for parents and their kids to have access to healthy, affordable and high quality meals.”

The Eat Active range supports the Healthy Kids Menu initiative which encourages venues to offer healthier menu options for children and helps parents find venues which support Healthy Kids.

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