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The state government’s Smart Choices campaign to provide healthier food in Queensland’s tuckshops appears to be struggling due to a drop in volunteers and inexperienced management.

Queensland Association of School Tuckshops executive services manager Chris Ogden said it was hard for some tuckshops to provide foods in line with the Smart Choices program because they did not have enough volunteers.

“Tuckshops do struggle with volunteers and profits … it happened before Smart Choices and it’ll happen after Smart Choices,” she said.

“It’s really probably more about people running businesses that [they] aren’t qualified [for] than any change in government policy.”

The most recent survey conducted by QAST in 2008 found fewer than half of the state’s tuckshop convenors received orientation or training when they started work.

“Currently P&Cs run tuckshops … and the vast majority of them do a fantastic job, but in some areas there are P&Cs that struggle with all of their businesses,” Ms Ogden said.

The running of tuckshops could be improved if schools were more involved, she said.

Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Associations vice president Ben Thompson said P&Cs should receive more support from schools to help run tuckshops.

“Often tuckshops aren’t the highest priority in a school, so sometimes it is difficult especially when you have a smaller school that just runs with volunteers and no paid staff,” he said.

“Tuckshops could do with more support from schools because … they’re providing nutritional food when a lot of kids go to school without a nutritious lunch.”

The Smart Choices program, which aimed to combat childhood obesity through nutrition, was made mandatory in Queensland state schools in 2007.

The program classified foods according to their nutritional value into ‘green’, ‘amber’ or ‘red’ categories.

Green foods were for regular consumption, while amber items, such as reduced-fat pies, should be selected carefully.

Red choices, including soft drinks and deep fried foods, must be limited.

“[Tuckshops have] made a conscious effort to take out all the red foods,” Mrs Ogden said.

“There’s probably still a little bit more work to be done in terms of the green and amber mix and that comes back down to … volunteers and time.”

It is unclear how the state government polices the Smart Choices scheme.

An evaluation released last year by the Department of Education and Queensland Health relied on survey responses.

The report showed 84 per cent of tuckshop convenors used one or more strategies to ensure amber products did not dominate lunch menus.

However, Mrs Ogden said that more than half of tuckshop menus still comprised amber foods.

Nutrition Australia dietitian and nutritionist Kellie Hogan said although tuckshops had improved, healthy eating should begin at home.

“Only a fairly small percentage of kids actually get their total food intake from … the school canteen,” she said.

“It’s important that we back that up with strategies at home.

“The more places we can encourage and promote healthy eating the better.”

Education Minister Geoff Wilson was approached for comment, but his office referred brisbanetimes.com.au to Education Queensland.

As of last night, EQ had failed to respond to queries.

Are Queensland tuckshops a smart choice?