Three Years Later: Healthiness of Food in New Zealand Primary School Canteens Following Implementation of the Healthy Food and Drink Guidance

Issue Addressed One‐third of children in New Zealand (NZ) are overweight or obese, with suboptimal dietary patterns. The NZ government implemented the Healthy Active Learning (HAL) initiative and the ‘Healthy Food and Drink Guidance for Schools’ (2020) to improve school food environments. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of these guidelines over 3 years. Methods A convenience sample of 89 primary schools (4.6% of NZ primary schools) provided menus at baseline (2020/2021) and follow‐up (2023/2024). Food items were categorised according to the guidance using a traffic‐light criteria (green, amber, red). Results ‘Green’ menu items increased from 15.5% to 21.2%. ‘Amber’ items decreased from 44.4% to 33.8% ( p = 0.005). ‘Red’ items showed minimal change (35.4% to 37.5%). There were reductions in the presence of sugar‐sweetened beverages (40% to 31%) and ultra‐processed savoury snacks (42% to 33%). Schools in affluent areas reduced ‘amber’ foods, while schools in high deprivation areas saw minimal change in ‘green’ foods (8.6% to 7.2%) and ‘red’ foods (32.4% to 29%). Conclusions The guidance implementation led to modest improvements in the healthiness of school menus, particularly reducing ‘amber’ foods and ultra‐processed snacks. The limited increase in healthy ‘green’ foods and the persistent presence of unhealthy ‘red’ foods highlight the need for further intervention. So What? This study emphasises the importance of sustained efforts to improve the nutritional quality of school food, particularly in communities facing socioeconomic challenges. National consistency, monitoring, and feedback are needed to support policy implementation and ensure children have equitable access to healthy food at school.