Workplace caterers support healthier food initiative

18th January 2008, 4:10pm

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published the first stages of its activity with workplace caterers to give people across the UK improved access to healthier meals while they are at work.

Even though people prepare and eat the majority of their meals at home, food eaten in the workplace does make up an important part of people's daily diets.

Around three million meals are eaten at work every day, two million of which are prepared by contract caterers.

Therefore it is important that people are given the opportunity to choose food that is lower in salt, fat and sugar, encouraging them to eat a healthier, balanced diet.

The Agency has joined forces with caterers including Aramark, Compass Group, Elior and Sodexho, along with product suppliers 3663 and Brakes, to help people develop individual commitments to provide healthier food for their customers at work.

These commitments focus on the types of products and ingredients businesses buy, how dishes are prepared in the kitchen, the menu choices available, and nutritional information provided to customers in work canteens.

Rosemary Hignett, head of nutrition at the FSA, said: "We strongly welcome the commitments these businesses have made, which will enable people to make sensible choices about their diet, no matter what they eat. We'd like to see more businesses do the same and intend to develop this work further."

The businesses involved will report back to the Agency on their progress on a six-monthly basis, allowing the Agency to monitor the progress of their work.

Weblink:

www.food.gov.uk  

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