VICTORIAN school children will be allowed to eat fatty junk food only twice a term under strict new canteen rules to be imposed next year.
For the first time, school tuckshops will be told what they can and cannot sell to the state's 540,000 school students.
Chips, potato cakes, dim sims, battered sausages, cakes and ice cream are on the hit list.
The Bracks Government is expected to reveal the latest crackdown today to try to halt the obesity crisis.
It is believed the new rules will apply to Victoria's 1600 state primary and secondary schools.
Independent and Catholic schools will be encouraged to adopt the new rules.
Food will be divided into three groups – everyday, select and occasional – dictating how often it can be sold.
Food listed as "occasional" is defined as having high fat, sugar or salt content and will be restricted to twice a term, or eight times a year.
This will include party pies, sausage rolls and low-fat ice cream.Goodies listed under "select" will have some nutritional value and will be sold irregularly – potentially once a week.
Schools will be told to try to sell as much "everyday" food as possible – which includes items with high nutritional value.
Fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain bread and cereals and salads are in this category.
Pikelets, crumpets, baked potatoes and frozen yoghurt will also be available daily.
The new rules will apply to school canteens and lunch orders provided by outside caterers and shops.
The Government is believed to have taken a different approach to chocolates and lollies in schools.
It is believed schools will be given information on how to introduce the new rules, which will begin next year.
This includes advice on how to make healthier versions of popular food, for example, replacing commercially made pizza with home-made healthier versions.
Activities for the classroom, promotional posters, a website and other material will also be available.
The Bracks Government introduced canteen guidelines in 2003 and this is believed to be the next step in the fight against obesity.
It is believed the Government wants to send a healthy-eating message to students, who get about a third of their food at school.
Many schools have already adopted healthy eating in their canteens, with restrictions on junk food.
The tough new rules come after a ban on sugar-loaded drinks at schools and an investigation into restrictions on chocolates and lollies.
Drinks with more than 300 kilojoules a serve will not be sold at canteens or in vending machines.
This means sport drinks and mineral water could face the axe.
A spokesman for Education Minister Lynne Kosky would not confirm details of the new rules.
"While many schools already offer healthy food to their children, the Government feels there is more to do," he said.
About 30 per cent of Australian children are overweight or obese.
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