healthyliving award: relevant and achievable for Scotland’s prisons

Catering Managers George McGhee and
Michael Ingram receive the award on behalf
of HMP Barlinnie

The majority of Scotland’s prisons have now achieved the healthyliving award, with every prison in Scotland working towards accreditation. This goes to show that even in challenging environments - where catering budgets are tight - the healthyliving award is both relevant and achievable.

The flexible application of the award means that no matter the size or type of establishment, the healthyliving award can be good for customers and good for businesses.

A prison is not usually synonymous with healthy fare but in Scotland the prison population of 8,000 inmates is being offered generally healthier food in addition to specific healthy options for every meal throughout the day. All of this positive work has been carried out with the help, advice and support of the healthyliving award team.

At HMP Barlinnie, which caters for 1,500 inmates, the menus were changed from pies, pizzas and kebabs to salads, pastas, and also fresh vegetables in every meal choice. Other changes included sandwiches being switched from white to wholemeal bread, mayonnaise being replaced with a low- fat variety and other sauces being removed or altered.

Although there was apprehension initially about the changes, the majority of the prisoners now think that the food served is tastier. The key to the successful implementation of the healthyliving award has been effective communication via surveys, suggestion boxes and food focus groups.

These types of communication tools could be used by workplace restaurants or other sites by inviting customers along to a focus group or even by simply placing a customer comment box in a prominent place.

Michael Ingram, Catering Manager at HMP Barlinnie said: “We make sure we communicate regularly with prisoners so that we know what they prefer, and undoubtedly one of the favourite meals on offer is coronation chicken salad. Fish, potatoes and peas is also a popular dish, and we have a healthy eating theme day every Wednesday.

“There were budgetary restrictions and while some healthy ingredients were more expensive, others were cheaper, so overall it seemed to balance out.”

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healthyliving award • Consumer Focus Scotland
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