East Northants food outlets highlighted for healthy eating options

Four more food businesses in East Northamptonshire are now award winners for offering healthy eating options on their menus.
Jamaica Blue in Rushden LakesJamaica Blue in Rushden Lakes
Jamaica Blue in Rushden Lakes

The caterers are recognised for their menu choices through a healthy eating scheme known as Eat Out Eat Well.

The Eat Out Eat Well Award was developed to reward caterers who make it easier for their customers to make healthy choices when eating out is assessed and managed by a range of trading standards, local environmental health teams and public health. It has three levels – bronze, silver, and gold.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

East Northamptonshire Council (ENC) has awarded four more businesses with the nationally recognised award:

Stanley Street Eats (Barnwell) - gold

Love Food JM Ltd (district) - silver

Jamaica Blue (Rushden Lakes) - bronze

Rose and Crown (Rushden) - bronze

The level of award is based on a scoring system (bronze 80-100, silver 101-119 and gold 120+) that takes into account the type of food on offer, cooking methods, and how the meals are promoted to customers.

Stanley Street Eats has more than 20 years of catering experience and currently offers relaxed festival food for events.

Co-owner Paula Marshall said: “We are thrilled to have received the gold award and have had positive feedback from our customers already.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I attended ENC’s nutrition course, which I found really helpful and informative. It helped us to focus on our cooking processes and the ingredients we use to optimise the healthier options.

“It is important for our customers to be able to purchase food and be confident it is good for them and taste great too.”

Love Food JM Ltd offers hot school meals to a number of schools in the district. Mandy Love and Jacqui Kilkerr set up the business in 2014 when they felt school dinners needed to change.

Managing director Mandy said: “We have worked very hard with ENC’s help to achieve our silver award and we are on track to achieve gold!

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We worked in conjunction with the school, the children, parents and our environmental health officer to create a menu that was chosen by the children but endorsed by the adults and healthier options were created from what the children wanted to see on their menu.

“All our meals are cooked from fresh each morning and are nutritionally balanced, checking for sugar, salt, carbohydrates and saturated fat, as per school food guidelines.

“Our menu has various choices for children to choose from and the general response to our food has been great.

“We have increased the uptake of school meals across the board and now provide for 15 schools.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Examples of food being served across all award holders in the district include tuna in spring water, low fat mayonnaises, reduced sugar desserts, salad with all sandwiches and caterers using healthy cooking options such as grilling, steaming or oven baking in limited fat.

ENC leader Cllr Steven North said: “To achieve the Eat Out Eat Well Award, businesses must offer a varied menu with healthy options and using healthy cooking methods.

“Our officers have been picking up prospective ones on their food inspections, but the businesses themselves or members of the public can refer anyone for an assessment.

“These days we are all much more aware of how important it is to have a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle, and I congratulate all 27 of our award holders for taking this seriously and continuing to raise the profile of healthy eating among consumers.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For more information on Eat Out Eat Well in East Northamptonshire, including a list of those who have received the award, visit www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/EOEW

To find out how your food business can apply for and receive the award, please contact the Council’s Health Protection Team on [email protected] or 01832 742055.