Bringing the tuckshop into the fold
Opening the channels between the tuckshop, school and parent organisations
Tips and tricks for creating a winning and profitable tuckshop menu
sustainability space
Why join QAST?
Healthier Tuckshops Program
2023 Management Committee
Member survey shapshot
Strategies to help you keep volunteers
Sustainability in the tuckshop
Financial advice for the tuckshop
Case Study: Loganholme State School
Improving relationships across the school community
Farewell to a tuckshop legend
Connections through Cooking
Coming soon: Tuckshop Conversations
Food and drink supplier information
Case Study: Yugumbir State School Training for success Menu design in a nutshell Tuckshop
Welcome to the Term 1, 2023 edition of Talking Tuckshops. Distributed to all schools across Queensland, even if you're not a QAST member, this newsletter is your go-to source for tuckshop tips, ideas, advice and news.
2022 was a big year for our association and for tuckshops across Queensland. Despite the return to school delay at the beginning of the year, the challenges arising from several covid waves, devastating flooding, food and supply shortages, and cost increases across the state, the resilience and determination of the people behind our school tuckshops was more evident than ever.
The amazing work being done in Queensland tuckshops was spotlighted at a national level, with our 2022 Recipe of the Year winner attracting media coverage from the likes of WIN News, ABC Radio, and Studio 10. The coverage put tuckshops front and centre and QAST is pleased to have built on this with ongoing segments on ABC Radio in Brisbane and regular contributions to state-wide news outlets.
Tuckshop Day was another great success story, with our hearts warmed to see the outpouring of love through flowers and certificates, special morning teas and assemblies, and beautiful artwork from students to recognise and support the hard work of tuckshop workers across the state.
We were also thrilled that tuckshops got a mention in the 2022-23 Queensland Budget, with the State Government investing $20 million for playground and tuckshop upgrades over two years.
We know just how important fit-for-purpose infrastructure and facilities are for implementing healthier menu options. We’re confident these funds will help to increase the profile of tuckshops in the school environment, and help children make healthy food and drink choices for life.
On a member services-front, QAST continued to deliver key training for tuckshops, including eight Pathway to Profit Courses, nine Convenor Courses and six Food Safety Supervisor Courses. More than 100 members also successfully completed our online Food Handlers Course.
Our Menu Health Check and Financial Advisory Services continued to be well-used, while downloads of our online resources and use of the QAST website increased considerably.
Our network meetings throughout the year attracted tuckshops from across the state and we saw some great engagement and networking.
2023. This publication is copyright of Queensland Association of School Tuckshops.
Disclaimer: Advice and information in this publication is given in good faith on the understanding that any contributing person or organisation are not to incur any responsibility for negligence or legal liability if content is incorrect, incomplete, inappropriate or defective. All liability is therefore disclaimed.
Cover: Renae Droop, RDW Photography & Life Ed Queensland
2023 is set to be another big year, with new planned partnerships and initiatives, plenty of networking opportunities and events, and regular training already in the works.
Keep an eye out for details on the upcoming A Better Choice Conference on 30 May in Brisbane, which will bring together schools, sporting clubs, health facilities and suppliers all under the one roof. If professional development is on the agenda for this year, this will be the event to attend.
Cheers, The QAST team
QAST inspires and enables school communities, helping children make healthy food and drink choices for life through a comprehensive range of member services.
With a vision of "Healthy tuckshops, healthy schools, healthy children", QAST exists to support Queensland tuckshops to serve sustainable, affordable, nutritious and safe food choices.
QAST provides services to empower you as a member, and help you make your tuckshop a place of pride in the school community.
Member schools are able to access a range of essential services for convenors, parent body representatives and business managers.
CONNECT WITH US
Phone support to answer tuckshop queries.
RECIPES
Access recipes developed with tuckshops top of mind.
REGULAR EMAILS
News, events, resources and recipes delivered to your inbox.
RECIPE OF THE YEAR
Get recognition for your best recipes.
MENU HEALTH CHECKS
Check the health and viability of your tuckshop menu.
TUCKSHOP TUNEUP
Comprehensive on-site review service. (Fees apply)
TUCKSHOP RESOURCES
Tools designed to help you run a profitable, safe and healthy tuckshop.
EVENTS
Meet and network with people from other tuckshops.
Struggling to make a profit? We can help you
TRAINING
Tuckshop courses to get you skilled up. (Fees apply)
TRUST & EXPERTISE
Discuss your tuckshop enquiries with industry experts.
GET SOCIAL
Stay up-to-date on our social channels.
QAST is proud to work with Health and Wellbeing Queensland to support healthy menus in all tuckshops across Queensland.
Free to anyone working in and around a tuckshop, the Healthier Tuckshops Program is a great way to learn more about what makes a tuckshop, its menu, and its people, healthy.
A free food and drink classification service for manufacturers, industry members and suppliers is also available.
Other resources on offer include:
Tuckshop Network Meetings
Tuckshop Conversations Facebook group (NEW)
Selected Menu Planning Resources
Podcasts
Recipes
Case Studies
Ability to enter in Recipe of the Year competition. Quarterly e-newsletters – Subscribe now.
