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The Food and Beverage Classification System


Frequently Asked Questions for Industry


  • Download the Industry FAQs (PDF, 697 KB)

    • Why do we need a Food and Beverage Classification System?


    The Ministry of Health’s 2002 National Children’s Survey showed just over half of the 5–14-year-olds surveyed bought at least some of their food from the school canteen, with 5 percent of children buying most of their food there. Most children do not choose food or drink just because of its nutritional value. They choose it because they like the taste, because it’s what their friends are having, ‘because it’s lunchtime’ and because it’s what is on offer.

    About a quarter of the sugar in New Zealand children’s daily diets comes from beverages such as fizzy drinks and nearly as much comes from lollies. Add pies, fried chips and chocolate bars into the mix and you have a diet undesirably high in fat, salt and sugar. Many children do not eat enough vegetables and fruit.

    Encouraging healthy food choices early in life can help create lifelong preferences for healthy foods. Some early childhood education (ECE) services and schools already have policies and procedures about what is offered onsite to ensure that healthy choices are available, and many more are developing such policies. Implementing the Food and Beverage Classification System will help schools and ECE services identify and offer healthy food choices to children and young people.

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    What is the Food and Beverage Classification System?


    The Food and Beverage Classification System is a way of classifying foods and beverages that are recommended for sale or provision at schools and ECE services. The system has been designed specifically for foods and beverages children commonly consume in the education setting.

    The three-tiered system identifies foods and beverages that are:
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    What are examples of everyday, sometimes and occasional foods and beverages?


    A sample canteen menu may include:

    Examples of occasional foods and drinks include:

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    Is the Ministry of Health banning foods?


    No, the Ministry is not banning foods. It is simply promoting and encouraging consumption of healthy food options in the education setting. Many of those in the food industry are already reformulating their products for inclusion in the sometimes category of the Food and Beverage Classification System.

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    Is this a traffic light system?


    Whilst the food and beverages have been classified into three groups, a traffic light concept was not selected to represent the three groups for the following reasons:
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    Will food and beverages sold in canteens have labels on them?


    No, the classification system is not a labelling system.Instead it is a tool to help schools and ECE services to identify what types of foods and beverages are healthy options.

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    How will the Ministry assist canteen and kitchen staff to implement the classification system?


    The Food and Beverage Classification System support resources – the User Guide and Catering Guide for schools and the User Guide and Recipes for ECE services – give staff the information they need to implement the Food and Beverage Classification System in their canteen or kitchen. There are separate resources for schools and ECE services.

    The User Guide explains the classification system and provides practical advice, such as a sample canteen menu, reading food labels, and basic food information.The Catering Guide provides meal ideas and recipes to assist canteen and catering staff provide healthier food and beverages.

    A product database listing everyday and sometimes food products and beverages will be available to canteen and kitchen staff later in 2007 to assist in choosing these foods and beverages.
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    Food is sometimes a source of income for schools. What does this mean for schools when it comes to fundraising chocolates and sausage sizzles?


    There is not a ban on selling chocolate as part of fundraising activities, nor is there any ban on sausage sizzles. What it means is that schools should think about other alternatives for fundraising and whether or not these activities send consistent messages to students and the wider community. With input from the wider school community, schools may be able to fundraise using other, innovative ideas. As well, events such as sausage sizzles could be modified by offering alternatives such as healthy burgers or wraps.

    Marketing is vital to making a financial success of any changes to the school food environment. One way to achieve success is to have significant involvement from students and the wider school community in any planned changes from the beginning of the process.The Ministry of Education will be adding information to the food and nutrition toolkits in schools and ECE services about different fundraising activities to assist schools in this area.
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    How does the classification system encourage food industry innovation?


    The classification system recognises that in some product categories there are options that are healthier than others. For example, breakfast cereals that are low in saturated fat and sodium and high in fibre are classified as everyday cereals. Breakfast cereals that are relatively high in saturated fat and sodium and low in fibre are classified as occasional, and those in the middle as sometimes cereals. This division encourages the food industry to reformulate and innovate their products so they can be classified as everyday or sometimes. The nutrient criteria were partly based on the nutritional profile of products that are currently on the market. If new products come onto the market with improved nutrient profiles, then these could well set the new standard when the nutrient criteria are reviewed in the future.

