Healthy catering
The food we eat outside the home makes up an increasingly important part of our diet. The average person eats one in every six meals out of home and if we add in snacks and 'grab and go' food, men consume about a quarter of their calories when eating out, and women around a fifth. So, the choices we make when eating out can go a long way to help us to maintain a balanced diet.
For this reason, the Agency is working in a number of areas to help consumers make healthier choices when they eat out – whether this is in restaurants, pubs, takeaways or workplaces, or in residential settings such as care homes.
This section contains information on the Agency's work with major catering companies to encourage healthier eating commitments, there is also guidance on healthier catering, and practical tips for any caterer wishing to offer their customers healthier choices.
More advice from our eatwell website
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Agency work with catering businesses
We are working with catering companies to help consumers make healthier choices when eating out. We are encouraging companies to make commitments to reduce the amount of salt and saturated fat in their dishes, and help consumers maintain energy balance.
Guidance for caterers
The Agency has produced practical guidance, including weekly example menus, to help caterers across the UK provide food that meets the nutritional needs of adults (for example in, workplace canteens, hospitals, prisons, local and central Government) and older people in residential care homes.
Practical tips for caterers
If you want practical advice about how to give your customers the choice to eat more healthily, or to help your staff or students learn about healthy catering, check out the information in this section.