The Healthier Tuckshops Program is like a lite bite from the QAST menu of services. It doesn’t give you access to all that QAST has to offer, but it gives you a jump start in the right direction.
It’s free to all schools across Queensland (QAST members and non-members alike).
The Healthier Tuckshops Program is funded by the Queensland Government through Health and Wellbeing Queensland.
The QAST Management Committee is responsible for the administration and strategic planning of QAST's activities on behalf of the members.
The Committee is made up of a diverse group of people ranging from tuckshop convenors, to community members and representatives from key parent bodies.
This group provides valuable insight into all aspects of tuckshop operations and their role in the community to ensure the Association remains representative of its members and relevant to current issues in the sector.
In 2023 QAST is thrilled to inaugurate several new members and welcome back long-serving members.
LORIEROBINSON President CANDICE COOPMANS Vice President KELLY WILLIAMS Vice President
DEANNE GULBIN-O'NEILL Tuckshop Convenor Representative
MEGAN TOWNER Tuckshop Convenor Representative
TANIA-LEA NELSON Tuckshop Convenor Representative
BARBARA RADCLIFFE Treasurer
LEANNE HAYWARD Tuckshop Convenor Representative
MADONNA JARDINE Tuckshop Convenor Representative
SARA BEGG Tuckshop Convenor Representative
CATHY CONDON Catholic School Parents Qld
In October 2022, QAST went out to all Queensland schools to see how we are doing as your ‘go to’ organisation for school tuckshops.
You told us that you love using our website, but that it can be difficult to navigate and access at times. You also love our recipes, sample menus and case studies (but want more), as well as our Menu Health Check service and our tuckshop training courses
We found that our free Financial Advisory Service for members is under-utilised and that our Supplier Directory and general product advice could do with some work.
The survey highlighted so much that will help us to help you, and we’re already putting the findings into action
We’ve recently made some improvements to our website and re-jigged our homepage. Our website member account process has had a complete overhaul, which has resulted in a smoother login process for website users
We have several new case studies lined up for Terms 1 and 2, as well as a suite of new resources and recipes that you’ll be able to put to use straight away
We’ve been chipping away at our online Supplier Directory, with some great new products and suppliers added, and more additions planned throughout the term
We’re also excited to launch a brand new online forum that will better connect tuckshop gurus not just in your own region, but across Queensland Read more about this on page 17
We will continue to use our regular communications, including our ever-popular Facebook page, Talking Tuckshops and Healthier Tuckshops eNewsletters to let you know about our services and resources, and timely tuckshop news and opportunities. Keep an eye on your inboxes and socials to stay in the know!
Want to provide further feedback about QAST? Get in touch on (07) 3324 1511 or email enquiry@qast org au
Throughout 2022, our feature series on volunteers focused on recruitment, retention and practical strategies for tapping into different demographics in the community. This article will dive into some experiences I have had in my time as a volunteer; the good, the bad and the ugly. I hope this will help you pause and think about how you show appreciation to your volunteers and how a positive experience can minimise your turnover rates.
The first volunteer role I took on was with an organisation that operated a small shop located within their office complex
I was looking forward to getting started, contributing to a worthwhile organisation, putting my skills to use and meeting new people
Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be the positive experience I had been looking forward to.
Volunteers received no orientation or training; we were left to our own devices during our shifts, with no direction or instruction on what our tasks for the shift would be It wasn’t unusual to finish our shift without having been spoken to by the staff and without a “thank you”
It became apparent to me that someone in the organisation thought the little shop front would be a good way to boost income, and as the staff didn’t have the capacity to run it, volunteers could be recruited
The only problem was that was as far as their planning went There was no thought put into developing a volunteer program and no one was given the responsibility of managing the volunteers they recruited
What lessons can be taken away from my experience?
As you can imagine I didn’t continue volunteering with the organisation for long and neither did the other volunteers. The little shop has since closed, despite the potential for it to become a good venture to bring in much-needed funds.
Volunteers will quickly move on, looking for a more friendly and organised experience.
A recently published Volunteering Australia paper [1] listed amongst the key insights “four factors that prevent volunteer turnover (1) support from paid staff, supervisor, and peers (2) affording volunteers autonomy (3) roles where volunteers feel they are contributing productively and (4) preventing burnout” My first volunteering experience provided none of these things; how do you think your volunteer program stacks up?
Put simply, no one wants to spend their time volunteering somewhere they don’t feel valued or welcomed, and where the procedures and tasks are disorganised.
After this experience I took my time looking for other volunteer opportunities I eventually found a role at a local hunger relief organisation, and my experience there has been extremely positive and enjoyable
Orientation and training are provided before volunteers even do their first shift.
From the moment volunteers set foot on site we are greeted warmly by everyone The charities who visit the warehouse to the collect orders we have put together for them call us ‘legends’ and thank us for our efforts, giving us all a warm, fuzzy feeling
Before our shift starts, we run through a short warm-up session that gets everyone laughing and starts the shift off on a fun note This is followed by a run-through of the priorities for the shift, then we are sent on our way to work in small teams or independently
If we do have questions they are always met with a considered response, delivered in a friendly and helpful manner.