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    Will the Ministry consider implementing this system in other settings or just schools and ECE services?


    The classification system was designed specifically for schools and ECE settings. Foods and beverages commonly consumed by children in these settings have been classified. If the system is to be applied to a different setting it may need to be adapted. Currently the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Television Broadcasting Council are looking at whether the classification system could be used to help reduce television advertising of unhealthy food to children.

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    Will the criteria defining everyday/sometimes/occasional foods change over time?


    The Ministry of Health recognises that it is essential the classification system remains current and relevant to the education settings, changes in people’s diets and food technology. A process for ensuring that it is updated and monitored will be developed by the Ministry of Health in the next 6 to 12 months.

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    What about shops near schools that sell unhealthy options? Will kids just buy occasional foods and drinks on the way to and from school or from the local shops at lunchtime?


    Children who have permission to leave the school grounds at lunchtime may choose to go and buy occasional foods elsewhere. However, students are likely to consume fewer occasional foods and drinks overall if they are not readily available at school.Changes made in the school can have a ‘ripple’ effect outside the school and in the wider community. With a school’s community-wide approach to changes in the food provided, students will become more aware that foods and drinks high in fat and/or salt and/or added sugar and served in large package sizes are not suitable for everyday consumption.

    One of the critical factors to ensure that the classification system is successful is the involvement of students themselves. Schools and their communities will also be encouraged to work with local food providers and/or local government to improve food and beverage options available in the school vicinity.

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    What resources will be provided?


    The Food and Beverage Classification System support resources – the User Guides and Catering Guide or Recipes – are being provided to all schools and ECE services. This is in addition to the Ministry of Education’s Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids: Guidelines to Support Healthy Eating Environments in New Zealand Early Childhood Services and Schools which was provided to all schools and ECE services in March 2007. Representatives from all schools and ECE services have the opportunity to attend professional development workshops and access expertise and financial support for healthy eating initiatives through the Nutrition Fund.

    A product database listing everyday and sometimes food products and beverages will be available later in 2007 to assist in choosing these foods and beverages.

    The Ministry of Health is working to determine what the total support needs are for schools and ECE services to implement the programme, and a package of support will be developed in the near future.

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    Are all schools and ECE services affected by this?


    Recent changes to the National Administration Guidelines will mean that in all state and state-integrated schools where food and beverages are sold on school premises, only healthy options will be made available from 1 June 2008. Schools will also be required to promote healthy food and nutrition for all students.

    Licensed ECE services are required to meet the nutritional needs of children who attend the service.Early childhood education service regulatory requirements are currently under review. It is proposed that this nutrition-related requirement continue, with the additional obligation for early childhood education services to encourage healthy eating guidelines when parents provide food for children to eat while at the service.

    The Food and Beverage Classification System will be a useful tool to help schools and ECE services meet regulatory obligations.

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    Why not give students information about healthier foods and drinks and let them make their own choices?


    Students still have many choices - between everyday and sometimes foods and drinks! Students can be encouraged to choose healthy options by making healthy choices the easy choices. Nutrition education in the classroom should be supported by consistent messages about the importance of healthy food and nutrition, for example, what is sold or provided in the school environment.

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    How does the Food and Beverage Classification System align with the Heart Foundation Tick programme guidelines?


    It is important to recognise that the Food and Beverage Classification System and the Heart Foundation Tick Programme have some clear differences. These are outlined in the table below.


    Food and Beverage Classification System Heart Foundation Tick Programme
    AudienceChildren and young people aged 6 months to 18 yearsGeneral healthy population
    Health issueImproving nutrition and reducing obesity in children Nutrition in the general population
    SettingSchools and early childhood education services Retail food settings – largely supermarkets
    Guiding principlesIdentifies foods that should be eaten everyday,sometimes or occasionally (ie, ice cream should not be eaten every day) Identifies healthier food choices within a food category ie, foods that meet the Tick standard for the category
    PurposeTool to determine whether or not food is a healthy option (ie, not labelling)Nutrition signposting (ie, labelling)

    The process of setting nutrient limits for the classification system is explained in the question that follows. This process may have resulted in some similarities in the limits used for the Food and Beverage Classification System and those used for the Tick programme. However, for the reasons described above, there are some differences which were inevitable. For example no ice cream will be in the everyday food range for children, even if they have the ‘Tick’,as they are not foods recommended for eating every day by children (or adults).

