Traffic light coding of food/drink menu items All catering events should offer 80% Green foods and drinks and no more than 20% of Red and Amber combined foods and drinks. Further information on selecting healthier food and beverages can be found using the Healthy Catering Guide. Morning /afternoon tea Fruit platter Whole, sliced or cut fresh Fruit kebabs Serve with reduced-fat dips (e.g. fruit purees and vanilla yoghurt). Plain dried fruit These are high in sugar. Yoghurt Plain Fruit pieces Only GREEN if low/reduced-fat and low sugar options. Soy based Low/reduced fat with high sugar Can be GREEN with low sugar. Full fat These are high in saturated fat and sugar. Cheese platter (with dried fruit, nuts, dips, crackers) Reduced-fat cheese: ricotta, cottage and feta Wholemeal salt reduced crisps bread, crackers, plain almond bread or water crackers Fresh fruit Fresh vegetable sticks Plain and/or dry roasted unsalted nuts and seeds Minimise offering of full-fat cheeses. Serve 40g of cheese per person. Offer vegetable-based or yoghurt based dips and crackers (e.g. beetroot, eggplant, avocado, tzatziki). Avoid oil, cream and/or cheese based dips. Large portions of cheese such as Brie and Camembert Salted, coated and/or fried nuts and seeds These items are high in saturated fat and salt. 1
Morning /afternoon tea (continued) Cakes and muffins Low-fat Wholemeal Fruit based Vegetable based Provide small serve size (50-60g) per person or cut into half size. Full fat Iced or coated Filled with chocolate, cream, jam or icing These are high in saturated fat and energy dense choices. Provide fruit or vegetable based muffins if possible. Sweet pastries Danishes Sweet pastries Tarts Donuts Croissants These are high in saturated fat and energy dense choices. Cut into quarters and serve smaller size per person. Sweet biscuits Plain Wholemeal Un-iced or un-coated Include wholemeal choices or those that contain fruit, vegetables or nuts if possible. Provide small serve (2-3 small biscuits per person) Iced or coated Filled These are usually high in energy and saturated fat. 2
Morning /afternoon tea (continued) Scones plain, pumpkin or fruit Margarine (thin spread) Honey (thin spread) Offer fruit purees or reduced-fat vanilla yoghurt and use sparingly. Include wholegrain options if possible. Cut into half size or serve smaller size (40-60g) per person. Jam and cream Butter These spreads are high in energy and saturated fat. Sweet breads, loaves and buns Wholegrain Raisin or fruit bread Plain or fruit-based pikelets Banana or date loaf Plain almond bread Ensure low-fat and reduced-sugar options. Offer small to medium serve (40-60g) per person. Iced or coated Filled These are high in energy and saturated fat. Combination suggestions for morning and afternoon tea: 1. Seasonal fresh fruit platter 2. Plain scones with margarine 3. Low-fat banana loaf 4. Low-fat mini muffins 5. Cheese platter with cottage, ricotta or fetta, wholemeal crisp breads, fresh fruit, carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes with vegetable-based dips 3
Lunch Sandwiches Bread selection Wholemeal sliced bread Wholegrain sliced bread Wraps Mountain bread Dark rye Seeded rye Provide a variety of wholemeal/wholegrain bread options. Sourdough Multigrain baguette Can be a GREEN option if smaller portion sizes are provided. White sliced bread White baguette Turkish bread Croissant Bagel Brioche/sliders Focaccias Provide little nutritional value and some have high fat content. Meat selection Roast chicken breast Roast beef Turkey Tuna Egg Offer a variety of lean meats with no skin. Ham Smoked salmon Ensure lean variety and can be considered a GREEN option. Pastrami Prosciutto Salami Chicken schnitzel Bacon Chorizo Avoid these as they are high in saturated fat and salt. 4
Lunch (continued) Sandwiches Cheese selection Low fat feta Ricotta Lite cream cheese Swiss cheese Reduced-fat cheddar Bocconcini Select low-fat cheeses when possible. Haloumi Mozzarella These cheeses are often high in salt. Camembert Brie Cream cheese Avoid these cheeses as they are high in saturated fat and salt. Salad selection Tomato Cucumber Lettuce Carrot Mushroom Roast peppers Roast vegetables Spinach Rocket Capsicum Beetroot Sun-dried tomato Olives Provide extra raw salad and vegetables in fillings where possible. Where roast vegetables are used, ensure they are drained of oil and served with lots of salad greens. Often high in salt and oily. Use in small amounts. 5
