Search and assess products

How to:

• Use FoodChecker
• Assess a long day care menu
• Assess a school canteen menu
• Assess a retail outlet menu, catering menu or vending machine
• Assess recipes
• Search and assess products
• Make changes and reassess

In FoodChecker you can add foods and drinks as a ‘recipe’ or a ‘product’.

A product is any branded, pre-made food or drink item that you buy in from an external supplier. Products are often packaged, and they are commonly sold in food outlets like school canteens, cafés and vending machines.

Products can be:

• ‘ready to consume’ items, such as muesli bars, pies, bottled drinks, confectionery, etc. 
• or items that you combine with other ingredients to make a meal, such as a pasta sauce, pre-cut potato wedges, a gravy powder, flavour syrup, etc.

You can use FoodChecker to find out if a product is classified GREEN, AMBER, RED, etc according to the:

• Canteens, Healthy Eating and Other Food Services Policy (Vic)
• Healthy Choices guidelines (Vic)
• A Better Choice – Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Health Facilities
• The Right Bite Food and Drinks Standards (SA)
• SA Health Healthy Food and Drink Policy
• WA School Food and Drink Criteria which was created by the Department of Health Western Australia

1. Search the database
   
   FoodChecker has over 10,000 food and drink products already classified as GREEN, AMBER, RED, etc.
   
   You can search the database by product name, classification and category.
   
   
   
2. Assess your own products
   
   If you can’t find a product on FoodChecker, you can assess it yourself by entering information from the packaging.
   
   You’ll get a report with the product’s classification, and as feedback on healthier alternatives (if relevant).

Assess products

1. Sign in
2. Click START NEW ASSESSMENT.
3. Select organisation type then click SEARCH AND ASSESS PRODUCTS.
4. Click ASSESS NEW PRODUCT to add the details of the product.
5. Select the category.
6. Enter the product name.
7. Answer the questions on screen using the nutrition information and other information on the packaging. The questions will change depending on what category you have selected.
8. Click ADD TO ASSESSMENT.
   
   TIP: Click SAVE PRODUCT to store it your account for future use.
   
   
9. When you have finished, click FINISH ASSESSMENT.
10. Your results will appear on screen. 
11. Click SAVE ASSESSMENT AS PDF to view the details results and save a copy of this report.

If you require any assistance, click here to contact us.