If we run out of orders to pack the staff always have other tasks for us to do This is a win for the volunteers and the organisation The organisation is making the most of the time the volunteers give them, and the volunteers feel their time is being put to good use
At the end of our shift, we are farewelled with calls of ‘thank you’ and ‘see you next week’ from all corners of the warehouse.
The staff are very aware that the work the volunteers do is vital to the successful operation of the organisation The overall vibe is a positive, respectful, and welcoming one By treating their volunteers with respect and providing them with meaningful tasks and autonomy they know that the important work their organisation does will thrive.
So, how can this work for you in the tuckshop so you can avoid volunteer turnover and keep your volunteers coming back week after week? Here’s my top tips:
Createawelcomingandfriendlyenvironmentfor yourvolunteers–welcomethemwithopenarms
Treatvolunteerswithrespect;greetthembyname andwithenthusiasmeachtimetheyvolunteer.
Provideinitialandongoingtraining
Maketheirjobsaseasyandenjoyableaspossible
Havecleartasksoutlinedandtemplatesand resourcesforyourvolunteerstoreferto
Giveownershipovertasksand,ifpossible,a dedicatedworkarea.
Encourageyourvolunteerstogivefeedback;a freshsetofeyesisagreatwaytomakepositive changes.
A‘thankyou’goesalongway Acknowledgetheir contributioneachtimetheyvolunteer
Maintaining a team environment is a great way to create loyalty amongst your tuckshop team Some ways to do this include:
Make the workplace fun and interesting pop the Talking Healthier Tuckshops Podcast on in the background or play some tunes at a reasonable decibel level, if everyone agrees.
Place regular volunteer articles/profiles in the school newsletter or tuckshop Facebook page
Include the volunteers in school photos and hang the photo on the tuckshop wall
Display thank you cards/posters you receive from students
Get a team uniform, apron or shirt
Recognise your volunteers’ special milestones e.g. 5 years’ service
Have a social function each term. This can be as simple as a picnic at the local park
You may have a Nigella or Jamie amongst your volunteers and they could be willing to give a cooking class Encourage them to show their talents.
Volunteering Australia has a great fact sheet ‘101 Ways to Recognise Your Volunteers’ if you are looking for more ideas
If you think your volunteer program needs some work, it’s never too late to make a change and put in place practices to minimise the turnover rate amongst your volunteers.
It’s worth remembering that your existing volunteers will always be your best advocates for recruiting others, so you want to make sure their experience in your tuckshop is a positive one and that your volunteer program is well considered and planned
We’re planning to launch our new online, self-paced Volunteer Management course in Term 2, 2023 so keep your eyes peeled.
Otherwise, head to the Volunteer Resources section of our website for further tips and guidance
Good luck with your volunteer program for 2023 and don’t hesitate to reach out to QAST for help.
As a busy foodservice operation, the school tuckshop can either be part of the environmental problem or become a leader in the sustainability space
All schools can benefit by taking on sustainable practices across multiple areas, which will help to control ever increasing energy costs.
The key areas of energy use in the tuckshop are lighting, airconditioning, refrigeration, and cooking.
Making sure your equipment is in good working order, clean and well-serviced is the best strategy to cut down on energy use.
When it is time to upgrade, aim for designs and appliances that reduce energy usage.
If you are upgrading cooking facilities, keep in mind that the Department of Education is reconsidering the use of gas in schools.
Gas is more difficult to make sustainable, so schools are being encouraged to pursue electrification, with installation of induction cooktops, rather than replacing with gas.
For a full range of energy saving ideas, see these tips from Business Queensland.
Recycling is now commonplace in most schools, but reducing waste starts long before waste disposal.
The waste hierarchy in the Brisbane City Council’s comprehensive guide for reducing waste in schools steps through a process of avoid – reduce – reuse – recycle – disposal.
In tuckshops, this might involve buying ingredients in bulk, choosing products in reusable, compostable or recyclable packaging, cooking more meals from scratch, and switching to eco-friendly serving containers.
Find out how waste is managed in your school and have a conversation about integrating tuckshop waste into this.
If you find there is no effective system, take the lead, get a team together, and implement a whole of school system to better manage waste.
Cooking from scratch tends to increase food waste from the tuckshop, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
Composting, worm farms and even school chickens can be a great way to manage food waste, but all require a level of commitment from someone in the school.
If your school already has a garden, making a connection through food waste can open other possibilities, like using produce in tuckshop menus.
Don’t have a school garden? You may be able to use commercial compost services.
Sara Begg from Freshwater State School in Cairns applied for the Queensland Government Organic Waste Smart Schools program.
Through this funding, Sarah was able to introduce a comprehensive waste management system in her school, including composting, and created a vegetable garden which now supplies produce for the tuckshop menu. A mini circular economy in the Freshwater State School!
For more information, check out the Queensland Climate Ready Schools Guide for simple steps schools can take to become more sustainable.
Is your tuckshop struggling to make a profit? Unsure about your mark-ups and how you compare to other school tuckshops?
Our Financial Advisory Service can help set you on the right path to getting back into the black and becoming a thriving small business.
