Caterers get thumbs up for healthy workplace meals

Twelve contract caterers have been praised for serving up healthier meals to millions of workers.

Aramark, Artizian, Autograph, BaxterStorey, Charlton House, Compass Group, Elior, Harbour & Jones, ISS Eaton, ISS Mediclean, Sodexo and 7 Day Catering were congratulated today by the Food Standards Agency for their efforts in promoting healthy eating in workplaces across the country.

The FSA also praised foodservice suppliers Brakes and 3663 for providing a wider range of healthy products and for giving support and information to caterers.

Rosemary Hignett, the FSA’s head of nutrition, said: “These companies are all very different in terms of size, customer base and operation, but have united with one ultimate aim – to work with us to help their customers eat more healthily.”

Contract caterers were the first group of companies to sign up to the FSA’s healthier eating commitment in a bid to improve the health of the nation.

Since then fast food, pub restaurant and coffee and sandwich chains have all signed up to the commitment to reduce the amount of fat, salt and sugar in meals and agreed to make nutritional information more readily available at point of sale.

Some of the moves made by caterers since January 2008 include reviewing products and choosing those with less saturated fat, salt or sugar, developing new healthier recipes and running healthy eating promotions.

Compass Group UK & Ireland told BigHospitality it had already analysed the nutritional benefits of 300 recipes, including chilli con carne, vegetable lasagne and beef casserole, and planned to extend that by another 500 by the end of next month. Nutritional information on each recipe has been sent out to the canteens of all 1,300 workplaces it is contracted to. 

The group has also enrolled many of its chefs in a nutritional training course and has reduced the amount of saturated fats in its own label sauces by 80 per cent. 

Allan Edwards, corporate affairs and corporate responsibility director for Compass, said: “We are very pleased with the progress we have made over the past 12 months, working alongside the Food Standards Agency to introduce healthier options into the workplace.

“Health, good nutrition and encouraging a balanced approach to eating are at the heart of our business." 

Hignett added: “We congratulate all of these companies on how much they have achieved and welcome their commitments to go even further in 2009. Around 10 per cent of all meals eaten out of the home are in a workplace catering restaurant, so this will help deliver considerable public health benefits.”

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