The Deakin Food Charter
Have you heard of the Deakin Food Charter?
Only a small portion (33%) of survey respondents said they had heard of the Charter. So, we wanted to tell you about how this amazing initiative by the Campus Services Division and Faculty of Health which is striving to support your healthy food decisions while at Deakin.
What is the Deakin Food Charter?
The Charter was designed with the aim of enhancing the food environment on campus at Deakin.
A set of five guiding principles, based on student and staff feedback, have been shaped to guide the offering of food choices in retail food outlets, vending machines and catering services. The Charter hopes to create a food culture that meets the needs of and encourages healthier food choices for all of Deakin’s community.
“The Charter underpins the values of our food and food environments, to provide choice and create and consolidate a food culture that meets the needs of our vibrant, complex communities”
The five guiding principles of the Charter are based around the following pillars:
- Healthy
- Informed
- Balanced
- Easy
- Sustainable
Here are a few ways in which the Charter translates to areas across Deakin:
- Food is categorised by a green, amber and red ‘traffic light’ system; helping students make healthier food choices
- Free water around campus; making it easy to keep hydrated while on campus
- A variety of food options that cater to varying dietary requirements; there’s something for everyone
- Fairtrade coffee in cafes across campuses
- Moving to more sustainable packaging
- Stocking vending machines with recyclable products – 50 of Deakin’s vending machines contain bottles made from 100% recycled plastic
- Offering discounts when purchasing drinks in a reusable cup
- Introducing an organic waste management system
Interested in learning more about the Deakin Food Charter? Follow this link to the Deakin website, where you can find a number of resources on this amazing framework.