A healthier take on fast food

A snack bar owner in the south of Scotland is redefining food on the move for his customers from near and far. For the past 15 years, Bill Johnstone has operated his mobile snack van by the edge of the A75 in Dumfries.

BJ’s owner Bill Johnstone with Stephen Jardine
at the recent award ceremony

BJ’s snack bar caters for long-distance and local lorry drivers, as well as tradesmen from the nearby industrial estate and shopkeepers visiting the adjacent cash and carry.

Bill registered for the healthyliving award after attending an event organised by NHS Dumfries and Galloway in conjunction with the healthyliving award team. He successfully achieved the award by adapting his menu to meet the healthyliving award criteria, making it easier for his customers to eat healthily.

Bill explained his reasons for going for the award: “I have always offered healthier items such as fruit, and always used ingredients such as sunflower oil and low fat mayo, but I wanted to give people more of a choice by moving away from the stereotype of fast food served up by the majority of snack bars.”

He continued: “We open very early and most of our trade is for breakfast. As well as bacon rolls, omelettes and porridge, I’ve introduced a breakfast deal consisting of a selection of healthier cereals with semi-skimmed milk, together with a piece of fruit, a low-fat yoghurt and tea, coffee or orange juice.

"This has proved very popular, although there will always be the people who want a traditional full cooked breakfast. That’s fine, as the healthyliving award allows them the choice.

“At lunch time we have salad trays with roast beef, chicken or tuna – served in a box with a knife and fork - as well as homemade soup.”
 
A butcher to trade, Bill also serves chicken and steak burgers, made up to his own recipe using lean meat.

Bill summed up: “We like to be at the forefront of what we’re doing, and gaining the healthyliving award has given us an edge, as we are certainly the only independent outside caterer in this area with the award. It has proved to be well worthwhile, and the healthier food is selling well, which shows there is a demand for it.”

Linda McFarlane, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at NHS Dumfries and Galloway said: “This is a fantastic achievement for BJ’s and shows that healthier food choices can be made available anywhere.”

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