Coretalk comes of age

Welcome to the 21st issue of Coretalk. With 650 establishments across Scotland currently holding the healthyliving award, we have seen a huge increase on the 15 we reported in our first issue five years ago.

NHS catering has undergone a revolution in the last few years, with almost all NHS staff and visitor dining rooms now holding the award.

Read in our Tasty Morsels section how that will be extended to private and voluntary caterers in NHS sites as well. And you can read how one voluntary organisation in an Edinburgh hospital has already benefited from the award.

You can also read news about an upcoming conference and a workplace trial, both of which aim to impact positively on Scotland’s health, and about a college that is already doing so.

And for a delicious taste of healthy eating, try our easy recipe for a warming winter soup.

What’s cooking?

New resources coming your way

January has seen a flurry of activity, as we have been organising the distribution of brand new resources to over 1000 award holders and registered businesses. If you have registered with us and have not yet received your box of goodies, it should be arriving very soon.

When you open up the box you’ll find a whole range of bright new materials, including posters, leaflets, tent cards and wobblers, to replace those you’ve been displaying in your premises up to now.

You’ll also find a booklet explaining all the changes that have been made to the award criteria. Most of the changes relate to the way in which you can promote healthy eating to your customers.

Remember that you can no longer use the apple symbol to highlight healthier choices on the menu. This change took effect at the start of 2012 as a result of new EU legislation designed to protect consumers from potentially misleading health claims.

As soon as you can, please read through the booklet and make the necessary changes. You will be assessed on these new criteria at your next assessment or quality assurance visit.

Remember that 50 per cent of the food items you serve must still be healthyliving items (70 per cent for plus award holders), although you can no longer highlight them as such to your customers. The booklet gives lots of practical advice on alternative ways to promote healthy eating.

Display healthier items attractively
in prominent positions

The healthyliving award will continue to be the sign of healthier food, so you can still display the award logo in your premises as long as it’s not beside any particular food items. The logo lets customers know that you hold the award or are working towards it, and that you always serve food made with their health in mind.

To back up the new resources and make life a little easier for caterers, we are re-developing our website. The new website will include a members’ area, where registered caterers will be able to log in to gain access to resources, latest updates and a whole range of support materials. Look out for the launch within the next few weeks.

Download this issue in PDF format
Food Service Sector
Involved in the food service sector and would like to know more? Click here
Customers
Do you sometimes want to eat healthily when eating out? Click here
issue twenty-one:
February 2012
Change font size
The healthyliving awardNHS Health Scotland - Scotland's health improvement agencyHealthier Scotland - Scottish GovernmentHealthier Scotland - Scottish Government