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    What criteria were considered for what reasons and why are there different levels for different foods?


    The classification system was designed to be consistent with the messages in the Ministry of Health’s Food and Nutrition Guidelines for children and adolescents. There is an emphasis on the promotion of everyday foods from the four main food groups. The Food and Nutrition Guidelines sort foods into four food groups (vegetables and fruit, breads and cereals, milk and milk products,meat and alternatives) and recommend how much to eat of each food group. Children and young people need a variety of foods from the four food groups every day.

    Foods and beverages were grouped into product categories of comparable foods or beverages. Nutrient criteria were then determined for each type of food within that product category. Nutrient criteria are different for each food type. The reasons for the differences in nutrient criteria include:
    Criteria have been developed for the nutrients: energy,saturated fat, total fat, sodium and fibre. Criteria maybe per serve or per 100 g depending on the type of food being classified.

    Food modelling (that is, assessing products against proposed guidelines) was undertaken in each category to establish relevant and workable limits for schools, early childhood education services and the food industry.

    There were some basic principles that the technical advisory group used to guide their decisions on classifying food and beverages and the nutrient criteria.These were:
    The technical advisory group agreed to base the system on effective, relevant existing systems as far as possible.The two systems used were NSW Health and New South Wales School Canteen Association System (www.healthy-kids.com.au) and Waitemata DHB Traffic Lights for Beverages (www.waitematadhb.govt.nz).

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    Does the Food and Beverage Classification System consider issues such as underweight children,food additives, MSG etc?


    The Food and Beverage Classification System promotes healthy eating every day for healthy children. Messages are not about ‘bad’ foods, but about the types of foods that are for everyday consumption or those that should only be eaten occasionally.

    The Ministry of Health recognises that some children and young people have special dietary needs, for example, due to being underweight or have medical conditions such as allergies. The diets of children and young people with these conditions should be guided by an appropriate health professional.

    The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is tasked with determining what foods are safe to include in our food supply. The Ministry of Health is guided by their advice on food additives and MSG. If advice from NZFSA changes, the Ministry of Health will alter its framework accordingly.

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    Explain the differences in nutrient criteria between processed fish and meat and fresh fish and meat.


    There are differences in the nutritional content of fresh and processed fish and meat. For example, processed fish products tend to have higher sodium content than fresh fish. The classification system sets criteria for relevant nutrients within each category. Everyday meats are fresh lean meats, and everyday fish is fish with no added fat or oil. Fish and meat products that don’t meet these criteria are sometimes foods, and should be eaten less than the everyday foods.

    Processed fish and meat usually have other things added to them,for example, sodium. Their classification between sometimes and occasional reflects these differences in processing.

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    The three categories (everyday, sometimes and occasional) and their definitions require clarification.


    Classifying food is a complex process. A three-tiered system allows some flexibility between those foods that are clearly to be promoted and eaten everyday and those that should be eaten occasionally and not as part of the everyday diet.

    The definitions of the categories are:


    Explain the criteria for serving size and per 100 g.


    Nutrient content per serve and per 100 g are used to ensure that the classification system accurately reflect show people consume products. For example, some foods come in pre-determined serving sizes ready for consumption and others come in larger packets where individuals have a choice about the amount they consume.

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    Explain how the use of artificial sweeteners means some products go in to the occasional category but nutrient-high foods are excluded.


    The nutrient criteria were determined using the principles and process described in question 17.

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    Explain how freshly made products comply while packaged products are excluded but may be better?


