SOMETIMES the difference between healthy eating and delving mouth first into fat and calories junk food can be as simple as not having access to fresh produce, according to community health advocates.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A sustainability project was launched at Mount Austin High School (MAHS) yesterday to encourage community groups to donate garden compost to enrich the school's seasonable fruit and vegetable garden.
"Food security in our area is definitely a lot lower than other areas and particularly in the more disadvantaged areas of Wagga.
With the help of a $1000 grant from green-focused carpet manufacturer, Interface, the school has been able to build two new compost bins.
Murrumbidgee Medicare Local project officer Olivia Kelly said the health care organisation has made it a priority to distribute nutritious foods to relief outlets through their Grow and Give scheme.
She said the outlets - which rely on donations of food from the public - are critical for people with low socio-economic backgrounds.
"Food security in our area is definitely a lot lower than other areas and particularly in the more disadvantaged areas of Wagga," she said.
"Knowing that the importance of fresh produce and healthy eating, and how that contributes to health overall, is seen as a big importance."
While Medicare Local pushes ahead with their healthy restock strategy, MAHS agriculture teacher, Scott Callaghan, was concerned that parents were losing sight of the importance of nutritional values.
Mr Callaghan said the school was conscious of teaching the values to the "next generation" of parents.
"A lot of effort goes into primary school with the nutrition of kids but, by the time they get to high school, the parents have forgotten a fair bit of what happened in primary school," he said.
"The kids that we are teaching are going to be parents one day."
MAHS school captain Katrina Hinskman viewed the significance of nutrition coming from understanding the food cycle.
"It's good to see how it all comes together ... some kids don't know where the veggies come from," she said.
"Some aren't in that environment to be able to be taught about agriculture."
Interface market development manager Brendan Hogan said it was the first time the company has completed a domestic grants program.
"The idea was to select 20 projects that were unique, different and involved a lot of the kids," he said.