Lunch (continued) Sandwiches Dressing / condiments Avocado Cranberry sauce Tomato/chilly relish Low-fat mayonnaise Seeded mustard Hummus For the salad to fit in the GREEN, select the dressing carefully use no dressing or low/no oil dressings. Margarine Horseradish cream Use in small quantities. Aioli Pesto Sour cream Butter Full-fat mayonnaise Caesar dressing Avoid these as they are high in saturated fat and salt. Serve separately on the side where possible. Combination suggestions (any GREEN bread options) with: 1. Roast chicken breast, avocado, with fresh salads 2. Roast beef, seeded mustard & fresh salads 3. Turkey, avocado, cranberry & fresh salads 4. Tuna, low-fat mayonnaise & lettuce 5. Egg, lettuce & low-fat mayonnaise (v) 6. Roasted vegetables, low fat-feta, salad & hummus (v) 6
Lunch (continued) Hot food selection Classic mini savouries Lean meat platters/skewers Meatballs Pumpkin balls (v) Lean meats high in protein. Make sure skin is removed. Spinach & ricotta quiches (v) Mini Chicken Drumettes Potato wedges Drumettes can be a GREEN item as long as skin is removed. Meat pasties Ham & cheese rolls Spinach & feta filo (v) Vegetarian mini spring roll (v) Mini samosas Quiche Lorraine Beef pies Shepherd s pies Sausage rolls Chiko rolls Savoury croissants Avoid these items as they are high in saturated fat and salt. Hot food selection Traditional Pizza Mini pizza: ham, cheese & tomato Mini pizza: cheese, spinach & tomato (v) Supreme: ham, mushroom, olives, tomato & mozzarella cheese Sicilian: ricotta, grilled eggplant, spinach, roasted capsicum & mozzarella cheese (v) Margherita: cheese, tomato, basil (v) Offer small to medium serves per person. Ensure lots of vegetables in the topping are offered. Choose reduced-fat cheese and leaner meats. Meat lovers pizza: assorted meats with cheese and sauces Prosciutto pizza High salt and saturated fat meats 7
Lunch (continued) Hot food selection Home-style Pasta Spinach & ricotta ravioli in Napolitano sauce (v) Spinach & ricotta lasagne (v) Choose tomato or vegetable-based pasta with lean trimmed meats. Broccoli, mushrooms, spinach & semi-sundried tomatoes in a rose sauce (v) Rosé sauce is a creamy tomato sauce; these options would be GREEN with a tomato based sauce. Chicken, mushrooms & spinach in a rosé sauce Traditional lasagne with béchamel sauce Alla panna (cream, mushrooms and ham) Avoid these items as they are high in saturated fat and salt. Removing béchamel sauce will make lasagne AMBER. Cold food selection Antipasto platter Cold meat platter Sushi platter Ensure to use lean meats. Dips and vegetables (v) Thai cold rolls Vegetarian frittata (v) Pre-made salads Greek salad (v) Garden salad (v) Thai chicken salad Southern style coleslaw (v) Roasted vegetable salad (v) Ensure to use small amounts of poly or mono-unsaturated oils (e.g. sunflower, olive and peanut oils) or low-oil, no-oil or a reduced-fat commercial dressing. Asian noodle salad (v) Mediterranean cous cous (v) Falafel salad (v) Vietnamese chicken salad Moroccan roast pumpkin (v) Choose clear dressings such as balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or vinegar with herbs and pepper. Avoid using cream-based dressings. Egg salad (v) Tabouleh (v) Chicken pesto pasta salad Caesar salad Potato Salad These salads use dressings high in saturated fat. Some of these salads contain high salt and saturated fat meats. 8
Beverages Beverages Tap water Spring water Mineral water Soda water Sparkling mineral water Skim or low-fat milk Fruit juices Diet soft drinks Ask for no added sugar and 100% natural varieties. Soft drinks Fruit drinks/cordials Full cream milk Tea/coffee No nutritional value unless with milk. Avoid additions of whipped cream, melted chocolate or caramel, syrup, confectionary. Alcohol High in kilojoules/calories. 9
Canapés Canapés Grilled/roasted vegetables Seasoned meat/seafood Lean meats (e.g. roast chicken, roast beef, lamb, tuna, salmon, turkey) Rice, pasta, noodle bases Polenta, dukkah Corn cake bases Pita bread, wrap bases Hard cheeses (e.g. Swiss, cheddar) Low fat ricotta/feta, lite cream cheese Legumes/beans Herbs and spices Ask your caterer to make 80% of the canapés using GREEN options. Crumbed/crusted food Deep fried foods Pastry/tarts Processed cured meats (e.g. prosciutto, salami, pastrami, pancetta, chorizo) Creamy/salty cheeses (e.g. brie, camembert, mascarpone, goats cheese/feta, cream cheese) Salty/sugary condiments e.g. soy sauce, hoisin, honey Ask your caterer to make only 20% of the canapés using RED options (this includes dessert items). Combination examples: Prawns with fresh lime chilli & lemongrass Tandoori chicken skewers with minted yoghurt sauce Spicy balls of lamb flavoured with chilli, coriander & lime juice Using fresh ingredients with spices and herbs to enhance the flavour. Herbed scones topped with mascarpone & prosciutto Little Peking duck tarts with hoisin & spring onion Using cured and fatty meats, pastries, creamy cheeses and salty condiments. 10