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Here's to a Healthy Three Years
The healthyliving award (HLA), which is about to celebrate its third birthday, has witnessed an unprecedented level of popularity across the Scottish foodservice sector since its launch in December 2006. Open to most food-serving outlets in Scotland, the award is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Consumer Focus Scotland. To qualify, businesses must meet a set of key criteria in order to improve their offerings of healthier options for customers.
Catering in Scotland takes a look at the achievements the scheme has made since its inception…
In the last three years, more than 1,500 businesses have registered for the healthyliving award, and in excess of 750 awards have been presented. Additionally, over 100 of these organizations have renewed their commitment to healthier eating by achieving the award for a second-two year term. The impact on consumers has also grow, too, with over 300,000 people a day now eating in establishments where they can choose a healthier option by looking out for the apple logo on the menu.
Healthier eating is becoming more commonplace across the sector, from small outlets serving fewer than10 people per day, to large-scale outlets serving hundreds. The HLA reaches almost every part of Scotland and attracts a diverse range of establishments, including mobile snack vans, sandwich bars, leisure centres, ethnic restaurants, visitor attractions and many others. Furthermore, since the Scottish Government directed all NHS hospitals to achieve the award for their staff and visitor catering outlets, more than 120 of these are now numbered among the award-holders.
Project Manager, Dr Claire Brown, who helped to develop and launch the programme, is pleased with its success to date: 'Research has indicated that more than 90% of interviewed people felt they should be able to access healthier food when eating out,' she says. 'Recent independent evaluation of the healthyliving award has shown that sales of healthier options have increased in the diverse establishments and businesses that have achieved it.'
According to the guiding principles and requirements of the award, at least half of the food served by an accredited outlet needs to be a healthyliving choice, prepared using both healthier ingredients and cooking methods. Additionally, where children are served, they should be catered for in a similar way. Successful businesses have proven that they are providing healthier menu items and that they have addressed the way they prepare, market and sell their offerings.
Meanwhile, the HLA continues to evolve and this year Consumer Focus launched the higher level healthyliving award plus, which places even greater emphasis on the provision and promotion of healthier options.
Officially unveiled by the Minister for Public Health, Shona Robison MSP earlier this year, the healthyliving award plus is available to food outlets which have held the original healthyliving award for a minimum of two years. To qualify for the higher level accolade, caterers must make at least 70% of their menus a healthyliving choice (i.e low in fat, sugar and salt).
'We developed the new healthyliving award plus to allow food outlets to increase the proportion of low-fat, low-salt and low-sugar options they offer to their customers,' explains Claire.
The new accolade has already been achieved by food outlets in Fife, Edinburgh and Ayr, after they participated in a three-month pilot programme prior to the official launch. According to Dr Brown, feedback from this project has been 'overwhelmingly positive', with customers demonstrating a 'real enthusiasm for the wider range of healthy options available.'
However, despite the obvious popularity of the initiative within the industry, by far the most welcome endorsement has been the Scottish Government's recent commitment to funding the HLA for the next three years. In these more austere times, if the powers that be can unequivocally support a programme as relevant as this, then the industry will stand an excellent chance of achieving its goals on nutrition, and, ultimately, improving the health of this country as times goes on.
To qualify for both the healthyliving award and the healthyliving award plus, caterers need to meet a set of key criteria, including a commitment to:
- Providing healthier options
- Preparing, marketing and promoting healthier food
- Regulating the way in which food is presented and sold
For more information on how to apply, visit www.healthylivingaward.co.uk
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature, please see Catering in Scotland magazine November/December 2009.
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