Papamoa daycare takes on Junk Free June

ABC Papamoa West preschool is jumping on the Junk Free June bandwagon - and teachers are also taking up the challenge.

Junk Free June is a campaign which encourages its supporters to give up or at least reduce their consumption of what participants deemed as "junk food" for the month of June.

Participants are able to fundraise while taking part in the challenge, with 100 per cent of proceeds going to the Cancer Society of New Zealand.

Early childhood teacher Nicole Thomas said some of the lunchboxes the children brought into school contained high sugar content food.

Ms Thomas is taking on the challenge herself, saying she would miss chocolate and lollies the most.

Parents were being encouraged to leave high sugar foods out of their children's lunchboxes for at least the month, but Ms Thomas had hopes it would continue beyond June.

"I think it will be really hard but just getting the information out there is a good start, I'm not expecting miraculous changes but little changes help," she said.

By encouraging parents to get involved Ms Thomas hoped they would make better choices about what went into their kids' lunchboxes every day.

Ms Thomas had already posted several healthy recipes and ideas on Storypark, an online forum for parents to view their child's educational progress.

The nationwide campaign is a fundraiser for the Cancer Society of New Zealand.

Supporters are asked to raise money for the cause by being sponsored by friends and family to make it through the month junk-free.

However, Ms Thomas said since the daycare operated in a low socio-economic area they were just doing it for the health benefits.

"We're just getting parents aware of what's going into their kids' bodies and how it can affect them in the long-run."