Gold standard for healthy food

A care organisation has been awarded the highest standard in a new initiative to recognise North Yorkshire businesses that are providing their customers with healthier eating choices.

Harrogate Neighbours has become the first care home to be accredited with a Gold standard in North Yorkshire County Council’s Healthier Choice Awards.

To qualify for the award, the housing association, which runs two care facilities at Greenfield Court and Heath Lodge, had the menu options and nutritional value of the residents’ meals assessed by the Council’s trading standards team.

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Harrogate Neighbours also runs Food Angels, a service that provides a hot meal to about 100 elderly people a day who still live in their own home.

The Healthier Choice awards are free to enter for businesses that have a food hygiene rating of three or above and offer menus that are compliant with food information requirements. Each healthier option is assessed against set criteria and awarded a gold, silver or bronze standard.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association added: “It is fantastic to have our meal service recognised through these awards, particularly as good nutrition is a vital component of care for the elderly.”

“I’m delighted that Harrogate Neighbours and Food Angels are involved in the healthier choices project and have gone for gold from the start,” said County Coun David Chance, Executive Member for Public Health and Stronger Communities.

The campaign is being rolled out around Harrogate.