KEY POINTS:
A small elephant disappeared from Massey High School when its tuckshop removed full-sugar fizzy drinks from the menu.
Health Minister Pete Hodgson said that move in 2005 saw 400kg of sugar removed from the diets of the school's 2500 students every month.
"That is a small elephant. I know - I used to be a vet."
Mr Hodgson was at Massey to launch his ministry's new food and beverage classification system, which classifies food items into "everyday", "sometimes" and "occasional" categories.
The new guidelines effectively consign most pies, sausage rolls, sweets and chocolates to being once-a-term treats.
But it was not a ban, said Mr Hodgson.
"It's simply the next step. We know the issue is that New Zealanders of all ages are getting heavier, we know that schools are part of the solution and that the food that kids eat in school is part of the solution."
Changes at Massey have altered some habits. Principal Bruce Ritchie said a school committee had simply decided one day to introduce some changes.
"The simplest change was in the drinks, so we just did it. I think there was some disappointment from students initially but I think that disappointment's probably gone now."
Within a week, full-sugar soft drinks were out, and the tuckshop now sells only water and milk-based drinks. There were other changes, too, but Mr Ritchie admits the school "still has a way to go".
The tuckshop used to sell about 600 pies a day, but that has dropped to about 80.
Mr Ritchie said the only variety available now is the potato top.
Alternatives such as a fat-reduced butter chicken have replaced the pies.
Mr Ritchie said the goal was to eliminate more sugar, fat and salt from the tuckshop's offerings.
Alongside the sushi and Vogel sandwiches on offer at the tuckshop are hamburgers, fishburgers and macaroni cheese.
"As an educational institution we're just trying to educate the students," Mr Ritchie said.
"We're not going to make the major difference. I mean, I saw a boy walk in the gate the other day with a half-eaten pie for breakfast in one hand and an ice-cream in the other. Hopefully we will educate that student at some stage into a more healthy diet."
But some habits die hard.
At Massey Superette 1km away, soft drinks and pies are still big sellers. Owner John Masters, who has run the business for 18 years, said the popularity of chocolate bars, pies and soft drinks had not waned.
Pies, soft drinks and assorted snacks dominate the shelves; bananas and oranges occupy a single shelf near the counter.
"I've never seen a kid come in and buy a banana," Mr Masters said. "End of the day, kids will be kids."
