A new kitchen on wheels will travel across the state spreading its healthy eating message.
The Community Mobile Kitchen will journey to regional and remote communities across Tasmania to cook up healthy dishes and help to educate communities along the way.
This week, Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff announced $50,000 of government funding would be provided to the Tasmanian School Canteen Association to deliver the new service.
The food van is also set to act as a link between local producers and the wider community.
Not only will the van travel to schools, but the mobile kitchen will also make regular appearances at sporting matches and larger events such as Agfest.
Tasmanian School Canteen Association executive officer Julie Dunbabin said she welcomed the new addition and the opportunity to further promote and deliver healthy-eating messages to communities outside the major cities.
“We just want to showcase what sort of yummy food can be made available through the canteen – it doesn’t all have to be pies and sausage rolls,” Ms Dunbabin said.
“In Tassie we have such amazing veggies and fruit and yet we’ve only got about 14 per cent of children eating the right amounts.
“We see it also as a way to link in with parents and do some simple cooking workshops as a training tool.”
Mr Rockliff said the new initiative would create an opportunity for the government to ensure healthy eating was being promoted to communities across Tasmania.
"This funding will be utilised by the Tasmanian School Canteen Association and the Child Health Association of Tasmania as a way to extend delivery of their programs to all parts of Tasmania,” he said.
“The government understands the important role schools have in helping children learn about healthy eating habits, and the van will ensure all schools are linked into the same messages.”
The van is set to be up and running in communities by the end of the year.
