The study investigated the barriers and facilitators to, and the extent of the implementation of, the New South Wales (Australia) 'Healthy School Canteen Strategy'. Design: A purposeful sample was used and data were collected using a mixed method approach. Setting: Two primary and two secondary government schools from a low socio-economic region in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Method: An audit of the available food and beverage items was followed by interviews with the school principal/deputy principal and the canteen manager. Results: This descriptive study found that, although positive changes to canteen menus are evident, there are varying levels of implementation of the strategy with a number of poor nutritional choices regularly available. Implementation is influenced by the local context, school type, canteen management practices, meal type and the student body - in particular, their religious practices. Conclusion: Concerns are raised about the effectiveness of a policy that does not take into consideration the local context