    Food and beverages for sale or provision in schools and ECE services may be bought ready-to-eat or prepared on site. The Food and Beverage Classification System is designed for food and beverages bought ready-to eat. The Catering Guide for schools and Recipes for ECE services are designed to help schools and ECE services ensure that any food or beverage made on site is healthy.

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    For dairy products, children are not allowed to eat cheese (for example,colby) in sandwiches in the everyday category. Some good natural yoghurt is also excluded – explain.


    No food is ‘not allowed’ in the Food and Beverage Classification System – it is a tool to identify everyday,sometimes and occasional foods for sale or provision in schools and ECE services.

    A colby cheese sandwich made on site at a school or ECE service is not classified under the Food and Beverage Classification System – it will be guided by the Catering Guide for schools or Recipes resource for ECE services.

    As a more general point, low-fat cheeses are in the everyday category and hence children are encouraged to eat them. Other cheeses are in the sometimes category due to their higher total fat content. For example, colby cheese has approximately 34 percent total fat whereas cottage cheese has 3.5 percent total fat (Athar, N etal. 2006. The Concise New Zealand Food Composition Tables 7th Ed. New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research and Ministry of Health). A similar situation arises with yoghurt, with differences in fat levels between,for example, low-fat yoghurts and Greek yoghurts.

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    What logistical and financial support and training will be available for schools and for the food industry?


    The Food and Beverage Classification System support resources – the User Guide and Catering Guide for schools and User Guide and Recipes resource for ECE services– are being provided to all schools and ECE services.Representatives from all schools and ECE services have the opportunity to attend professional development workshops and access expertise and financial support for healthy eating initiatives through the Nutrition Fund. A product database listing everyday and food products and beverages will be available later in 2007 to assist in choosing these foods and beverages.

    The Ministry of Health is working to determine what the total support needs are for schools and ECE services to implement the programme, and a package of support will be developed in the near future.

    There will not be any financial support for the food industry.

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    How is the quantity and frequency with which sometimes and occasional foods are purchased by schools and by pupils to be monitored?


    A programme of research and evaluation for the entire initiative (which involves the Ministry of Education’s Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids guidelines and the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System) is currently being developed by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and contractors.

    As one contribution to this programme, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is conducting a national study to describe the food and nutrition environment in schools and early childhood education services and any changes in their food and nutrition environments over time. This study will be conducted over a two-year period,and will monitor progress towards improved food and nutrition environments in schools and early childhood education services. One aspect of the food and nutrition environment that will be looked at by the study is the supply of sometimes and occasional foods.

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    How does the database work?


    Will there be brand names, associated costs to suppliers or a product pre-approval process? A product database is necessary to assist users in implementing the system. The Ministry is working on the development and administration of the database.The Ministry anticipates this will occur within the next 6–12 months and there will be engagement with industry as part of this process. This process will determine operation issues such as how often products can be registered, any cost of registering to manufacturers and how products will be monitored (ie, checks on products).

    The most relevant example to this setting is the New South Wales School Canteen Association System product database. We suggest that interested parties look at the NSWSCA website for further information (www.healthy-kids.com.au).

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    What opportunity does the food industry have to participate in the classification system and develop healthier foods?


    There are ongoing opportunities for members of the food industry to engage with the Ministry of Health around improving nutrition and reducing obesity in New Zealand,for example through the Food Industry Group. The food industry will be able to be involved in the product database that is necessary to support school and ECE services in implementing the classification system.

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    How will the system ensure that promotion of food is depicted correctly in schools and ECE services?


    The Ministry of Education’s Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids: Guidelines to Support Healthy Eating Environments in New Zealand Early Childhood Services and Schools provides guidance for developing environments that support healthy eating in all aspects of the school or ECE service operations. Healthy environments can be achieved through school policies, the curriculum, teaching and learning, and also the food that is provided and/or sold. Using the Food and Beverage Classification System is one tool to help improve nutrition in all areas of schools and early childhood education services.

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    What else is happening in the area of improving nutrition?


    Lots of things! The Healthy Eating-Healthy Action Strategy and Implementation Plan identified a framework of outcomes and actions to improve nutrition, increase physical activity and reduce obesity. Some of the programmes that are happening currently are:

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