So, what does this member-only service involve?
A review of your current and previous years’ profit and loss statements
An assessment of your menu (including items and pricing) Discussion around areas of concern and proposed changes with the convenor, P&C/P&F and school administration
We’ll talk through your needs with you and then provide a comprehensive written report that compares your data with industry benchmarks and outlines key recommendations for change
Plus, we’ll follow up on it down the track to see how you’re getting on.
QAST understands the tuckshop business and can help you improve your financial position by giving you the tools to make the right changes
Head to our website to get started or give us a call on (07) 3324 1511.
Thriving veggie gardens and a tuckshop menu that is delicious and healthy, are just two of the exciting milestones achieved at Loganholme State School, one year after they adopted Life Ed Queensland’s Healthy Eats program.
The school joined the award-winning nutrition program last November after teachers noticed many student lunchboxes were not as healthy as they could be
It was the start of an inspiring journey that has seen the whole school community – teachers, students and parents –enthusiastically embrace healthier eating choices that encourage children to eat more vegetables and fruit
Life Ed Queensland nutritionist and community development officer, Jaclyn Coffey worked closely with the school to implement a range of innovative, fun and engaging activities as part of the Healthy Eats School Toolkit.
The school now has a healthy food and drink policy and an enthusiastic student leadership team
The senior students encourage younger students to eat their two and five, distribute Woolworths fruit and vegetable donations before school, and support garden club activities and tuckshop tasting days.
Loganholme State School teachers, support staff and the leadership team took part in a Healthy Eats professional development session The session outlined the evidence underpinning the program and the importance of role modelling good food choices during classroom brain breaks
Program partner Bunnings donated gardening equipment and a range of vegetables and flowers, including snow peas, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, silverbeet, rhurbarb and herbs
The veggie gardens have flourished in a short space of time act, Loganholme’s healthy eating journey has been so cessful, they’ve already achieved Healthy Eats accreditation, er working hard to implement ten core program initiatives
oing so, they became the first school in South East eensland to reach this milestone
ganholme is a great example of how Healthy Eats can change ndsets and habits,” Ms Coffey said.
“It’s been so exciting to empower the school community to embed activities that are making a big difference to children’s health.”
In collaboration with Healthy Eats and QAST, the school tuckshop convenors developed a new consistent menu.
Smart Choices is the Department of Education’s Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools. QAST uses the framework to help tuckshops make healthy changes to their menu.
After seeking input from parents and launching popular tuckshop tasting days and Healthy Eats ‘Frankie Fresh’ meal deals, the new menu was unveiled in Term 4. It was awarded a five-apple healthy food rating by QAST.
This is the highest rating and means it’s ‘an outstanding menu’ that well exceeds the minimum requirements for consistency within the Smart Choices guidelines – featuring 75% or more green food items rated as healthy, and no red food items such as deep fried food and confectionary.
Compared to the previous menu health check rating of only one apple, this is a great achievement!
Year 6 student Maddison loves the new menu and says eating healthy fuels her passion for dance.
“Before, there were lots of unhealthy foods like hot dogs but now there are salads, and a lot more fruit. I like the frozen yoghurt bars,” she said.
Year 5 student Kruiz enjoys watering, nurturing and picking the school’s veggie crop, but has also turned into a green thumb at home.
Deputy principal Renee Child says Healthy Eats has had a positive impact on the whole school food environment and children’s physical, social and emotional health.
“The teachers have noticed that there’s been a lot more settled behaviour within the classrooms, which is great,” Ms Child said.
“And obviously, the more settled students are, the more focused they are.”
The school has plans to establish another veggie garden for senior students.
Well done Loganholme State School. You are amazing Healthy Eats role models!
The Healthy Eats team is inviting eligible schools to join the program until the end of Term 1, 2023. Learn more about the program and discover if your school is eligible.
The tuckshop uses produce from the school veggie garden in lunchtime salads, and students are lining up for snacks like apple slinkies and frozen pineapple hula-hoops.
How did relationships between the tuckshop, the school and the parent bodies fare over the last 12 months? Did everyone work well together, or was there some conflict or moments that challenged you?
It is not uncommon for us to come across challenging moments in any work environment
No matter how you got there, looking forward to rebuilding a relationship is important for both work culture and how much you enjoy the work you do, and where you do it
Over the many years of working with QAST members, the one element that can help get you moving in the right direction is finding how to develop more positive, constructive engagement between parties
Ultimately, finding a way back to a cooperative working relationship is beneficial to all parties
Below are a few steps you can take to help develop constructive dialogue.
Regular engagement will help to communicate issues/successes/wins in a timely manner and enable you to talk about things in a more formal way, rather than an ad-hoc conversation
Limit conversation to business activities to start Keep language friendly, professional, courteous and civil
Identify a regular time that works for you (e g fortnightly or monthly) – try and make them before or after P&C/P&F meetings or school business meetings so you can provide and/or receive information in a timely manner Keep it short or at least under one hour.
If possible, limit tuckshop operational decisions or chats to these meetings
TOP TIP: Setting up regular catch ups helps to keep communication channels open about important issues and topics.
