We're used to seeing it on packaged foods and in some restaurants. Now CTV News has learned nutritional information like the amount of fat, calories or sodium is being posted in every Toronto Catholic high school cafeteria.
Ontario's schools have gone through a number of changes in the last 10 years to combat rising obesity rates. The province banned Coke and candy from vending machines, and implemented major changes in September 2011 including banning fried foods from being served. But the Catholic board believes they are first to count calories in the cafeteria -- and surprisingly it was students who wanted the change.
Student trustees helped pass the new rules this past March, and all 25 Catholic high schools that have cafeterias are now posting the nutritional information.
William Lawrence, a student trustee, says “everyone thinks we want pizza and fries and chips and gravy but that’s not necessarily the case. Students are very concerned about what they are eating.”
Each different food distributor has a different list for all the foods they serve. They list the fat content, saturated fat, trans fat, calories, carbs, protein, cholesterol, sodium and fibre.
At the cafeteria at Bishop Allen academy one of the favourites is the chocolate chip cookie. Now students can find out it has 270 calories and 9 grams of fat.
Hannah McGroarty says it may change how she eats: “Makes me realize OK, maybe I won’t have that cookie every single day, maybe just once a week.”
When the province first introduced healthy rules for schools the cafeterias say they lost thousands of dollars as students flocked to fast food restaurants instead. But the board says that’s changed in the last few years as a new generation of students goes through the system.
Armando Guido heads up one of the food suppliers. He thinks students have gotten used to not seeing French fries being served and are opting to eat better.
But it seems to depend on who you ask. Others say the nutritional info won’t make a difference.
The Liberals were trying to push through a motion that would have made Ontario the first province to force restaurants to post nutritional information, but it never got passed before the election got called.
