Welcome to Coretalk

At this time of year a healthy menu is more important than ever in helping to boost energy levels and stave off the winter blues, and with over 800 awards presented to date, caterers across the land are keeping up the momentum to make it easier for their customers to eat more healthily all year round.

Many of these are public sector caterers, and in this issue you can read how both the NHS and local authorities are leading by example for their public sector colleagues.

You can also read our useful guidance for caterers on bought-in products, and try out a tasty winter-warming recipe for Cullen Skink.

Read also how you can let the Food Standards Agency know your views on their calorie labelling proposals, and find out how you can enter your establishment or nominate your favourite eatery for the prestigious CIS Excellence Awards.

What’s cooking?

Raising the bar for healthier catering

NHS caterers with their award certificates

NHS caterers have been recognised for making it easier for hospital staff and visitors to eat more healthily.

Representatives from NHS boards across Scotland picked up healthyliving award certificates at the recent Health Promoting Health Service Conference in Edinburgh, where the awards were presented by Dr Aileen Keel, Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

Within the NHS, the award works closely with staff and visitor catering; in-patient hospital catering is not eligible for the award.

Catering within the NHS, relating to staff and visitor food, has been identified by the Scottish Government as a priority for the healthyliving award. In 2008 the Scottish Government directed NHS Boards to ensure that all hospitals with catering facilities for staff and visitors achieve the award, and more than 130 NHS food outlets across Scotland have risen to the challenge to date.

At the same time, the Scottish Government specified that all NHS award holders should go on to achieve the higher level of award by March 2011 or within two years of gaining the standard award. The higher level, the healthyliving award plus, was launched last summer and the first establishments have now achieved this extra special accolade.

The healthyliving award plus is open to both NHS and non-NHS sites. In fact any catering establishment that has held the standard award for at least two years is eligible to apply.

You may well be closer than you think to meeting the higher level criteria, and with just a little bit of extra effort you may be able to reach that plus award, so why not give it a try?

Remember, any site that has held the award for at least two years can apply, so if you have already renewed your standard award for a second term, there’s no need to wait until your next renewal. Just get in touch today to find out how you could be among the high flyers of the healthier catering world!

For further details call 0141 226 5261 or email enquiries@healthylivingaward.co.uk

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Food Service Sector
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Customers
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issue thirteen:
February 2010
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The healthyliving awardNHS Health Scotland - Scotland's health improvement agencyHealthier Scotland - Scottish GovernmentHealthier Scotland - Scottish Government