Eat Out Eat Well award scheme

What is Eat Out Eat Well?

The Eat Out Eat Well award has been developed to reward caterers who make it easier for their customers to make healthy choices when eating out. It has three levels – bronze, silver, and gold. The level of award is based on a scoring system that takes into account the type of food on offer, cooking methods and how you promote it to your customers. The higher the score, the higher the level of award. To get a gold award, key members of staff will need accredited/recognised training in nutrition.  Gold award holders can also apply for a new award: Platinum

What are the aims of the scheme?

We want to encourage food businesses to provide healthier options to customers by increasing fruit, vegetables and starchy carbohydrates, and decreasing fat, especially saturated fat, sugar and salt in the food that they offer. It also recognises provision of healthy options for children, and rewards staff training and promotion and marketing of healthier options.  The Platinum award requires compliance with the Government Buying Standards for Food (GBSF).

Why is it important to eat healthy? 

The average person eats one in six meals outside the home. 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 award is assessed and managed by the Health Improvement Team at Daventry District Council.  It has been adopted by all District and Borough Councils in Northamptonshire.  Daventry District Council has a partnership with Daventry Volunteer Centre to deliver the award.  You may be visited by an officer or a similarly trained volunteer who will have a letter of authority and a badge.

What's in it for your business? 

The Eat Out Eat Well award is good for you, your business and your customers.

You could make a huge contribution to improving your customers' diet and health by providing healthier food choices. 

You'll have public recognition for achieving the award and could enhance your image as a responsible business that puts its customers first. It could give you a competitive edge and increase customer satisfaction as the demand for healthier choices continue to grow – many manufacturers and retailers who have introduced healthier options are seeing growth in sales.

Your customers will be able to benefit from the freedom to select a healthy option, giving them more control over what they choose to eat that will ultimately benefit their health. 

This free award is open to all types of catering establishment that cater for the general public. This could include restaurants, cafes, canteens, catering businesses and more.  We cannot assess state schools (as they have their own standards to comply with) but we can assess Private Schools and Academies.

Apply for an award 

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 to a minimum, making fruit and vegetables widely available and basing main meals on starchy carbohydrates. 

The process is simple. We audit your menu and test it against the requirements of the scheme. You will also be assessed on marketing and promotion of healthier options. The award is free for businesses to enter. 

If your menu is healthy enough we give you a bronze, silver or gold award, which will last for two years. Annually, the highest scoring Gold Award winner will be invited to an annual presentation night where we will publicise all the County's gold award winners. This will be with the annual Food and Drinks Award Dinners.

If you are interested in achieving an Eat Out Eat Well award, please contact:

The Council's Health Protection Team on 01327 871100

Self assessment form

Find out how we audit your menu and practices and self assess by downloading our Eat out Eat Well Self Assessment Form

Then return the completed form to: 

Eat Out Eat Well
Health Improvement Team 
Council Offices
Lodge Road
Daventry NN11 4FP 

or email us at healthimprovement@daventrydc.gov.uk 

Guidance

You can also download the following additional guidance documents for the Eat Out Eat Well scheme:

• General Caterers' Guide
• Chinese Restaurant Guide
• Indian Restaurant Guide
• Italian Restaurant Guide
• Mexican Restaurant Guide

Healthy Heart Cook Book

In February 2016 caterers across Daventry District were challenged to bake healthy cakes and sweet treats for the Eat Out Eat Well Bake-Off. This book features some of the recipes so you can try them at home. 

You can download the book here or view it below: