When Melton council announced its inaugural Green Light lunchbox competition, Geoff Ward jumped at the opportunity.
“Why wouldn’t you get on board?” he says.
The competition encouraged Melton eateries to provide a tasty, healthy lunch option for children during the June school holidays.
Mr Ward’s Breathe Cafe, on High Street, received the ‘dietitian’s choice’ award for his grilled chicken wrap, carrot and cucumber sticks with tzatziki and diced fruit salad ‘lunchbox’.
“It’s fantastic getting dietitian’s choice,” he says.
“Healthy eating is everything. It sets kids up for the rest of their lives. If you start them on chips and sauces, that’s what they’re going to be having in adulthood.”
Six eateries joined the challenge to prepare lunches in accordance with the Australian Dietary Guidelines’ ‘traffic light system’: green for ‘best choices’, amber for ‘choose carefully’ and red for ‘limit’.
Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik said teaching children about the benefits of healthy eating was a priority for the council.
“Alongside physical activity, good nutrition plays an important role in maintaining health and preventing lifestyle-related conditions like diabetes and heart disease,” Cr Majdlik said.
“Council takes the health and wellbeing of its residents seriously and we’re always keen to deliver programs that address the key health issues affecting our municipality.”
Ajays received the ‘people’s choice’ award for its grilled chicken tenders with vegetables or side salad and piece-of-fruit lunchbox, while Melton Waves won ‘children’s choice’ with its lunchbox of salad wrap, small bag of popcorn, fruit skewer and bottle of water.