As a group, decide on tuckshop goals and objectives together with the school and the P&C/P&F (even if they don’t run the tuckshop). This can be done in Term 1 or 4.
Work through how you will achieve these goals as a group
Use SMART principles to set out objectives (specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, time bound)
Revisit these goals throughout the year
TOP TIPS: Set tuckshop priorities early in the year to provide direction and focus for everyone. If last year’s goals are still OK, then just renew for another 12 months.
Miscommunication is often at the core of issues and conflict in the workplace While not always easy, engaging proactively with the school or the P&C/P&F is important
Some quick tips include:
Engage actively
Adjust messaging to enable greater understanding
Take time to understand as you try to be understood
Be aware of your personal bias that influences how you see the world.
Proactively engaging, while sometimes can be a hard habit to get into, will help you run your tuckshop more effectively, if only so you can better manage their expectations
Communicate decisions made at end of meetings to all attendees
Use templates wherever possible
Consistency in how information is presented improves the readability of the content
Set out an agenda of what you want to discuss in the meeting Limit it to the most pressing issues
Provide/request for important information to be in writing. Then you can track outcomes and responses
During the meeting:
Ask attendees what information they want to know about the tuckshop and by when
Tell them what information you need from them and by when
If you would like a confidential chat about any concerns you have about relationships between the tuckshop and the school and/or P&C/P&F , please contact the QAST team on (07) 3324 1511 or email enquiry@qast org au
It’s the end of an era at Ipswich Girls Grammar School, with long time convenor, Lorie Robinson, hanging up the apron one last time, after 27 years of service.
It all began with the desire for a career change after working as a teacher in country NSW for close to a decade. Lorie took on the Catering Manager role at Ipswich Girls Grammar School in December 1995 and the rest, as they say, is history.
With a background in food and nutrition, the job was a perfect fit for Lorie as she loved working in a school environment (who doesn’t love school holidays?) and has a keen passion for food.
While boarder numbers were strong when she initially started out, they eventually started to fall, so Lorie had to think fast to keep her staff employed. Enter the school tuckshop.
After taking over the running of the tuckshop, which was previously managed by the P&F, Lorie had to navigate an array of challenges in juggling boarders and students. She spent the next 6 months getting things in running order and once established, knew she had found her “forever job”.
The role suited her to a tee. Lorie had two very busy girls so finding a job that she could work around them was essential. The commute from home was short and she got to work with some fabulous people and put her experience and love for food to good use.
In 2003, and with a wealth of tuckshop experience already under her belt, Lorie joined the QAST Management Committee and described it as one of the best things she has done.
Over the years, Lorie saw almost every possible change in school foodservice.
“From the school having soft drink machines on campus, to the introduction of the Smart Choices policy, and then to Covid; it all happened!
“Online ordering and EFTPOS also completely changed the way we operated and on reflection, how did we ever function without it!
“The friendships I forged, not to mention, being at the grass roots of Smart Choices; it was a great time to be involved with the organisation. I have worked with so many awesome people over my time with QAST.”
“I also think that parents and staff are way more depende the tuckshop to offer tasty, healthy choices in the school environment
“It’s also gotten busier We used to think having 200 orde Friday was huge Last year we had many Fridays with ove orders, plus the other days of the week increased in sales think Covid had a big effect on all that ”
The volunteer landscape has also changed a great deal. When Lorie took over the tuckshop, she had at least three volunteers on roster every day In 2022 she had seven volunteers in total, two of them being retirees coming ba help.
“I think so many parents are out in the workforce, which i change from “the old days”. That being said, most of our volunteers over the years were working parents who just the time,” Lorie said
“I also believe that some people don’t think we needed volunteers because we had paid staff If only they knew h much appreciated an extra pair of hands can be.”
In terms of challenges, staffing was the biggest one Lorie previously had no trouble finding people to work, but tow the end of her career, it felt near impossible, with term-only hours, early starts and some weekend work proving the greatest deterrents.
“Covid was another huge challenge, especially in the early days when we didn’t know what was happening,” Lorie explained.
“We had around 30 boarders who couldn’t leave the country, plus we had quite a few children of essential workers coming to school, so we had to feed everyone
“It was scary But it was also one of my proudest moments because I was able to keep all my staff employed during that time.”
"Having the facilities to do so, we prepared most of our food in house We used to even make our own sausage rolls and back in the day were famous for our homemade chicken pasties.
"Oh, and I’m also famous for my savoury mince which the boarders used to have every other Wednesday for breakfast And my corn chowder; one of the boarders told me it was the best thing she ever had in her life It is pretty good, I can’t lie ”
Over the years, the biggest highlights for Lorie included having her own daughters attend Ipswich Girls Grammar School, getting to know and become friends with many of the teaching staff, and working with some truly amazing people
And when it comes to advice for people new to managing tuckshops, Lorie sums it up perfectly.
Getting to the heart and soul of the tuckshop – the food – Lorie has always maintained that home-made is best…and the kids loved it!
