Fiona Collins and Students from Children’s University
On Wednesday 8 October 2025, Food Sleuths: Sneaky Sugars & Furtive Fats was delivered by Fiona Collins, Discipline Adviser for Nutrition and Dietetics, as part of the Children’s University Healthy Families workshop series supported by UDRH SW.
The interactive 90-minute workshop encouraged children and their guardians to become “food detectives,” learning to identify hidden sugars and fats in everyday foods.
The session began with an engaging activity mapping common food items against the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, which served as a great icebreaker and got everyone involved. Participants then took part in two hands-on activities to uncover the fat and sugar content in “extra” foods, using nutrition information panels and online tools such as Easy Diet Diary and CalorieKing. There were plenty of surprised reactions as students discovered just how much sugar and fat can be hidden in familiar snacks. One guardian described it as “an excellent visual learning strategy,” while another appreciated “the hands-on experience and showing visually the amounts of sugar and fats in certain foods.”
In the second activity, students practiced label reading skills, assigning smiley faces to foods that met the “green” or better choices category. The discussions that followed explored the many factors influencing food choices, including health, taste, cultural and dietary needs, portion sizes, and how often foods are eaten.
The workshop concluded with a crowd favourite, constructing Atomic Apple Crumbles using simple, nourishing ingredients. Students and guardians enjoyed making and tasting this delicious, portable treat that demonstrated how healthy food can also be quick, affordable, and fun. As one young participant shared, “The apple crumble was so yummy!” while another said their favourite part was “making the apple crumble.”
Ongoing collaboration with the Children’s University supports UDRH SW’s mission to inspire the next generation of health professionals right here in the South West, exposing primary school students to a range of health and wellbeing careers.
A big thank you goes to Bree for her exceptional organisation and development of workshop resources.
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