Families in Lambeth now have a way to find healthy food when they’re out and about thanks to an award scheme that recognises food outlets that provide healthy choices and a family environment.
The first Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) Healthier Choices Award was presented to the Home N Away café, Myatt’s Community Centre on Wednesday 20 November. Families joined the celebration and shared a healthy meal together.
The Award recognises changes made by food outlets to provide a choice of healthier foods through the use of healthier fats, cutting down on sugar and salt, and by actions to promote these healthier offerings to their customers. It also considers whether the establishment promotes family friendly facilities such as high chairs, a changing area and being breastfeeding friendly.
LEAP’s Diet and Nutrition team worked with families and local food outlets before launching the scheme. They identified meaningful changes to food on offer that families would respond positively to, and which food outlets would be prepared to make.
Businesses that make the necessary changes receive an award and display a window sticker – green when they’ve made initial changes to menus and environments, and gold when staff have received nutritional training.
Liza Ctori, LEAP senior community and environmental health officer said: “It’s sometimes difficult to find healthy out-of-home food options, or to work out what’s healthy and what’s not. We want to work with local food establishments to offer families healthier options and more choice.”
Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) was set up in 2015 with national lottery funding and is made up of parents, early years practitioners, nurseries, children’s centres, the National Children’s Bureau, Lambeth Council, NHS trusts, community organisations and several local charities.
The aim is to have a positive impact on the diet and nutrition, social and emotional well-being, and communication and language of children aged 0-3.
More information at www.leaplambeth.org.uk
