A visit to the Zoo is a longstanding favourite day out for Melbourne families - a healthy walk around a beautiful parkland setting full of wonderful wildlife.

Now a Zoo visit is becoming even healthier, with a new selection of food items approved by the Heart Foundation available.

Melbourne Zoo is now serving Heart Foundation Tick approved food options so visiting families can choose with confidence, knowing that these menu items have met strict nutrition standards.

Initially, Melbourne Zoo is offering three Tick approved sandwiches, three pies, and a sausage roll - all designed to meet the Heart Foundation's strict standards for serve size, saturated fat, salt, vegetable, and fibre content.

Zoos Victoria's Acting CEO, Jenny Gray, says that "the Zoo has always served fruit, wholegrain sandwiches, and other nutritious options, but now visitors will have a wider range of healthier food choices, with the reassurance that these new options have earned the Heart Foundation Tick.

"January is the ideal time to launch the new menu, as people are keen to recover from their indulgent holiday season and get on a healthier track for the New Year."

The Heart Foundation CEO Kathy Bell is pleased Zoos Victoria has joined the growing list of places where Tick approved meals can be found.

"With more than a million people visiting Melbourne Zoo each year, it's important a wide range of healthier foods are available," said Ms Bell. "More than 80 percent of Australians told us they wanted the Tick to guide them to healthier choices at leisure venues, so it's good to see Melbourne Zoo has responded to this call."

"I congratulate Zoos Victoria and their catering partner, Delaware North, for making healthier food options more widely available."

Melbourne Zoo is now the third Delaware North venue to offer Tick approved meals, after the introduction of healthier options at Melbourne Park and Telstra Dome.

Strategic Growth and Marketing Director Maria Kucherhan said that the growing demand for healthier food would continue and Delaware North plans to stay ahead of that demand.

"Meeting our obligations as our community moves to healthier eating styles is a high priority for Delaware North. When you do the catering at a visitor attraction as popular as Melbourne Zoo, it is important that all tastes are catered for so that everyone has a special experience on their day out."