“Our “Chicken Burger Tuesday” is infamous around the school corridors In the school yearbook, seniors are asked what they will miss most about the school and at least two thirds of them mention Chicken Burger Tuesday. It cracks me up,” Lorie reflected
The QAST team was proud to join Lorie, her family, friends and colleagues at a special farewell function in late 2022 and it was an honour to see the outpouring of love and affection the school community has for her
Well done Lorie on an amazing career that we know has given you many cherished memories
“Work hard and never take yourself too seriously. Appreciate your staff and volunteers for whatever they bring to the workplace. Be kind and treat people the way you would like to be treated. And, if you aren’t already, become a member of QAST”Chris and Barb from QAST celebrate with Lorie
The Creating Connections through Cooking project helps connect school tuckshops with volunteers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who want to be more involved in their local communities.
Currently operating in the Greater Brisbane area, our Connections Project Officer, Astri Candrarini supports schools and the volunteers to familiarise new recruits with the tuckshop environment
Volunteers love meeting new people, practicing their English in a safe place, and gain valuable work experience which helps them find a job
Tuckshops find more willing hands to help out, connect better with their multicultural community, and even boost the ethnic offering on the menu
We wrapped up another successful year of our Creating Connections through Cooking project with a celebratory picnic in Brisbane on Wednesday, 7 December 2022
Hosted by QAST Project Officer, Astri Candrarini and Senior Project Officer, Deanne Wooden, it was great to see the program volunteers come along with their families to celebrate with yummy food and drinks and reflect on another wonderful year of volunteering
One attendee even brought along some Vietnamese cultural snacks to share, and they were a massive hit.
We were also joined by Annie Morris from TAFE Queensland’s Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), who has been instrumental in spreading the word about the program across the state’s eight TAFE campuses
We’re looking forward to running the program again in 2023, making new connections, and continuing those already made
If your school is interested in hosting a Connections through Cooking volunteer, visit our website for more information and to complete an Expression of Interest
Najiba was introduced to the Connections through Cooking Project while studying in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at the South Bank campus of TAFE Queensland.
She started volunteering at Coorparoo State School in March 2022.
When volunteering in the tuckshop she covers a range of tasks, including making pizzas, cutting fresh fruits, preparing ice-cream cups and washing dishes.
Najiba’s favourite thing about volunteering in the tuckshop is serving and talking to the students.
Since becoming involved in the project she has greatly improved her English, gained some valuable work experience and built some beautiful friendships.
Previous Project Manager, Parivash supported Najiba on her first day of volunteering in March 2022.
Although Najiba’s health is not in perfect condition, she continues to try her best to attend her volunteering days.
Since taking over the Project Manager role, Astri has been in regular contact with Najiba, who has continued to express how much she has enjoyed the experience.
In 2023, Najiba is keen to start working as a volunteer in the tuckshop at Yeronga State School, which will help broaden her knowledge, expose her to a different working environment and allow her to meet new people and make more friends.
We will be doing regular polling to see what’s the topic of the month, the flavour of the school tuckshop, and tailor our content as we progress.
At QAST, we’ve been working through some ideas about how to better connect tuckshop gurus not just in your own region, but across Queensland.
We loved the idea of an all-expenses paid weekend away, (if we could, we would!) but in the absence of that, as part of our Healthier Tuckshops Program, we’re launching a Tuckshop Conversations Facebook group.
This closed online group just for tuckshop convenors will go live in March, running through to June.
Its purpose is to encourage everyone to share, to learn, and to grow. Our hope is that group members can mentor each other, learn from each other, celebrate each other, and talk about our wins and our losses.
It will be a creative, collective space of sharing ideas, resources, asking for input into future activities, running quizzes, talking food, tuckshop menus, and all things that make tuckshops great.
Over the course of 12 weeks, every few weeks, we will introduce a new topic for discussion – there will be live Facebook feeds, special guest speakers and resources available for download for you to use in your tuckshop.
The best news? Registration is free to all tuckshop convenors and staff across Queensland. QAST membership is not required. Register your interest today by emailing donna@qast.org.au –you’ll get an alert when the group goes live so you can log in and get sharing!
"Allknowledgeisconnectedtoallotherknowledge. Thefunisinmakingtheconnections."
ArthurC.Aufderheide
Over the years, here at QAST we have grown to know food and drink suppliers across every region in Queensland.
We’ve engaged many of them through our Smart Choices Nutrition Advisory Service and helped them to classify food and drinks they regularly supply to tuckshops against the Queensland Government’s Smart Choices Strategy.
Check out our complete directory of suppliers.
Making your menu as healthy as possible is important to helping children learn, listen and play.
Checking the food item against the Smart Choices strategy recommendations is essential to make sure food on offer is nutritious and promotes healthy eating behaviours.
The Smart Choices Strategy Ready Reckoner gives a good breakdown of products and categories to help point you in the right direction.
Do you work with a supplier that supplies healthy, nutritious food, but it’s not on in our supplier directory? Get in touch with Chris Ogden on (07) 3324 1511 or chris@qast.org.au.
Thank you to QAST members who recently contacted us about cost increases to everyday items from regular suppliers.
We investigated and found that suppliers under Qld Government SOAs have been approved to increase prices across some of their goods, limited to an increase of up to 20-25 per cent.
