Relaunch of ‘Snack Facts’ – Bite-Sized Bits About Snacks

27 November 2013

Since 2001, Snack Facts has been one of the most popular pamphlets in the Taranaki Public Health Unit Resources Room with around 18,000 copies distributed.

Parents and caregivers are the key audience for Snack Facts, which highlights the fat and sugar contents of popular healthy and less healthy snack foods and drinks. The resource is light on words and utilises visual examples of the fat and sugar content of snacks and drinks. This has also proved very popular and easy to use for children.

In 2007, the first version was updated with the latest snack foods and a revamp of the graphics. The ‘Mission-On’ strategy was hot and health promoters could see the synergies between Snack Facts and the “new” Food and Beverage Classification System.

By mid-2012, version two was looking dated. As part of the team’s Communication Plan and in response to community identifying the need for increase te reo resources, the Public Health Unit began work on reviewing and producing a version of Snack Facts in te reo. New Plymouth kura kaupapa Māori, Te Pi’ipi’inga Kakano Mai i Rangiatea was approached to assist in the translation as it had signalled an interest in resources for whānau as a Health Promoting School/Kura Waiora. Te Pi’ipi’inga enlisted the support of teachers and parents, some of whom work for the local Māori language trust, Te Reo O Taranaki. We were fortunate that these experts were not only able to assist with the translation, but also ensure it was using Taranaki-specific language. This also meets the core business of Te Reo O Taranaki which is to ensure the on-going use of Taranaki language and dialect.

The resource is now completed and is to be launched at Te Pi’ipi’inga. The collaboration with Te Pi’ipi’inga and Te Reo O Taranaki on this project was very positive, and we are very grateful for sharing their time and expertise with us.

We know that Snack Facts will remain a very popular resource, and are excited to be able to offer the translated te reo Māori version – Timonga Kai - to Taranaki Kura Kaupapa Māori, Kohanga Reo and whanau, as well as an English-language version.

Media are invited to attend Te Pi’ipi’inga Kakano Mai i Rangiatea on Wednesday November 27th at 5.30pm for the launch of snack facts.

For more information please call

Sue Carrington
Media Adviser
Ph 021 367 789

Last updated: Thursday, July 11, 2019