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Eat Out, Eat Well healthy eating award scheme

An award to promote healthy eating

Did you know that the average person eats one in every six meals out of home in restaurants, cafes and other locations? If snacks and convenience foods are factored in, men get about a quarter of their calories when eating out, and women about a fifth!

Eating out is part of daily life, but it shouldn't always have to involve unhealthy eating. We're used to making choices based on calorie content and other factors when we buy and eat our food.  Eating out shouldn't be any different. Having healthy options on the menu is important when making a choice to eat well and stay healthy.

That's why Suffolk has developed an award scheme for caterers called 'Eat Out, Eat Well'. Working together with Local Authority environmental health teams, this will reward caterers for offering healthier food choices to customers.

Most catering premises that serve food to the public are eligible for the award, including restaurants, cafes, hotels, workplace and hospital restaurants and pubs. The level of award is based on a scoring system that takes into account:

  • the type of food on offer
  • cooking methods
  • how businesses promote healthy choices to the customer

The higher the score, the higher the level of award.

Some examples of how these healthier options will work in practice...

  • Using healthier cooking practices, such as grilling instead of frying
  • Increasing fruits, vegetables and starchy carbohydrates
  • Decreasing levels of fat (especially saturated fat), sugar and salt in food
  • Providing healthier options for children

Look out for the Eat Out, Eat Well symbol when you eat out for a commitment to healthier choices.

Why healthy eating matters

Research by the Food Standards Agency suggested that consumers felt that healthy eating was an important influencing factor when deciding what food to eat both inside and outside the home. Obesity is a growing epidemic in the UK and causes more than 30,000 deaths a year in England alone. Diet plays a major role in heart disease and has been linked to some cancers. It's more important than ever for food outlets to help consumers make the right choices.

Who runs the award?

The Eat Out, Eat Well scheme is delivered in partnership between:

  • Public Health Suffolk
  • Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
  • Forest Heath District Council
  • St. Edmundsbury Borough Council
  • Ipswich Borough Council
  • Suffolk Coastal and Waveney District Councils

The assessments will be carried out by local environmental health teams.

Why the award is good for you and your customers

If you run a catering business (for example, a cafe or restaurant) and would like to know why the Eat Out, Eat Well award is good for you, your business and your customers...

  1. You could help improve a customer's diet and health by providing healthier food choices
  2. You'll receive public recognition for achieving the award, which will show that your business puts its customers first
  3. It's good for business - it may well increase customer satisfaction as the demand for healthier choices continues to grow
  4. Companies and retailers who have introduced healthier options tend to enjoy sales and customer growth

This award is free and is available to types of catering premises that cater for the general public. This could include restaurants, cafes, canteens, catering businesses and more.

How to apply

To achieve an award your business will be assessed against certain criteria that are based on the principles of a healthy balanced diet, such as keeping fat, sugar and salt low, making fruit and vegetables widely available and basing main meals on starchy carbohydrates.

You will also be assessed on marketing and promotion of healthier options.

The award is free for businesses to enter. If you are interested in achieving an Eat Out, Eat Well award please email the food and safety team

Level 2 Award in Healthier Foods and Special Diets

To gain a higher award, key members of staff will need to undertake some form of accredited training in nutrition such as the Level 2 Award in Healthier Foods and Special Diets.  For information download the Level 2 Award in Healthier Foods and Special Diets leaflet

Take Out, Eat Well

Alongside the main Eat Out, Eat Well award, we also run a healthier eating award scheme for take away restaurants entitled Take Out, Eat Well

Eat Out, Eat Well Award holders in Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council

GOLD AWARDS

  • AG Lifestyle, 36-38 Station Road, Sudbury CO10 2SS
  • Chartwells Independent at Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Ipswich IP9 2RX
  • Cradle, 40 North Street, Sudbury CO10 1RD
  • Everyone Active at Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, Stowmarket IP14 1LN
  • Finborough School, Finborough Park, Great Finborough, Stowmarket IP14 3EF
  • Hollow Trees Farm Shop, Hadleigh Road, Semer, Ipswich IP7 6HX
  • Kind Cuisine, 11A Friars Street, Sudbury CO10 2AA
  • Lavenham Blue Vintage Tea Rooms, 6 Market Place, Lavenham CO10 9QZ
  • Manor Farm Coffee Shop, Unit 3, Manor Farm, Church Lane, Barham, Ipswich IP6 0PU
  • Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket IP14 1LH
  • Serendipity Street, Perrydown Farm, Perrydown Lane, Cockfield, Bury St Edmunds IP30 0ND
  • Staff Canteen - Churchill Catering, Muntons, Needham Road, Stowmarket IP14 2AG
  • The Osier Cafe, Museum of East Anglian Life, Crowe Street, Stowmarket IP14 1DL
  • Tickety Boo, Harveys Garden Plants, Great Green, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds IP31 3SJ


SILVER AWARD

  • Cabbages & Kings, 127 Ipswich Street, Stowmarket IP14 1BB
  • Coffee, Craft & More, 78 High Street, Needham Market IP6 8AW
  • Coffee House, 3 Gainsborough Street, Sudbury CO10 2ET
  • Flatford Mill Field Centre, Flatford Lane, East Berholt, Colchester CO7 6UL
  • Greggs, 5 Market Hill, SUDBURY, Suffolk CO10 2EA
  • Greggs, 58 High Street, Hadleigh, Ipswich IP7 5AL.
  • Greggs, 17-19 Ipswich Street, Stowmarket IP14 1AH
  • Horizons Food Court, Wattisham Airfield, Ringshall, Stowmarket IP7 7RA
  • Jenny Wren's Tea In the Park, Rodbridge Picnic Site, Borley Road, Long Melford CO10 9HH
  • Old Buckenham Hall School, Brettenham Park, Brettenham, Ipswich IP7 7PH
  • Ree's, Unit 2, The Pied Cow, 12 King Street, Sudbury CO10 2EB
  • South Suffolk Leisure, Kingfisher Leisure Centre, Station Road, Sudbury CO10 2SU
  • The Secret Garden, 21 Friars Street, Sudbury C010 2AA

BRONZE AWARD

  • Chinese Chequers, 59-63 Ipswich Street, Stowmarket IP14 1BA
  • Fanny Anne's Tea Room, The Patisserie, Hall Street, Long Melford, Sudbury CO10 9LA
  • Joe's Sandwich Shop, 86 North Street, Sudbury CO10 1RF
  • Le Petit Paris, 1 Maiden Way, Hadleigh, Ipswich IP7 5EH
  • Maltings Entertainment Ltd, Xcel Entertainment Complex, Station Road East, Stowmarket IP14 1RQ
  • The Angel Inn, Friars Street, Sudbury CO10 2AG
  • Tiffin's Tea Emporium, Drury House, Hall Street, Long Melford, Sudbury CO10 9JT
  • Twen Tea One, 21 North Street, Sudbury CO10 1RB