If this has happened to you, don’t forget to adjust calculations around item costs and profit margins. While these changes are small(ish), left unchecked, gradual increases over time to the base cost of items can impact on the profitability of an item and the tuckshop overall.
Thanks again to the QAST members for sharing. This is a great example of the tuckshop community checking in and sharing information to help others.
Not sure how to check the profit of each tuckshop menu item? Give us a call on (07) 3324 1511 to learn more about our Pathway to Profit Training course.
To help with cost savings, via long-term discounts on food and drink items, the Queensland Government has a Standing Offer Arrangement for Food and Tuckshop Supplies with a number of suppliers across Queensland.
State schools can find the information on OnePortal. These suppliers have direct engagement in the Queensland market and are familiar with Smart Choices. Non-state schools or those who do not have access to OnePortal, email: procurement.ggs@qed.qld.gov.au or telephone 1300 366 612 (select Option 4 for information and price lists).
There are several food and drink buyers guides available for tuckshops – in addition to product guides from suppliers directly.
We’ve provided a summary of some of the buyers' guides currently available for tuckshops. Keep in mind that some suppliers pay for the privilege of being in these guides, and the products lists are not exhaustive.
Offers state-based buyer’s guide. Products (registered only) have been assessed against the Smart Choices Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy, as well as the Healthy Kids Nutrient Criteria.
HKA is a NSW-based organisation and not all products listed in the Guide are available in Queensland, and does not cover all products available in Queensland.
The Guide is distributed to all schools in Western Australia and many community organisations.
Products listed are specific to Western Australia schools.
Keen to talk to someone about your tuckshop suppliers?
Give us a call on (07)3324 1511 or send us an email at enquiry@qast.org.au
TUCKSHOP CONVENOR: KIM WOOD
SCHOOL: YUGUMBIR STATE SCHOOL
DAYS OPEN/WEEK: 5 DAYS
NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 1,100
What changes have you made in your time as convenor?
Completely overhauled the menu and removed the chicken nuggets, which were previously the best seller
Shifted to cooking most things fresh in the tuckshop
Organised a tasting morning for kids and parents to try the new menu items
Changed our online ordering system to Qkr!
Purchased new equipment to cook from scratch.
What QAST services (if any) have you used?
Food Safety Supervisor Course, Food Handlers Course and Pathway to Profit course
Menu Health Check
Recipes
What is the percentage of food cooked on site (for meals), compared to when you took over the tuckshop?
100% increase on the previous tuckshop menu 95% of the menu items are now cooked on site.
Most popular menu items?
Cheeseburgers (home-made patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato and beetroot)
Spaghetti Bolognese
Sushi bowl
Staff specials: Steak fajita bowl and take-home lasagne
Do you find the students lean more towards the healthier/made from scratch options, rather than heat and serve options?
Yes – the Spaghetti Bolognese is a hot favourite
Things you did in the tuckshop that resulted in its success?
Changing the menu has made a massive difference
A positive attitude and outlook makes the tuckshop approachable for teachers, parents and students
Involving parents in taste testing, building up volunteers and sports carnival
Tips and advice for other convenors?
Be friendly and welcoming
Share your recipes far and wide
Be confident that parents want healthier options
Use QAST training, resources and services
QASToffersarangeofaffordable,qualitytrainingcoursestohelpyou runasuccessful,safeandprofitabletuckshop.
Are you a new convenor who feels like they’ve been thrown in the deep end? Or an established convenor who’s wondering if your tuckshop can be made more efficient?
QAST's member-only Convenor Course is here to help!
QAST has developed this convenor course to give you the skills and confidence to run a successful tuckshop, and where to access support when you need it.
The course will introduce you to a range of information, tools and templates that can be personalised to your tuckshop, to help everything run smoothly.
This includes items like daily schedules, stocktake templates, pricing templates and more
There will also be group discussion on a range of scenarios from what to do if students arrive without lunch, to negotiating with suppliers, to reporting back to employers effectively
DELIVERY: Face-to-face and Virtual COST: $200 (inc. GST) for members
This member-only course is designed to help you manage your tuckshop as an effective small business
Depending on your staff structure and delegation of responsibilities, this course may be useful for the tuckshop convenor, operations manager and P&C treasurer
Completing the Pathway to Profit course will equip you with the skills to make decisions about running a financially viable tuckshop business , covering:
Basic financial terms and concepts. Recipe costings processes and tools
Interpreting mark-up schedules to make effective menu changes
How to interpret tuckshop data, such as tally sheets, reports and profit and loss statements
DELIVERY: Face-to-face and Virtual COST: $200 (inc GST) for members
Gain the skills you need to work hygienically when handling food and to ensure the safety of food during its storage, preparation, display, service and disposal
Units covered in our Food Safety Supervisor course meet the prescribed certification requirements under the Queensland Government’s Food Safety Act 2006, and other Australian State and Territory food safety laws, for individual food premises and to ensure the safety of food during its storage, preparation, display, service and disposal.
QAST staff deliver this course as a third party for NAQ Nutrition Training (RTO Code: 110074)
DELIVERY: Face-to-face COST: QAST member: $275 (inc. GST), Non-member: $350 (inc. GST).
