About the Food for Sport guidelines
Sport and recreation clubs and facilities play an important role in building a healthier and more resilient Queensland, attracting thousands of members, players and visitors each year. Senior players, coaches and committees can have an important leadership role in supporting communities to provide food and drinks options that support health and a general wellbeing.
By introducing A Better Choice Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Sport and Recreation Facilities, you will contribute to growing young people and communities that are healthy and vibrant, where physical activity and healthy eating work together to create a legacy that promotes happy, healthy children and communities.
A Better Choice for Sport and Recreation is relevant for all Queensland Sport and Recreation organised sporting activities or facilities that provide or promote food and drinks (including sponsorship) including:
- Community sport and recreation clubs and associations
- Major Sporting Stadiums
- Sport and recreation centres
- Leisure and aquatic facilities
- Organised outdoor recreational activities or events
You can introduce A Better Choice in any outlet, setting or situation where foods and/or drinks are sold, provided, promoted and advertised to players, spectators, volunteers and staff.
Note: The A Better Choice Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Sport and Recreation Facilities was released in 2023 and are an update of the previous Food for Sport guidelines (first released in 2010).
Healthy food and drinks
The A Better Choice Strategy for Sport and Recreation seeks to improve access of healthier food and drinks in clubs and facilities.
Change can take time when improving food and drink provision and promotion, the best way to work on changes is to follow the steps below. Starting first by making small changes over time, then moving on to work towards meeting Food and Drink targets.
Step 1 involves tackling change one goal at a time. This can be achieved by starting with small, easy changes. Once a club or facility has successfully made changes, they can move onto Step 2 to enhance their food and drink offerings.
Step 2 involves setting targets and working towards them to achieve a better balance of food and drinks. The A Better Choice food and drink targets use a traffic light system that classifies food and drinks according to their nutritional value. For retail outlets aim to reach the targets:
- At least 50% of food and drinks from the green category
- No more than 20% of food and drinks from the red category
- the leftover quantity can come from food and drinks in the amber or green categories. Ensuring for drinks no more than 20% are intense artificially or naturally sweetened drinks.
To learn more about how to provide and promote healthier foods and drinks, follow the steps in the A Better Choice Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Sport and Recreation Facilities.