This training has been designed as a refresher course for Food Safety Supervisors (or tuckshop staff) who have completed an accredited Food Safety Supervisor Course.
QAST is offering this course to benefit Queensland schools, so course fees are heavily subsidised and significantly less than other courses delivered face-to-face.
This course is only available for QAST members.
DELIVERY: Virtual COST: $150 (inc. GST)
Our free Food Handlers Course covers food handler and legal requirements, hand washing, health and hygiene expectations, food safety, allergens, cleaning and sanitising, and pest control
The course can be completed online at your own pace, at any time, and in under an hour. Participants receive a Statement of Completion after successfully completing the online quiz.
The Food Handlers Course is free and available to anyone with QAST membership, including those with a free nonmember account.
DELIVERY: Online COST: Free
A well-designed menu is a driver of efficient tuckshop operations, will increase popularity with students, and can be a big factor in whether you make a profit after expenses.
Knowing what you want to achieve is a perfect place to start and two or three goals is enough
You might want an increase in sales, to cater better to the special dietary needs of students, increase appeal to staff, or improve health profile.
A long, complex menu can be off-putting, and will also increase workload in the tuckshop
Two pages is long enough, with four or five sections, including:
Cold meals
Hot meals
Snacks
Drinks
Breakfast (if relevant)
Including one or two daily specials can introduce variety without increasing workload Theme days are a popular way to offer daily specials and if they are tuckshop-made, they will have a better profit margin, and provide flexibility, particularly if supply is an issue.
You can increase spend per student by bundling up menu items into meal deals, which most often contain a main meal, snack and drink Ordering a meal deal is more efficient and increases perceived value for customers
Before you finalise your menu, cast your eye over it to make sure it has appropriate options for all members of the school community, including those with special diets, and from a different cultural background. Using good signposting for these options may attract new families that have never used the tuckshop previously.
Once you're done, don’t forget to send your menu to QAST for a free member Menu Health Check and check out our Sample Menus for more inspiration
Murphy's First Law states that “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong” and this a true adage in the school tuckshop
As a rule, a policy sets out the “why” behind an action, while a procedure explains the “how”. They take the “personal” out of decisions and ways of doing things They are what you fall back on instead of “well, we’ve just always done it that way”. They cover you when things go wrong
Every tuckshop needs policies and procedures to operate effectively and successfully They guide how the tuckshop operates and can reduce the risk of liability In addition, they promote consistency for both employees and the school community.
Examples of common tuckshop policies include (but aren’t limited to):
Dress
Personal Hygiene policy
Code of Conduct for students and parents
QAST is committed to being an independent voice for Queensland school tuckshops through our advocacy activities The issues important to our members drives our advocacy agenda.
NATIONAL REPRESENTATION
The Federation of Canteens in Schools (FOCIS) is the peak body representing the interests of all canteen and tuckshop associations nationally, as well as school communities
A strategic priority for FOCIS is to raise the profile of the school tuckshop, and this is equally important to QAST
In the past 12 months QAST has strengthened our relationship with FOCIS to move this agenda forward on a national level.
Stay tuned for more information.
QAST understands how complex running a school tuckshop can be, so we are developing a toolkit for members, to promote the invaluable contribution they make to the school community
QAST membership is a trusted source of accurate information, essential training, and useful resources.
Key tuckshop procedures include:
Daily Schedule
Job sheets (i e snack station, sandwich station etc )
Allergy management
Food Safety Plan
Cleaning and sanitising
Temperature control
Hand washing procedures
Incoming goods checklist
By documenting these policies and procedures, and communicating them well, when and if things go wrong, everyone knows how to manage the situation, and problems may be less likely to occur
Not sure where to start? QAST has developed a range of sample policies and procedures for members to use in the tuckshop. Visit our Resources section at qast.org.au/resources/
The toolkit will include materials to communicate member benefits to the P&C Executive, making the decision to renew, or join, so much easier.
Watch out for this by the end of Term 2, 2023.
Feedback from members over time has revealed that moving towards a healthy menu in the tuckshop, whilst rewarding, can also mean challenges, trade-offs, and even overcoming opposition from the school community
We have presented your feedback to Health and Wellbeing Queensland, and they have asked QAST to investigate best practice in school-based health food and drink supply policies in Australian and New Zealand schools
We are hopeful this will lead to breaking down the barriers to creating healthier menus, benefitting the health and wellbeing of all Queensland children
TUCKSHOP.
Get the skills and confidence you need to run a successful tuckshop, along with tools and tips for support when you need it
This comprehensive course covers menu design, how to run an organised kitchen and working with your school community.
Learn how to manage your tuckshop as an effective small business.
This course covers basic financial terms and concepts, calculating recipe costing, mark-up schedules, menu changes, and understanding tally sheets and profit & loss statements.
Get qualified as a Food Safety Supervisor in your tuckshop.
This course provides a set of skills to work hygienically when handling food and to ensure the safety of food during its storage, preparation, display, service and disposal.
To enrol in tuckshop training courses, visit www.qast.org.au
